‘Digital Natives’ likely to switch seamlessly (and often) between technology platforms

People who grew up with mobile technology as part of their everyday lives are likely to switch their attention between a variety of media platforms, suggesting a multi-platform sales approach may be the best way to engage these consumers.

Time Inc. commissioned a study titled A Biometric Day in the Life that shows how the proliferation of digital devices and platforms affects the media consumption habits of so-called “digital natives.”

Digital natives are defined as people who have grown up with mobile technology throughout their everyday lives. They are distinguished in the study from “digital immigrants,” who took up mobile technology later in their lives.

The Time study found that digital natives switch their attention between media platforms — i.e. TVs, magazines, tablets, smart phones or channels within platforms — 27 times per hour, or about every other minute.

At home, digital natives take their devices with them from room to room (65% for digital native versus 41% for digital immigrants). In other words, they are rarely more than an arm’s length away from their smart phones, making switching platforms even easier.

More than half (54%) of digital natives in the study indicated “I prefer texting people rather than talking to them,” compared with 28% of digital immigrants. This is a “significant indicator of how marketers and content creators need to communicate with them,” Time noted in a press release announcing the survey results.