The invention of the smartphone changed screen time and social media use as we know it. In what seemed like an overnight transformation, people could now access whatever they needed in the palm of their hand. Though smartphone and social media use are not the only forms of screen time, they significantly increased during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A study found that nearly 52% of participants reported using their phones for four or more hours daily, while watching television increased by 8%. Though these numbers may have shifted somewhat after most pandemic-related restrictions ended, we know people who rely on their mobile devices for entertainment, communication, streaming, shopping and banking have already established these habits. Let’s compare the average screen time statistics over the past few years to give you insights on improving customer relationships.
Screen Time Highlights—2019 to Today
How long do most people spend looking at screens daily? Dozens of devices require people to look at a screen—from watching TV to working on a laptop or tablet to finding your way to unfamiliar places with a GPS.
What factors might influence their engagement with brands, services and businesses? Let’s look at the average screen time from the last several years.
2019
An international study found that overall daily screen time increased by two hours between 2012 and 2019, from nine to 11 hours. Screen use was highest for ages 16 to 24 and 25 to 34 in every year of the survey.
According to the Pew Research Center, older Americans spent almost more than half an hour daily on electronic devices in 2019, compared to the previous decade. While only 14% of seniors aged 65 or older were internet users in 2000, 73% were avid users by 2019. Additionally, more than 50% of these people owned smartphones in 2019.
2020
A study published in 2021 found that young adults in the U.S. spent an average of 28.5 hours per week on their phones in 2020, almost three hours more than the average in 2018. Television and streaming services were the most common form of screen time to increase during this period. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this spike, where internet use increased by about 50% to 70% during 2020.
From 2019 to 2020, e-commerce and online sales grew from approximately $570 billion to $815 billion—an almost $245 billion increase—suggesting people spent more time shopping with their mobile devices than the previous year.
2021
In 2021, researchers noted that the average screen time for adults had increased between 60% and 80% from before the pandemic. Research conducted by Stanford University in 2021 revealed that the average user with internet access spent about 2.5 hours daily on social media alone. The study cited a survey that noted American consumers check their smartphones anywhere from 50 to 80 times every day. During this time, researchers also highlighted that users spent more time consuming online media than they did watching TV.
In 2021 alone, nearly 85% of adults reported using social media, while children and teens had increased screen time compared to the same demographic in 2019.
2022
By 2022, the average user spent two hours and 27 minutes per day on social media platforms, and 83% of users said they discover new products and services on social media.
By this point, many businesses had established innovative marketing and communication strategies to take advantage of retail and shopping experiences that existed partially or entirely online. As of June 2022, almost 50% of millennials reported a positive experience with brands interacting with them via text message marketing, indicating a sustained relationship with digital brand presences.
2023
During the fourth quarter of 2023, consumers had an average daily screen time of six hours and 35 minutes. In the U.S., teenagers spent an average of 4.8 hours on social media platforms daily. Meanwhile, global retail e-commerce sales reached an estimated $5.8 trillion.
About 30% of business owners and marketing managers claimed younger consumers preferred interacting through text compared to other marketing channels. Another survey revealed that 46% of consumers would opt into text marketing from retailers and e-commerce platforms, and 55% would agree to receive text messages from health providers.
2024
The Pew Research Center reports that 97% of Americans aged 18 to 49 own a smartphone in 2024. Of these adults, at least 15% say they completely depend on their smartphones for internet use. Internet users spent an average of 90 minutes a day on social networking in 2021.
As of 2024, the average daily social media usage is 143 minutes. According to Forbes, Americans spend over three hours a day streaming digital media and approximately 20 hours a week streaming music.
Other statistics reflect consumers’ desire for direct communication with businesses. A study found that consumers were more willing to interact with a restaurant and provide feedback using text instead of video messages.
What Do These Screen Time Statistics Tell Us?
Now that we grasp the impact of daily screen time on the average user’s day, what are the next steps? Business visionaries everywhere must do the same thing they have always done to stay ahead—evolve! Digital technology remains a boon to anyone who prefers completing daily tasks from the comfort of their home, including:
- Education
- Shopping
- Working
- Entertaining
- Socializing
- Meeting
Screen time has become an integral part of most people’s daily routines, which presents a unique opportunity for businesses that want to make a positive impact.
Digital marketing is essential to establishing and sustaining customer relationships. Your business may have to switch from traditional methods to digital platforms that directly engage customers, such as short message service marketing.
How Your Business Can Use SMS to Reach Customers Where They Are
According to Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, increased screen time isn’t necessarily the problem—it’s the content users consume. For instance, activities like focusing on a documentary, participating in an online book club or learning a language are more mentally challenging than hours of mindless scrolling. That presents businesses with an opportunity to transform activities that we perceive as entirely recreational into meaningful, two-way connections between brands and their customers.
As a marketer, your goal is not to increase your customers’ screen time—it’s to communicate to them through their preferred channels. Whether that’s online, through social media or in a brick-and-mortar store, you can use digital solutions to adapt to your customers’ changing needs and expectations. For instance, with business SMS, you can offer:
- Appointment reminders
- Urgent updates
- Flash sales
- Reminders of business hour changes
- Internal communications to employees and colleagues
- Exclusive promotions
- Two-way messaging
- Queued-up, scheduled texts
Experts project SMS marketing will reach over $12 billion by 2025. Additionally, SMS has a better average click-through rate, higher open rate and fewer customer complaints than other marketing tools.
Request a Demo From Red Oxygen Today!
Though screen time averages have increased dramatically over the last few years, that doesn’t mean your brand must contribute to careless scrolling. By using SMS, your business can communicate effectively and share information consumers want to see. Gathering data on customer preferences and interests makes it easier to craft personalized messages that stand out from the millions of carbon-copy marketing tactics that permeate every corner of the internet.
At Red Oxygen, it’s our mission to change the way brands interact with customers. In an ever-changing digital world, it’s imperative to integrate communication strategies that engage customers where they already are—their phones. With our customized SMS solutions, we can help you keep your customers and teams informed through updates, reminders, promotions and valuable news. Request a demo online or contact us to learn more about our solutions!
