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SME study: 2M+ people in P.R. are online daily

Business news sites News is my Business and Sin Comillas made it into the top 10 most-read online sites for the first time this year, joining several of the survey’s regular residents including El Nuevo Día, Primera Hora, El Vocero, and Noticel.

Business news sites News is my Business and Sin Comillas made it into the top 10 most-read online sites for the first time this year, joining several of the survey’s regular residents including El Nuevo Día, Primera Hora, El Vocero, and Noticel.

More than 2 million people in Puerto Rico interact daily on a social network through their phone, computer or tablet — a trend that continues to rise, affecting the way they communicate, their consumption patterns, information search and content preferences.

Such were the finding included in this year’s 2016 Digital & Mobile Behavioral Study unveiled Thursday by the Puerto Rico Sales and Marketing Executives Association (SME).

According to the study, users who are connected to social networks prefer Facebook (87.7 percent), followed by YouTube (55.3 percent), Instagram (39.3 percent), Google+ (29.8 percent), Snapchat (25.7 percent) and Twitter (24.5 percent). Among the activities carried out through these means include: viewing and sharing photos and videos, sending messages to friends, and reading news.

In the news category, the study revealed that Puerto Rico “netizens” are embracing online content, including those produced by niche publications. Business news sites News is my Business and Sin Comillas made it into the top 10 most-read online sites for the first time this year, joining several of the survey’s regular residents including El Nuevo Día, Primera Hora, El Vocero, and Noticel.

For brands, the study showed that 7 out of 10 Internet users on the island remember seeing ads or advertising through social networks. The advertising format that is most striking is video, with 56.5 percent, followed by photos and audio with 34.5 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively. As a result of seeing this type of advertising, 52.8 percent of people indicated that at some point they have sought more product information, 33.8 percent have purchased the product in the store and 20.2 percent have purchased the product online.

Currently, 830,000 people make purchases online and spend an average of $135 per year, the study showed.

“If we start with what the median is for purchases in a year, Puerto Rico ‘netizens’ spend about $112 million in online shopping. However, only 22 percent of them make these purchases at local businesses, in contrast to 100 percent that buying outside Puerto Rico,” said Anitza Cox, director of analysis and social policy and Estudios Técnicos, the firm the SME commissioned to carry out the study.

According to the study, the three items purchased online most often are clothing and accessories (49 percent), jewelry and watches (43 percent) and electronics (36 percent.)

The study was conducted during the months of March and April 2016 and shows valuable statistical information about the behavior of Puerto Ricans users on digital media, Internet and mobile phones.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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