ICMA recently conducted a survey of member and customer use of digital media and will use the data collected to align products and services to member and customer digital preferences. Overall 952 members and customers responded. Here are some highlights:

Smartphone use

As anticipated, use of smartphones is high, with 81% of respondents reporting use. Of those reporting, the highest percentages use iPhones and/or Droids. In addition,

• Majority use smartphones for both business and personal use
• Virtually all use the phones to access the Internet
• Fifty percent prefer mobile versions of sites when accessing the Internet.

Of those who said they do not plan to use a Smartphone or are not sure:

• Fifty-one percent indicated they are too expensive
• Thirty-two percent indicated that they don’t like the technology (i.e., keys too small, screen too small, too complicated).

E-readers/tablet use

iPads are by far reported by the highest percentage of e-readers/tablet users, who report using them to read books and magazines, surf the Internet, and handle e-mail. Yet, when asked for their preferred method of accessing books and magazines, a majority prefer to access print versions of books and magazines. (These may not be the same people who use e-readers.)

Social media platforms

Facebook and YouTube are the top reported social media used by respondents who show the highest use of each for personal reasons, although both are used for professional reasons as well, just by smaller percentages.  LinkedIn is used for professional purposes by 53%--the highest percentage of users for professional purpose, followed closely by those who use the Knowledge Network for professional reasons (48%).

Moving forward

ICMA will use the survey responses to inform its strategies for developing products and services that best reflect member and customer practices and needs. Staff appreciates the time that respondents spent answering this survey.