11 percent say they would interrupt sex for social media

Image Credit: Retrevo

I love social media.
At Demi & Cooper we live and breathe it. I’ve been known to check Facebook—much to the annoyance of my wife—while out to dinner. I’ve even (as a joke) live-Tweeted my daughter’s 6th birthday party. But It turns out social media may even be a new addiction, according to a new Retrevo Gadgetology study. Salaciously enough, 11 percent of those under 25 say they would let a social media message interrupt sex. I’m not here to judge. I’m more interested in the rising level of engagement people have with social media. After all, it can be a fulfilling and productive use of time personally, professionally and fiscally.

All night long
27 percent of those under 25 and 20 percent of those over 25 admit to checking social media when they wake up in the middle of the night. And a growing number of people are using it as a replacement for other ways of getting the “news” in the morning. Not surprisingly, iPhone users are leading the pack simply because their devices are far simpler to use than others. As Andriod and other smartphones gain market share it is easy to see how that number will grow.

Is it healthy?
I’m reminded of how before the invention of the train there were well-regarded experts who thought the human body could not withstand the strain of traveling at speeds over 30mph. Television, which is usually thought of as harmful, is now being heralded as an powerful tool that helps developing nations gain access to information, thoughts and ideas. Studies are constantly published that debunk all sorts of conventional wisdom from caffeine, alcohol and more. It comes down to that one old trite but true piece of advice your parents gave you: everything in moderation.

What does this mean for business?
A year ago social media was synonymously referred to as “emerging media.” Some people still refer to it that way—but I have news for them—it has emerged. It may help to look at it this way: social media is so remarkably pervasive that Facebook recently out-trafficked Google. It means companies and organizations need to start taking social media more seriously. That means planning. And reporting. And adapting. And conversing. It means that there’s an enormous segment of the population that is highly engaged in social media. If you want their attention, you need to be too.