SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Feb 6, 2014) - "Selfies" seemed to have taken over 2013, but how ubiquitous were those images? Leading photo-editing site PicMonkey commissioned Harris Poll to conduct an online survey of 2,051 U.S. Adults to determine how the self-photograph is being embraced by adults of all ages, whether regret ever creeps into the picture, and which celebrities entertain us the most with their smug shots.
Overall, nearly half of adults (47 percent) admit to snapping an occasional self-portrait. Not surprisingly, the survey found that millennials (aged 18-34) are leading the selfie revolution: more than three-fourths (78 percent) have taken a selfie. This age group also takes selfie images most frequently: 40 percent admit to taking selfies at least once per week and 10 percent take them at least once per day. However, the survey found that young folks are not the only ones documenting their best duck lips: nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of 55- to 64-year-olds and 14 percent of adults 65 years and older admit to snapping the occasional selfie.
My Selfie, Myself - With the bathroom mirror often thought of as being the classic selfie spot, it's no surprise not everyone keeps selfie-centered photos squeaky clean. Less than half (49 percent) of those who take selfies said their selfies are always G-rated, with the youngest generation flaunting it the most: only 30 percent of millennials noted their selfies are G-rated 100 percent of the time. And don't let the South's frequent 'Bible Belt' characterization fool you -- selfie takers in the South are more likely to snap a #sexyselfie, with nearly one in five (17 percent) adults admitting that more than 10% of their selfies are X-rated images, compared to only 7 percent, 8 percent and 9 percent in the Northeast, Midwest and West, respectively.
Selfie Regrets - In our culture of over-sharing, sometimes it's best to keep images to ourselves. The PicMonkey survey found that eighty percent of adults who have taken a selfie have shared it publicly, but more than a quarter (26 percent) of those who have publicly shared one admitted they regretted doing so after the fact. Interestingly, nearly a third (31 percent) of men regret sharing their selfie, compared to 21 percent of women. Those in the Northeast and Midwest (both 80 percent) are more likely to cop an "all snap and no regret" attitude compared to the South (68 percent), which is perhaps not surprising given Southerners' stated penchant for not safe for work (NSFW) selfies.
People Love Miley's Smile, No Love for the Beiber - Kim Kardashian may have authored four rules for the perfect selfie, but Miley Cyrus is tops among U.S. adults who have ever seen a celebrity selfie as having the most entertaining selfies (24 percent), followed closely by Kim (23 percent) and more distantly by Lady Gaga (12 percent). The survey found that men may prefer their women with curves, as nearly a quarter (23 percent) noted they think Kim's self snaps entertaining, compared to 20 percent who felt that way about Miley's. As if a petition to remove him from the country isn't bad enough, a mere five percent of those who have ever seen a celebrity selfie think Justin Bieber's prolific selfies are entertaining.
Selfie was 2013's word of the year, and it's not going away anytime soon. To help newbie selfies and others looking to capture their best digital form, PicMonkey has compiled a list of tips for taking the best self-photos:
- Think about it as self-expression not self-promotion.
- Don't be too serious; a smile goes miles!
- Capture goodness: take the selfie when you're already pumped and in a good place, and your task becomes a simple one.
- Don't try to get it perfect. You're capturing a slice in time, not chiseling in marble.
- Your face doesn't have to be front and center. Shadow selfies and where-I-stand selfies are completely legitimate and fun.
For more tips and tools to create a selfie to be proud of, visit: www.picmonkey.com.
About the Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of PicMonkey from December 19-23, 2013 among 2,051 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Mel Bolton at mel.bolton@lyon-share.com or 510.847.8781.
About PicMonkey
Founded in 2012, PicMonkey Inc. is a browser-based photo editing website dedicated to fulfilling the world's creative yearnings. PicMonkey.com offers basic editing all the way up to touch-up and advanced effects, with supafly fonts, overlays, and textures for graphics projects and crafts. Most of the site is free; premium effects bolt on as a monthly or annual subscription. The company is headquartered in Seattle, WA, with a regional office in New Zealand. For more information, visit picmonkey.com and blog.picmonkey.com.