We know that a very large number of people are using their smart phones and tablets while also watching TV at night. Now we know what they’re looking at.
22 percent of phone users and 45% of tablet users are busy shopping while watching TV. This might be a good thing for TV advertisers, since their commercials could be driving people to their websites where they can buy or simply learn more about products.
According to this same study, about 15% of smart phone users, and 26% of tablet users are doing just this. Another small group of users look up coupons related to TV ads they’ve just seen. Even though the viewers attention would be divided, this is still a good thing for TV advertisers. This will only increase as cable TV eventually releases technology they already have that will one day allow TV viewers to click a button on their TV remote to switch to an advertiser’s website right on their TV screens.
About 23 percent of phone users and 35% of tablet users are looking up information related to the program they are watching. I know I do this all the time. Last night, for example, while watching Moonshiners on the Discovery Channel. No, I wasn’t checking out how to build a still, the program itself gives you that information. If it weren’t for that illegal part, Moonshining looks to be pretty interesting and profitable, actually.
The biggest thing people do on their phones (38%) and tablets (44%) while watching TV at night is visiting Social Networks. If you’re watching the back stabbing ego fest on the Housewives of (insert town here), it’s probably reassuring to check in on the lives of some real people once in awhile.
This information was recently published in a journal called Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.
