Gene Carr's Patron Technology Blog

Lots of Fast Internet Connections

I read an article this week that said that more than 50% of the US population now has some kind of broadband Internet connection. WIth the advent of YouTube, this seems to make sense.

You'll hear more about this during the next few weeks, but we're now in the midst of analyzing the 2007 Patron Technology National Arts Patron survey. This year we collaborated with 15 or so of our clients, and did a survey that went out to 70,000 or so people and got a better than 10% return. But, I digress.

The point I wanted to make was that upon initial review, it seems that the arts audience we researched is 80% online. Also makes sense - given the high income levels.

This should have some impact on how arts marketers think about using streaming media. Our audience is more than ready!

Cultural Tourism is real on the Web

For many years, I've attended seminars and conferences talking about how to encourage arts participation when people travel. Clearly culturally oriented folks who take in theater in their home towns, would potentially do the same when they travel.

Today, Burst Media put put out a report that has some compelling data for arts marketers who are interested in motivating cultural tourism.  Check this out:

"Among respondents who will utilize the Internet to plan their upcoming travel, nearly half (47.2%) say the Internet will be their primary travel resource. Among age segments, respondents 25-34 years are most likely to say the Internet will be their primary travel resource (53.2%); and respondents 55 years and older are least likely (41.4%).

Additionally, half (51.8%) of respondents reporting household income (HHI) of $75,000-$99,999, and nearly two-thirds (63.1%) of respondents reporting HHI of $100,000 or more say the Internet will be their primary travel resource.   

Yet again, more research that validates that the audience going to arts events IS online, and IS using the Web to plan their leisure travel.   

Indeed, just this morning, in my planning my own London visit next week, I first turned to this terrific site (www.whatsonstage.com) to look at what theater is on in London.