While much has been said about the rising numbers in the male demographic for online spending this year, little has been covered in the area of their female counterparts. In particular, the younger, more “switched on” teenage market segment of the female consumer population has attracted a great deal of interest from Internet marketers everywhere, as they continue to spur a growing trend in mobile buying power that was perhaps unexpected.

With peers being identified as the most influential source for new trends in the world of teenage girls, it should be noted that the social element in the entire shopping experience plays a strong part in pulling transactional dollars into desired channels.

As an important and strong source of guidance in a girl’s overall teenage experience, friends and peers play an important role. Studies show that they consistently rank highest as respondents for advice about things like buying apparel and selecting cosmetics. Friends and peers also play a very influential role in delivering new information about trends and styles that emerge within the demographic. Purchase decisions are largely steered by this input, and this makes following the stream of information a key to succeeding in the teen market today.

Teenage girls also had a surprising effect on the buying decisions of other family members as well, for items as varied as books and food choices.

The need for marketers to gain the trust and acceptance of the teen market is of utmost importance, if growth trends are to be expected. The need for a strong presence on social sites like Facebook and YouTube are echoed by the research that turns up figures relating to consumer behavior that is a result of teenage girls acting as brand advocates.

Texting and entertainment like movies and listening to music take a large portion of the typical teenage girl’s daily life, but research shows that the same girls are spending an average of two hours on the Internet every day as well. Groups aged 13 to 18 are the most likely to exceed the two-hour time, getting closer to three or even four.

The drive for better marketing shouldn’t lead to a push, however; as teen markets are notoriously turned off by pushy campaigns and any brand strategy that makes them feel like they are being treated as children.

Michael Chessner, a graduate exchange student at ZheDa University in China states that  “One very active area for teenage girls who spend a lot of time on sites like YouTube is the small percentage who are leaving video blogs or posting updates to their own style guides. Marketers who can access and gain the trust of these micro-marketing channels have the potential to tap into a very rich resource, given the proper management and encouragement.” Michael added “I mean, I’ve seen some posts that girls are putting up, and they are pretty polished and professional looking already. A little advertising budget in the right direction will make a world of difference.”