55% of European internet users are now online every single day, 75% are using the internet during their evenings and 51% of Europeans (up 13% from last year) are on the web at the weekends. Freedom and flexibility are key watchwords for today’s consumers too with 49% of broadband users using wireless. 73% of European internet users state that as a result of the internet they are staying in touch with friends and relatives more, 54% have booked more holidays or made travel arrangements and 46% are better able to manage their finances, according to new research by European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA).

Findings:
· 178 million Europeans are online each week
· 55% of internet users online everyday
· Time online by 25-34’s is driving digital growth in 2008
· Online research influences brand decisions for 41%
· 49% of all broadband users are now wireless

‘Golden Youth’ Making the Most of Online
While past reports have highlighted peaks of growing popularity amongst the 16-24’s and the older generation, a wider spectrum of Europeans using the internet for sustained periods of time to deepen and diversify their online experiences. Encompassing all life-stages and the first to grow up in the technology era, it is today’s 25-34 year old age group that seems to be collectively driving recent growth. Time spent online has risen amongst this age group (from 13 hours in 2007 up to 13.9 hours), 36% are now heavy users of the internet, spending an average of 16 hours or more online each week, and almost two thirds (63%) are online daily. They are active lifestyle users too with almost half (49%) regularly communicating via social networking sites and more than a quarter (26%) creating personal profiles (+24% since 2007). They also manage their finances (53%) and to book holidays or travel arrangements (56%) more as a result of the internet as well as visiting more clothing and fashion websites (41%) more than the average European internet user.

The Influence of the Internet
When researching or considering a product or service, 64% of European internet users consider personal recommendations important, with websites of well-known brands (49%) and both online customer (46%) and expert (45%) reviews following closely, showing that internet users are increasingly using both online as well as personal recommendations to make purchase decisions. In addition, 41% of European internet users admitted to changing their mind about the brand they were about to buy based on online research and the amount converting to purchase was boosted to 87%. As a result of this growing confidence, consumers made a record number of purchases online in 2008 – a mean average of 9.2 purchases per person over a six month period versus 7.7 in 2007.