Recent independent media research has discovered that while architects lead the way in using online sources of information, specialist contractors run them a surprisingly close second.
The Construction Media Index, an extensive, independent body of research into media consumption habits among construction professionals, shows that while architects are the most enthusiastic users of the internet to source product and service information, specialist contractors head the rest.
96% of architects search online for information on building products, which is no surprise. However, that 92% of specialist contractors do – making them the second most likely group to look online, turning to the internet more often for information than housebuilders, surveyors and the rest - was more of a surprise.
That said, use of search is commonplace, with over half of all construction professionals using online search to find products, services or businesses.
Use of social media also divides the professions, with interior designers keenest on blogs, twitter and Facebook, with architects strongly preferring Linkedin. Main Contractors are obviously suspicious of the social media revolution, being the least enthusiastic adopters of all such services – except Linkedin, where the specialists are more suspicious than their supply chain employers.
The sector is equivocal on the likely growth of social media’s influence on business communications with around half thinking usage will grow, and the rest sceptical. They are less undecided about the future of technical literature though, with more than 60% of all professionals preferring electronic pdf to hard copy printed – and the specifiers more enthusiastic, with around three quarters preferring electronic to print. The death of the hard copy technical literature library? Could be.
About the Construction Media Index
The Construction Media Index is a comprehensive set of reports into the communications channels available to promote to the construction sector. It provides impartial information for the use of the construction industry, identifies the key hard copy and electronic media used by category of decision maker and market sector.
The research was conducted during the period October 2010 to January 2011. It comprised two parts; the first was an online survey with a database of decision makers currently working on construction projects. This was followed by telephone interviews to complete the quota for each respondent category. A total of 613 interviews were conducted for the research.
To ensure complete impartiality no publishers of media have been involved in either the compilation of contact lists or subsequent phases of the research.
The research comprises a series of 16 reports examining communication channels for the different disciplines (Architect, Interior Designer, Engineer, Surveyor, Main Contractor, Specialist Contractor, Housebuilder), presents the data for each sector (Education, Healthcare, Retail, Offices, Other Commercial, Factories & Warehouses, Public non-Housing) as well as providing consolidated information for the leading hard copy journals and for Online & Face to Face communications.
The research was sponsored by 5 of the industry’s leading communications agencies:
· The Charlotte Street Agency
· CIB Communications
· MRA Marketing
· Pauley Creative
· Ridgemount PR
The Construction Media Index will be published on 10th March. It is available to purchase in full, or in the following chapters:
· Architect Communication Channels
· Interior Designer Communication Channels
· Engineer Communication Channels
· Surveyor Communication Channels
· Main Contractor Communication Channels
· Specialist Contractors Communication Channels
· Housebuilder Communication Channels
· Residential Journal Readership
· Education Journal Readership
· Healthcare Journal Readership
· Retail Journal Readership
· Offices Journal Readership
· Other Commercial Journal Readership
· Factories & Warehouses Journal Readership
· Public non-Housing Journal Readership
· Key Journal Communications
· Online & Face to Face Communications