No more naysaying about text messaging
According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, new research reveals that one in three American adults prefer to be reached via text message rather than a phone call, confirming our long held assertion that text messaging is quickly becoming the communication method of choice, independent of age. A long held belief has been that it is only college students that restrict communication to texting, but it has spread beyond that.
Although half of the study’s respondents still prefer a phone call, 14 percent do say it depend on the situation. Of those studied, 55 percent were considered heavy texters, exchanging at least 50 messages per day, and obviously, this segment prefers texting over voice calls for most situations.
The youngest demographic, aged 18-24 text the most frequently, averaging 3,200 texts per month or roughly 110 text messages every day. The total average of text message volume hasn’t changed much in the last year, with the average cell phone user sending or receiving ten texts per day and making or receiving 12 calls per day. The margin between these two, however, show a pension for text messaging even when there is a preference for voice calls.
Why text messaging?
In our own studies, we have found users that prefer text messaging often cite that they rarely use the phone and a growing number actually hate or fear the phone and feel awkward, as they have mastered texting. Millenials note that text messaging is less of a commitment and they can text while multi-tasking, whereas a voice call demands 100 percent attention, which this generation is not accustomed to giving. Business professionals that hate texting are still in the majority, but as millenials begin making larger purchases, consumer demand will drive the need for the professional world to cave to text messaging.
Pew study results:
