Spaniards consume more media and entertainment than ever through the Internet

According to a study by the consulting firm GfK, digital consumption in Spain has increased even in the summer, exceeding the levels of the period prior to the outbreak of Covid-19.

In a year as atypical as 2020, marked by an unprecedented event such as the Covid-19 pandemic, digital consumption has experienced important changes. In fact, it has been reinforced: Spaniards connect to the Internet more than ever. This is demonstrated by the study data Post-Covid Digital Scenario, which analyzes by GfK Spain the evolution of digital consumption in Spain during 2020 and the digital consumption trends for the coming months.

He lockdown It contributed to users spending much more time on the Internet, specifically 25% more than before the pandemic. But now, in full coexistence with the virus in the new normal, Spaniards continue to be very active Internet users, spending 169 minutes daily, which is almost 3% more compared to the beginning of the year. Not even the summer months, a period in which Internet connection time usually falls, have prevented consumption from growing, an increase that is expected to be much higher in these coming months.

GfK has been working for more than five years on the development of a digital audience measurement solution capable of measuring multi-device consumption using single source technology and meeting the needs of this complex and rich scenario.

David Sánchez, Digital Solutions Director at GfK, is confident that "the future will be digital or it will not be. And it is increasingly complex, more multi-device and completely transmedia: that is why we must have the ability to know it, measure it and equip ourselves with the tools that allow us to know the behavior of the origin of all that digital consumption: the person."

Cocooning

The high permanence at home that has marked 2020 has a very clear impact on the digital interests of Spaniards. In fact, consumers are increasingly concerned about making their home a comfortable space, where you can spend more time. This marketing trend is known as cocooning, which is reaching levels never seen before thanks to digital consumption.

Therefore, the Spanish consume more media and entertainment than ever (a growth of 26% during the state of alarm and 3% in the new normal, compared to normal) and also more television, but not in the traditional way. We are facing an increasingly digitalized medium and led by VOD (video on demand) platforms such as Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime, which emerge stronger from confinement.

Likewise, interest in the Home and Decoration category grows by 10% in the new normal and Delivery platforms (such as Glovo, Just Eat and Deliveroo, among others) increase their number of unique users by 17%.

However, users also seek to prolong their experiences outside the home, either by meeting new people (now Dating platforms are used 9% more than in the old normal) and by worrying about physical appearance (we consume 5% more Fashion content).

New forms of communication

Another essential aspect that has marked 2020 and that directly influences social relationships is the consolidation of a new form of communication: video calls. Spaniards dedicated twice as much time to this activity during confinement, about 66 minutes a day, with major protagonists such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

But the truth is that this means of communication is here to stay and is still very present in the new normal, in which we invest 50 minutes a day (43% more) and in which 800,000 daily users have been gained compared to before the pandemic.

On the other hand, a fundamental part of digital consumption is e-commerce, which the pandemic has reinforced and which has established new consumer experiences. Beyond the loyalty of people who already bought online, what is striking is the inclusion of new actors in the e-commerce scene: more than 10% of online buyers did so for the first time during confinement. That will remain in the new normal

In addition, the market is diversifying and 4 out of 10 buyers purchased products in online stores where they had not done so before. But despite the increasingly diverse purchasing options, large players such as Amazon and AliExpress continue to occupy a large space among consumers and have seen their sales grow thanks to the confinement that continues in the new normal.

The success of e-commerce giants is partly due to changing consumer purchasing priorities. And, while in the state of alarm bunker purchases prevailed, that is, of essential products such as food (37%), hygiene (38%) and pharmacy (25%), as the de-escalation progressed, hedonistic purchases such as fashion (40%), food delivery (25%) and decoration (23%) became more relevant.

Towards a 360 degree knowledge of the consumer

In short, the habits of the digital consumer, as well as their concerns and preferences, are changing. This represents a challenge for the digital industry: to build an accurate x-ray that takes into account all the cases that come together and determine this consumption.

However, it is also an opportunity for all players in the sector, from agencies and media to advertisers, to obtain much more complete and valuable knowledge about the consumer through new systems and technological developments for measuring and analyzing audiences and digital consumption.