With the recession comes more people losing their jobs and having time on their hands. The is already competing with television as the leisure time activity of choice. As more people get laid off, there will be more of us online.

According to Harris Interactive at-home online usage is far outweighing at-work usage. In my view people are online finding jobs, searching for additional training, reading about the economic climate trying to get a handle on the future, or just killing time entertaining themselves with things that interest them. 

Here’s the yearly rise in at-home usage:

 

 

Take a look at how the U.S. ranks with other countries in leisure time spent online: 

 

Now this data was recorded basically before the recession. I think these numbers are going up on a daily basis as people find themselves out of work. 

With all of this online activity one can only imagine the overall positive impact on companies with a vibrant online presence. People are online, they are fishing around, and many will land on what is interesting. These are big numbers we are talking about. A company that is publishing strong content will attract a percentage of this population; again, big numbers. The interest in a brand will grow, the buzz will grow, and sales will grow. Will sales grow immediately? No, due to people cutting back. However, impressions last a while, and when people get back on their feet they will remember the solid information provided by the good brands. 

Is this a good thing? Yes, if you are a company engaging in new media.