Want to reach online-savvy consumers?
Target gay men and lesbians, according to Forrester Research Inc.
A new Forrester survey shows that 80% of gay men are Internet users, compared with 70% of heterosexual men. And 76% of lesbians are online, compared with 69% of straight women.
“Gay men and women are tech-savvy consumers who use the Internet and tech devices at significantly higher rates than their heterosexual counterparts for shopping, banking, entertainment, and community building,” said Jed Kolko, principal analyst at Forrester, in a statement.
Gays have also been online longer. Almost 30% of all gay men and women have been online for more than seven years, compared with 18% of straight men and women.
In addition, gay men are more likely to own portable MP3 players, browser-enabled phones and personal video recorders.
However, Forrester urged marketers to reach out to gay audiences through advertising in gay publications and at gay events. It warned against alienating consumers by inquiring about their sexuality.
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