Traditional media platforms the main digital driver for over 45s

In the last 12 months the number of over 45s using the internet at least once a day has risen by more than 30,000 – with over 25% of the consumers in this age range logging-on every 24 hours.

However, as general internet use rises, traditional media is the most influential driving force for internet users over the age of 45 to find out about new websites. They are 23% more likely than average to access new sites after seeing website addresses at the end of TV programmes while they are also 22% less likely to find out about new websites by reading online and 27% less likely to do so by clicking on pop-up adverts.

This compared to internet users under the age of 45 who are most likely to be driven to new sites via social bookmarking (ie sharing links via sites such as Stumbleupon or Delicious) or adverts in the cinema or on mobile phones.