Some interesting survey stats to share from AOL's IM survey that also includes some VoIP statistics. Interestingly, 20 percent say they currently enjoy, or would like to try, making live voice calls to other computers, landlines and cell phones directly from their IM service. Another 12 percent say they would be interested in an IM-based VoIP service that could replace their primary household phone line. These 12% are certainly on the bleeding edge. Even I, a huge VoIP proponent, wouldn't replace my home land line with an IM software client!
Instant messaging (IM) is up 19 percent year over year in 2005. You want to know the top IM city? It's Miami. Seventy-seven percent of Internet-savvy Miamians use instant messaging, while more than 40 percent send as many or more IMs than emails. Miami is followed by New York then Boston, Chicago and then Atlanta for the Top 5 IM cities.
The survey also does some international analysis. An amazing 60 percent of Brazilian IM users want to make PC-to-phone VoIP calls. Meanwhile, 48 percent of IM users in Hong Kong and 45 percent in Germans want to do the same.
Check out these other stats:
Teen Interest in Future Features:
- Live streaming television: 39 percent
- Music on demand: 39 percent
- Video on demand: 30 percent
- PC to Phone VoIP calling: 24 percent
- Phone to phone VOIP: 15 percent
- Live streaming television: 26 percent
- Music on demand: 25 percent
- Video on demand: 21 percent
- PC to Phone VOIP calling: 20 percent
IM Too Busy: At-work IM users now send IMs to communicate with colleagues (58 percent), to get answers and make business decisions (49 percent) and even to interact with clients or customers (28 percent). Twelve percent have used IM at work to avoid a difficult in-person conversation.
Peace of Mind for Working Parents: For working moms and dads, the impact of instant messaging is higher than the national average. In fact, 83 percent say that their day-to-day business lives have benefited from instant messaging. One in four (25 percent) say that instant messaging enables them to check in on their children, providing greater peace of mind.
The Business Card Exchange: Among those who use instant messaging for business purposes, 13 percent say they have their IM screen name printed on their business card, while six percent say they write it on the business cards they exchange. New Yorkers appear to be most hip to screen names, with 26 percent having their IM screen names printed on their business cards.
IM Planning My Family Vacation: Forty-three percent of at-work users send instant messages to plan activities with family or friends, while 32 percent send celebratory wishes, such as Happy Birthday, and 26 percent share photos. In Detroit, 21 percent of at-work users use IM to stay in touch with friends or family serving in the military. Top Business-Related
IM Uses Include:
- Communicate with colleagues: 58 percent
- Get a quick answer on a business matter: 49 percent
- Communicate with clients or customers: 28 percent
- Exchange files: 25 percent
- Send and receive information while on a conference call: 24 percent
- Send URLs to colleagues: 23 percent
- Organize in-person meetings: 22 percent
- Use a chat feature for work-related conferences: 19 percent
- Organize conference calls: 15 percent
- Avoid a potentially difficult in-person conversation with a colleague: 12 percent
