Men and Women Use Social and Mobile Differently

It’s amazing how different women and men are in how they use social media and mobile, two of the most disruptive technologies of our time.

The infographic below reminds me of  Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus – A Practical Guide for Improving Communication and Getting What You Want in Your Relationships, a book written by an American author and relationship counselor John Gray (Source:  Wikipedia).

Men Use Social Media for Business and Dating …

For instance, men are more likely to use social media for business or dating. 27% of men cited business reasons as the top reasons for using social media while only 22% of women use social media for business reasons.

For dating, 13% of men surveyed cited it as the top reason for using social media were is only 7% of women named dating as the top reason for using social media.

… While Women Use Social Media for Relationships, Sharing, Entertainment and Self Help

Women are more likely to use social media for relationships, sharing, entertainment and self help.

How Men and Women Use Social Media Differently

The following are top reasons for using social media where women outnumber men:

• Stay in touch with family and friends – 65% of women as compared to 53% of men
• Blogging and photo uploading and sharing – 28% of women as compared to 23% of men
• Entertainment – 48% of women as opposed to 45% of men
• How-to information – 37% of women as compared to 30% of men

Source: Nielsen 2013

The above facts provide insights into how men and women use social media  differently, drawing some clear distinctions among the sexes.

Now let’s explore the reasons where women outnumber men for using Facebook:

• Seeing photos and videos – 54% (F) 39% (M)
• Sharing with many people at once – 50% (F) 42% (M)
• Seeing entertaining or funny posts – 43% (F) 35% (M)
• Learning about ways to help others – 35% (F) 25% (M)
• Receiving support from people in your network – 29% (F) 16% (M)

Source: Pew 2013

Online Brand Interaction

Men and women interact with online promotions differently. Men want quick access to deals or information. Men are more likely to scan coupons or QR codes than women (56% of men vs. 39% of women).

Women, on the other hand, prefer a social media encounter with brands. For instance women are nearly 4 times as likely as men to like or follow a brand for deals (71% versus 18%).

Source: 2014 Mobile Behavior Report by ExactTarget

Women are also less likely to take action on paid digital advertising. 48% of women ignore social media ads versus 42% of men. This trend extends to mobile where 59% of women ignore mobile text ads versus 52% of men.

Men and women also differ in the types of online ads that resonate with them. Men respond positively to online ads for the following types of products:

• Car themes,
• Sports themes,
• Action themes,
• Sexual themes.

For women, online ads for the following types of products and services resonate most:

• Sensual themes,
• Family-oriented themes,
• Real life situations,
• Pets and kids.

Thank goodness, there is some common ground for men and women and how they use social and mobile. These include:

• Humor,
• Aspirational,
• Value,
• Celebrity endorsements.

Source: Nielsen – The Female/Male Digital Divide

Mobile Outlook

Now let’s take a look at how men and women use mobile devices differently. Women are more likely to go use mobile devices for sharing, camera and games; while men prefer video, news and GPS.

Smartphone activities also vary by gender. Let’s take a look at how much more women are likely to accomplish these activities with their smartphone than men are:

• Messaging 81% (F) vs 77% (M),
• Talk 77% (F) vs 76% (M),
• E-mail 66% (F) vs 66% (M),
• Visit websites 64% (F) vs 62% (M),
• Engage on social network 57% (F) vs 47% (M),
• Play games 38% (F) vs 28% (M),
• Download apps 27% (F) vs 26% (M),
• Use camera 26% (F) vs 19% (M),
• Watch video 13% (F) vs 17% (M),
• Listen the music 12% (F) vs 13% (M),
• IM/chat 13% (F) vs 11% (M),
• GPS 11% (F) vs 13% (M),
• Read newspapers 7% (F) vs 10% (M).

Source: Simmons Connect © 2013

Conclusion

Understanding how men and women use social and mobile differently is important for 3 key aspects of marketing. First, it helps digital marketers understand their audience.

Second, it enables marketers to craft stories that engage the desired audience in a way that resonates with them. Understanding how to engage men and women on social and mobile will enhance engagement and reach on those channels.

Third, it provides context to ensure that messages are on point and relevant based on ad targeting. If targeting ads to women, then make sure that the ad theme is one that women traditionally respond well to such as family and pets.

By understanding these aspects, digital marketers are in a much better position to connect with and engage their target markets successfully.