Of surfing, searching, and newshounds: A typology of Internet users' online sessions

This study seeks to explore relationships between online-user motivations and the types of activities and applications in which users participate during individual online sessions. Thirty-one internet users completed journals of their online usage for a one-week period. The journals allowed users to identify the gratifications sought online and to report on the activities undertaken during each online session. Cluster analysis of the 244 sessions indicated 7 types undertaken by the panelists. Three types of sessions had a single focus (email, entertainment, and news) and four types were multi-purpose sessions where users accessed a variety of internet offerings. These sessions were characterized by different gratifications sought for the sessions. Data suggest the types of sessions that are most likely to result in exposure to online advertising.