This article originally published in 2014 has been updated to illustrate the last Cefrio report. Curious and informed, Quebec web user use Internet as their main source of information. In 2015, more than 2 out of 3 adults used Internet to follow information in real time and social media allowed half of them to accomplish that task. It doesn’t come as a surprise that 86.2% of all Quebec households were connected to Internet and that users spent an average of 22.2 hours per week browsing the Web. Thus, it is safe to say that the average citizen of the french-speaking province is very tech and information savvy.
Mobile devices
The growing popularity of smartphones and tablets has completely reshaped the way people navigate the World Wide Web. These devices allow users to easily browse web pages, shop online, listen to music, watch videos and play games through the many available apps, but they are most commonly used to communicate with others around the world through email, social media, newspapers, blogs and chatting platforms. In adults with at least one child at home, 63.8 % of adults own a tablet, a figure which is not surprising when you see the ease and speed with which children master new technologies and platforms.
Social media
In 2015, 3 out of 4 Quebecers were using at least one social media platform. These are great ways to keep in touch, to share pictures, stories, events and promotions! Facebook (62.4%) and YouTube (57.4 %) are the two most popular social networks among adults in Quebec. These platforms are also far ahead Google+ (27.3%) which ranks third in this chapter, followed by LinkedIn (16.5%), Twitter (9.7%) and Pinterest (9.1%). Among users aged 18 to 44 years, Facebook and YouTube are used in a proportion of 92.2% and 90.8 % respectively. Among social media users, 78.8 % visit Facebook on a daily or weekly basis and 59.5% do the same for YouTube.
When thoroughly thought out, integrating social media to an online strategy can be very efficient to boost visibility and spread the word about a brand. It is the perfect way to reach out to a very large pool of people for a small cost.
E-Commerce
In total a Quebec adult in two has made purchases online in the comfort of their home during 2015, with the help of a mobile phone (47%) or tablet (54%). Most big brands provide the consumers with an online store that is open 24h a day and that can deliver the desired products in record time. In 2014, Quebec cybershoppers spent an average of $ 292 per month. This is $ 43 less than in 2013, totaling $ 6.6 billion in 2014 compared to 7.3 billion in 2013. The decrease of the total online shopping is directly linked to the decline of the “Travel and transportation” category.
The tendency of buying concert and movie tickets along planning and booking trips online and ordering books and clothing seems to be rapidly gaining popularity. E-commerce is proving itself to be so efficient that Amazon recently presented a video of its future drone’s delivery program!
In summary, the market for Quebec consumers is still alive and well on the web. It remains to be seen which companies will exploit to their full potential the opportunities it holds.
