InfoTrends Identifies Consumers’ Evolving Needs in Social Networking

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Key Highlights:

    80% of social network users shoot digital video at least occasionally
    Users expect to be able to utilize social networking sites (including photo/video uploading, sharing, viewing, and commenting capabilities) from a mobile device.
    Nearly 85% of social network users believe that high-resolution photo storage is an important feature in a social network

(Weymouth, MA) January 23, 2012… InfoTrends has recently released its new study,  2011 U.S. Social Network and Photo/Video Sharing Survey . For the third consecutive year, InfoTrends has captured a new snapshot of social networking activities. This report details those findings and considers how things have changed over previous years. It evaluates how regular users of social networking sites differ from non-users, explores how consumers are leveraging social networks, and discusses the general photo and video activities that are being performed on these sites. Organizers of social networking and photo sharing sites can use these insights to better prepare themselves for consumers’ evolving expectations.

Make photo and video sharing easy

Photo and video uploading should be simple and easy to use with quick uploading/downloading times and safe storage. Consumers are more likely to utilize photo and video sharing options if they do not require a long or difficult process. Another important factor to consider when simplifying this process is the use of mobile devices. “Particularly among younger social network users, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are being used to capture more and more photos and videos,” explains InfoTrends Associate Director Alan Bullock. “Those users will demand easy access and simple uploading, viewing, and sharing, regardless of the device being used”.

Consumers want high-resolution photo/video storage

When asked how important it was for full-size images to be stored on social networking sites, nearly 85% of respondents indicated that it was at least “somewhat important,” and more than half of those considered it to be “very” or “extremely important”. “Online services should offer high-resolution photo storage because this is what consumers want,” comments Bullock. “Furthermore, the ability to access high-resolution photos also creates the opportunity to sell a broader range of prints and photo merchandise. Interestingly, a number of consumers said that they use social networks as their primary source of photo storage, and for them, high-resolution is important whether they realize it or not.”

Don’t forget video storage and sharing options

Among survey respondents, regular social network users tend to capture more photos and videos than non-users. Today’s digital cameras, smartphones, and most tablets offer quality video capture, and nearly 80% of users reported shooting digital video at least occasionally. It is important for social networks to offer both photo and video sharing capabilities to their users.

InfoTrends’ 2011 U.S. Social Network and Photo/Video Sharing Survey report is available immediately for purchase. For more information visit InfoTrends’ online store or contact Stephanie Tose at +1 781 616 2103 or stephanie_tose@infotrends.com.

InfoTrends, a Questex company, is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. We provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends is available on the Web at www.infotrends.com .

Copyright 2012 InfoTrends. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of InfoTrends materials is strictly prohibited without prior written consent.

For media inquiries contact Allison Jones at +1 781 616 2108 or allison_jones@infotrends.com .

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