Survey Finds Half of Americans Rarely Use Computers

My name is Shannon, and I'm addicted to e-mail. I admit it. I check it before I go to bed at night and before I get my first cup of coffee in the morning. Within my circle of family, friends and coworkers, my e-mail habits aren't that extreme. But according to a Pew Internet and American Life Survey, I'm in the minority. The recent survey on Americans' use of information and communication tools (ICT) found that 49 percent of Americans report that they rarely or never use computers, cell phones or other ICT tools. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 8 percent of Americans consider themselves "deep users" of participatory Web and mobile applications, and 23 percent rate themselves heavy, pragmatic adopters, using the technology to keep up with work and social networks.

For small-business owners, it's smart to consider in which category of users most of your customers fall. Exploring text-based advertising might be pointless if the majority of your customers say they rarely use cell phones. Before creating your next marketing campaign, find out how much technology touches the lives of your customers.