The Unexpected Value Of IMing Teens

Online North American teens love instant messaging (IM). That's hardly a surprise: 76% of online North American youth between 12 and 17 use IM, more than the 66% that has their own cell phone. Generally, the more active teens are on IM, the bigger their social networks. What's more, IM activity also correlates with social influence as well as spending power. For instance, teens with large IM networks find that their family and friends rely more frequently on their advice when buying technology products. In addition, they have more money of their own to spend than less active IM teen users. IM product strategists should study their teenage user bases to form the valuable relationships with marketers and brand owners that will help drive their bottom line.