17% Of TV Viewers Use Social Media In Real-Time

Social media can provide a great second screen experience during your favorite shows, and according to a new study from eMarketer, 15 to 17 percent of TV viewers interact on social networks in real-time.

eMarketer analyzed surveys conducted for U.S. TV viewers, and split the data into two categories:

Social media usage while watching TV, and social media activities performed while watching a program.

Here were the results from the first category, separated by survey:

• CreditDonkey, March 2013: 83.7 percent used Facebook, 66.9 percent used Twitter.
• re:fuel, June 2013: 63 percent of college students used Facebook or Twitter.
• Nielsen, June 2013: 53 percent of tablet owners visited a social network compared to 52 percent of smartphone owners.
• Ipso Mendelsohn, February 2013: 51 percent of affluent Internet users (those earning $100,000+ per year) use Facebook, Twitter or “Other” almost constantly, regularly or occasionally.
• Jacobs Media, May 2013: 46.3 percent use social media frequently or occasionally.

In the second category, browsing social media while watching TV was highest among tablet owners at 21 percent, according to a Nielsen survey published in June.

Smartphone owners clocked in at 18 percent, and engagement on social networks while watching TV ranged from 14.8 to 17 percent.

From eMarketer:

Facebook is further behind, but the company is expanding the use of hashtags and other features to show users how much real-time conversation is taking place on the service. It is also rolling out two APIs that will allow media outlets and ad technology companies to analyze and report on real-time activity. Facebook believes it can offer TV advertisers a one-two punch of enormous reach and deep targeting.

Yesterday, Twitter announced a partnership with Comcast, giving Xfinity TV subscribers the ability to watch, record or be reminded of their favorite NBC shows right from the official Twitter app.