Email is most common daily activity, but social racks up more hours

Not only has social media become a normal part of life for internet users but it’s also becoming the most time-intensive activity on the web.

The TNS “Digital Life” survey of internet users around the world found in September 2010 that on average, 4.6 hours a week was spent on social sites, compared with 4.4 hours on email.

However, email was the most common activity with nearly three-fourths of respondents checking their email every day, compared with less than half who headed to social sites with the same frequency.

When users were asked about whether they “ever” participated in an activity, 98% reported using email and 86% reported using social sites, according to TNS.

The 2010 edition of UM’s (formerly Universal McCann) “Social Media Tracker” reported not on usage, but on social profile maintenance. Growth in the US and worldwide has continued, with more than 61% of frequent internet users globally having a profile on a social network.

And it’s no wonder they spend so much time on social sites. In addition to social games and opportunities to share and generate content, social networks remain a communications tool at heart. US internet users told UM in 2010 they stay in contact with 53 people on average through social media, up from 31.2 last year. Worldwide the trend was similar: Users now keep in touch with 52 friends through social, compared with 38.8 in 2009.

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