Who are the Active online participants?
A preliminary analysis of the GWI data
Julian Smith, Group Director, Analysis & Insight
MEC Global Solutions & EMEA

MEC Global Solutions – international Comms
planning, implementation & coordination

Global Web Index - fills a gap in existing
international digital research & insight
Audience insight
Global Web Index
Web audience Market
Measurement insight

Need to understand the new breed of active
online media participants around the world
• Active online media
participants are:
• creating new forms of ‘social’
media in large quantities (creating
more than professional media
producers)
• sharing their thoughts & opinions
on brands
• influencing their fellow online
consumers
• Brands need to understand:
• who, and how many, are they
• what they do, think, feel Active participants are
• how to reach, engage & influence increasingly important
them
in building brands

Segmented active participants by their online
contribution behaviour
Web behaviour question:
Please indicate whether you have
done certain online activity in the
last month, longer, never…
Uploaded a video online
Written own blog
Used a micro-blogging service
Edited / managed own website

Interested in committed contributors more than
casual community contributors
Watch a video clip 65.2 %
Used internet banking 62.4 %
Used Webmail 60.0 %
Used Instant Messenger 49.1 %
Upload photos online 43.0 %
Manage a social network profile 38.6 %
Casual community
Leave a comment on a story on a … 30.6 % contributors
Watch live TV/video online 30.4 %
Listen to LIVE radio online 29.6 %
Online office applications 26.4 %
Share a video online 20.6 %
Made a phone call online / Used VOIP 18.6 %
% Done in
Written your own blog 18.4 %
last month
Uploaded a video online 17.8 %
Edit/managed own website 17.8 %
Used a personalised music service 17.4 % Committed
Listened / watched a podcast 16.8 %
contributors
Written a news story / article 13.4 %
Subscribed to an RSS feed 10.0 %
Use a micro-blogging service 9.4 %
Used an aggregator 7.3 %
0% 20 % 40 % 60 % 80 %
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Over a third of global online consumers are now
actively contributing to the web
Global Active participants
(who have uploaded video or blogged or micro-blogged
or maintained a website within last month)
80%
70%
60%
50.2 %
50% Europe
42.8 %
North Am
40% 35.3 %
30.7 %
Lat Am
30% 24.6 % APAC
20.3 %
20% Global
10%
0%
16 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 Total
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants more educated than the
average online consumer
11.5%
Post graduate
9.3%
58% achieved
higher education
46.4%
University
38.6%
24.7%
Trade / technical college Active participants
29.7%
Global total
12.1%
Schooling until age 18
14.4%
5.4%
Schooling until age 16
8.0%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: ‘What best describes your final level of education?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants more employed than the
average online consumer
47.8%
Full time worker 46.9%
9.0%
Part time worker 10.5%
4.8%
Freelancer 3.3%
9.2%
Self-employed 7.5%
Active participants
3.2%
Full time parent 4.1% Global total
13.8%
In education 10.1%
7.1%
Unemployed 9.5%
5.0%
Other 8.0%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: ‘Which of the following categorisations best describes your current work status?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Few Active participants work in the advertising /
media industry!!
IT, Internet, Computer services 15.8%
Manufacturing, engineering,
construction 11.7%
Education 8.3%
Retail 8.2%
Percentage
Professional services 7.3%
Government / public sector 5.7%
Healthcare / medicine 5.6%
Advertising marketing , media 2.5%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
Question: ‘Which of the following best describes your current sector of work?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants have a more outward facing
outlook on life
Fame (v. private) 46
Virtual life (v. reality) 27
My image (v. inner health) 19
Buy new (v. fix) 15
Index
Action (v. peace) 13
Earn more money (v. enjoy more free
time) 12
Experiment with new products (v use
trusted products) 11
Global issues 10
0 20 40 60
Question: ‘For each pair please pick the one that most represents your outlook on life?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants more influential particularly in
technology & pop culture
Internet 43.0%
31.4%
Computers 36.4%
26.6%
Films 31.9%
23.3%
Music 31.7%
22.1%
Mobile phones 31.6%
21.5%
Active participants
Technology 31.4%
22.4% Global total
Grocery products 30.6%
24.4%
Books 29.4%
22.4%
Fashion / clothing 26.0%
17.8%
Food / restaurants 25.3%
19.6%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: ‘Which of the following do people you know ask for your opinion on?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants sharing their thoughts /
opinions on topics online
Computers 23.3%
13.7%
Mobile phones 22.5%
14.2%
Films 22.1%
13.4%
Internet 21.7%
12.9%
Travel / holidays 20.4%
13.6%
Active participants
Music 20.4%
12.0% Global total
Alcohol drinks 19.4%
12.9%
Fashion / clothing 18.7%
11.4%
Books 18.7%
10.9%
Technology 16.5%
10.1%
0% 10% 20% 30%
Question: ‘Which of the following products, services or topics have you posted your opinion about online in past month?
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants posting online in public
forums
To contact on email 57.0%
41.3%
To contact on IM 54.8%
37.8%
On a forum or message board 52.6%
34.6%
In comments of a blog 52.6%
30.8%
To contact on social network 49.7%
31.3%
Active participants
In reviews on retailer site 49.3%
36.2% Global total
On my blog 49.3%
23.2%
In a group on social network 46.9%
28.1%
On a review / recommend site 44.2%
30.1%
On price comparison site 42.0%
27.9%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: Please think about all the places you have posted opinions about products & services online? Ever posted.
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants much more likely to visit
brand related websites
Product / service info site 49
Music retail site 42
Consumer review site 40
Business news site 39
Index
Brand retail site 34
Brand site 31
Single product retail site 24
Travel site 21.5
0 20 40 60
Question: ‘Which of the following sites have you visited online in the last month?’
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants more likely to be positively
influenced by online, digital advertising
Ad on major website 28.4%
23.0%
Ad on social network 20.1%
13.3%
Ad on instant messenger 13.9%
9.1%
Ad on a mobile phone 14.0%
9.4%
14.1%
Ad in computer / console game 8.9% Active participants
Global total
Online video featuring brand 21.5%
15.8%
TV ad 42.9%
42.7%
Radio ad 21.5%
20.6%
Newspaper ad 29.7%
29.0%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: Please select all the methods that brands can use to communicate with you that you feel will improve your
opinion of the brand
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Active participants more inclined to think better
of brands who engage them via social media
Providing corporate / product page in 38.7%
SNs 33.7%
Listening in to online conversations 35.4%
30.8%
Contacting me after Twitter post 28.7%
25.1%
Creating corporate / product blogs 28.2%
21.9%
25.3%
Talking directly to bloggers 19.7% Active participants
Global total
Using targeted advertising 23.4%
17.2%
Becoming your friend in SNs 20.2%
13.4%
Creating groups in SNs 19.8%
13.5%
Sponsoring blogs 18.9%
12.6%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Question: Please state your opinion of brands engaging in these online activities. Improves my opinion of brand
Source: Global Web Index Wave1 August 2009 (Active participants n = 5790)

Implications of preliminary analysis
• In global online campaigns consider social media strategies in
emerging markets (APAC / LATAM) as much as, if not more so,
than US / Europe – don’t rely on standard banner campaigns
• Appeal to their desire for fame & willingness to connect with
brands online – encourage them to participate & collaborate
• Particularly important to target active participants in technology
(ie Sony Ericsson), entertainment (ie Paramount), fashion &
beauty (ie Chanel), travel (ie Singapore Airlines) categories
• Across the globe clearly a growing opportunity for marketers to
develop strategies (and find resource) for ongoing, collaborative
dialogues with active participants

Thank you!
julian.smith@mecglobal.com