Digital is the Most Important Aspect of Your Communications Campaign

Author: Josh Perry

“It’s finally happened: Americans now spend more time on their phones and tablets than they do watching TV.” – Los Angeles Times

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times by now: digital is more important than ever. Well, we’d like to take it a step farther…

Digital is the most important aspect of your communications campaign.  Why? Read:

If you’re following the advancements in the way Americans consume media, you’ve likely seen that there’s a generational divide in the way people consume content. It probably comes as no surprise that 61% of Americans age 18 to 29 watch TV primarily through streaming services.

But it’s not just young people who are changing the way they consume content and watch “TV.”  Earlier this year it was announced that, for the first time, more people pay for a streaming service than pay for traditional paid TV. And that’s not just the younger demographic. That’s everyone.

To further drive the point home, in 2019, it’s predicted that there will be 39 million cord cutters — or people who have canceled their TV service and have to be served ads another way. That’s a lot of people, but it’s not all. It’s predicted there will be an additional 37 million “cord nevers” — or people who have never subscribed to traditional paid TV.

This is the big shift, though… Now, for the first time, Americans are spending more time online on their phones or tablets than they are watching TV:

“In the United States, adults will spend an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes each day on their smartphones, feature phones and tablets this year, eight more minutes than they’ll spend watching TV.”

And the time they’re spending watching TV? Well, 28% of Americans say they “sometimes” use a second screen — a phone or tablet, for example — while they’re watching TV, while 45% say they always do

So, in other words, Americans are spending less time watching TV, more time on their phones or tablets, and the TV they are watching, they’re watching distracted.

The old way of communications was to consider digital as a sideshow or bolt-on tactic. Not anymore… and the data backs it up. Digital should be considered the first point of engagement for communications campaigns. 

We won’t tell you that you shouldn’t go on TV or other traditional tactics, but what we do know is how to make the most of your communications campaign, it has to start with digital. 

Let’s work together.

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