Datamonitor predicts that the increasing use of the Internet in schools will act as a driver for this, as children with school access will also seek access at home. The income of online youths will also continue to grow. Historically, pocket money has tended to increase faster than inflation. Between 1999 and 2001, pocket money in France increased by 21 percent over inflation and GDP, in Germany by 35 percent and in the United States by 10 percent. If this trend continues, expect to see a rise in the disposable income of online youths above the rate of mere population growth.
Several challenges await marketers looking to reach the online youth market.
Teens are rarely impressed by generic teen-oriented Web sites, preferring to find sites that support their interests. The sheer diversity of Web sites available mean that there is no shortage of competition for youths' attention online, and as youths become more proficient users of the Internet, Datamonitor expects competition between Web pages to be on their PC monitors will heighten. Datamonitor analyzed several youth-oriented Web sites that demonstrated different yet successful approaches to online youth marketing. The key to success for these Web sites is providing the browser with a good reason to return. The escalating number of online youths means that this medium will grow in importance.