New Study of Online Behavior Focuses on User Intent: Underscores Need for New Approaches...

New Study of Online Behavior Focuses on User Intent: Underscores Need for New
Approaches in Digital Communication

- More than 3 in 5 Americans (63%) go online to influence others' opinions or
express contrasting or oppositional views.

- 72% of people go online just to become part of a community.

NEW YORK, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Ruder Finn Intent Index,
more than 4 in 5 people (80%) go online to socialize, which is twice as many
as those who go online to shop or do business. Online business isn't dead but
marketers who can't connect with their consumers' intent do so at their own
peril.

"Intent is the new demographic," said Kathy Bloomgarden, Ruder Finn co-CEO.
"Delving deeper into the underlying motivations of online behavior is critical
to developing proactive strategies. Just being online is not enough to
leverage digital channels to drive business imperatives. Audiences must be
targeted based upon their intent."

Ruder Finn, one of the world's largest public relations agencies, unveiled its
Intent Index today, an online tool that provides a new view on why people go
online and redefines how we look at demographics: www.ruderfinn.com/intent.

"The Intent Index shows a congruency and similarity among Internet users
regardless of traditional demographics," said Marty McGough, Director of Ruder
Finn Insights. "This marks a real paradigm shift in how we use online
communications tools."

Based on a study among Internet users that asks respondents how frequently
they go online for 295 reasons, the Intent Index shows that a person's intent
may be a better indicator for how to develop a communications campaign than
demographic formulas.

Michael Schubert, Chief Innovation Officer overseeing digital strategy at
Ruder Finn said, "The way the Internet has allowed us to share knowledge
laterally instead of up the chain of command requires a new way of thinking
about our online communications. The Intent Index underscores the importance
of knowing what people seek, and how we, as communicators, can intersect with
what they're looking for."

The Intent Index shows how critical it is, when communicating on the web, to
gain deep insight into user intent, and how the right message, at the right
place, at the right time is more important than ever. Updated quarterly and
with the capability of being narrowed down for specific industries, the Intent
Index will help businesses improve the context and utility of their online
marketing content.

Intent Index Survey Results
Socialize
-- More than twice as many people go online to socialize (81%) than to do
business (39%) or shop (31%).
-- 72% of people go online just to become part of a community.
-- Seniors are going online today for the same reasons younger people
are;
to have fun (82%) and to socialize (80%).
-- More people go online to connect via a social networking site (41%)
than
to post comments or opinions (34%).

Learn/Have Fun
-- More people go online to be entertained (82%) than entertain others
(48%).
-- People seek education and entertainment: most people go online both to
learn (88%) and have fun (83%).
-- Almost half of people (47%) go online to learn to improve themselves
and
nearly one-third (31%) to find self-help experts or books.
-- The desire to learn drives people to the Internet; top areas are new
subjects (68%), the world (65%), a disease or condition (61%), eating
healthier (55%) and managing finances (37%).

Shop/Engage in Commerce
-- Three times as many people go online to compare prices (66%) rather
than
people via dating sites (21%).
-- E-commerce isn't dead -- one-third of people (34%) go online to
purchase an item; tops are household items (49%), electronics (45%);
music (35%), movies (29%), and school/work supplies (29%).
-- More men (42%) than women (36%) go online to do business.

Express
-- Women comment, men read: 55% of women go online to find venues for
personal expression compared to only 43% of men.
-- The age of blogs: 44% of people go online to create or update blogs
and
42% of people go online to read other people's blogs.

Escape
-- The Internet offers young people the escape through anonymity they
seek
out: nearly half (48%) go online to be invisible on instant messaging,
29% to create an avatar and 28% to be somewhat different.

Advocate
-- Women (48%) are much more likely than men (39%) to go online to
advocate
for an issue or position.

About the Intent Index (www.ruderfinn.com/intent)

The margin of error for the study is +/- 4.4 percent (%) at the 95th percent
confidence interval level. Indices for each Intent category were calculated on
the basis of how frequently respondents reported going online to a list of 295
reasons or "intents."

About Ruder Finn (www.ruderfinn.com)

Ruder Finn is one of the world's largest independent PR agencies, with
wholly-owned offices spanning the globe. The firm is organized around four
strategic pillars that reflect the agency's key areas of leadership: Health &
Wellness, Corporate & Public Trust, Global Connectivity and Life + Style.
Expertise includes reputation management, branding, cultural and social
issues, and intent driven social media through its digital practices, RF
Relate and RF innovation studios.

Ruder Finn clients include:
Air France, Audi, Bayer, BP, Boeing, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chanel, Council of
Foreign Relations, Embassy Suites, IEEE, Jamaica Tourist Board, Johnson &
Johnson, Liz Claiborne, Microsoft, Moet Hennessy Diageo, Museum of Modern Art,
NEC, Novartis, StubHub, TiVo and the United Nations.

Press Contact:
Mary Beth Lickteig, Ruder Finn
212-593-6375 (office)
lickteigm@ruderfinn.com
Twitter: @RuderFinn

SOURCE Ruder Finn

Mary Beth Lickteig of Ruder Finn, +1-212-593-6375 (office),
lickteigm@ruderfinn.com, Twitter: @RuderFinn