COMM 390: a gendered 'behavioral divide' in search strategies? read and decide for yourself

An article that appeared in 2006 in ClickZ, a Web-based digital marketing newsletter, by British interactive media guru Andy Chen suggests behavioral differences in the way men and women use search engines to find information or to network. He discusses implications of a Pew Foundation study for marketing on the Internet:

This recent Pew study finds some clear differences in the way men and women use the Internet. Men tend to use the Web as a task-accomplishing tool; they retrieve information such as weather, sports, news, financial information, self-education guides; to download music and software; and to research products. Women use it first and foremost as a communications vehicle (with email as a prime reason for usage); they also search for health, medical, and religious information, as well as maps and directions.

OK, makes sense. We have lots of other studies that tell us pretty much the same thing: Men tend to value facts and figures while women tend to value relationships. (But: Don't men use email? or social networking sites?) Next question: What does this have to do with marketing? Chen suggests:

Most of us have come to embrace the idea that behavior is pivotal to segmenting an online audience. Perhaps it's better described as a "behavior first, demographic second" model. But we must not overlook the importance of demographics.

To effectively communicate with the audience, a thorough, in-depth understanding of the demographic and behavioral information is absolutely necessary. The current challenge is that unless the sites physically collect personally identifiable information (PII), gender-targeting accurately and consistently is very difficult.

I'm not sure how much I buy Chen's argument, other than agreeing the World Wide Web is beginning to revolutionize marketing by allowing to collect so much information about Web users. But that's not the point.

Besides, you don't have to agree with me. Or with much of anything else, for that matter. I want to encourage you to think for yourselves.

My point in posting this is to alert you to one of many ways the stuff we're reading about in COMM 390 can be put to use in the real world outside our classroom. Be on the lookout for others in your own reading.