NEARLY TWO-THIRDS--OR 64 PERCENT--OF ONLINE African-American households have a high-speed connection, compared with 53 percent of the general U.S. population, according to the 2005 AOL African-American cyber-study, conducted for AOL by Images Market Research. Nearly 80 percent of African-American households have some type of Internet connection, versus 88 percent of the general population.

African-Americans also reported spending an average of five hours a day online compared with 2.9 hours a day for the general population, according to the study--which was based on research from focus groups in large U.S. cities, as well as national Web and phone surveys.

Bret Moore, publisher of AOL Black Voices, an Internet property that caters to African-Americans, said the findings told a different story than the one many online markets tend to believe.

"This study disproves notions of African-Americans as not as big a presence online, or as using the Internet mostly for communicating and socializing," Moore said.

Rather, the study found the demographic's embrace of the Net as an all-purpose tool to exceed the collective U.S. Internet population. For example, 68 percent of online African-Americans use the Net to get news, compared with 56 percent of the population at large; 55 percent go online for entertainment versus 26 percent of the general population; 72 percent of African-Americans, compared with 53 percent of the general U.S. population, seek out health-related information online; and 60 percent use the Web to find financial material and services, compared with 40 percent of the general U.S. population.

"One thing we knew was that African-Americans are early adopters of new technology," said Moore. "And these findings really show how expansively they use the Internet as a lifestyle tool and resource."

What's more, 92 percent of African-Americans used a search engine online; 86 percent went online to communicate with others; 85 percent to get driving directions; 62 percent reported opening a bank account online; and 62 percent also used the Internet to listen to music.

The study also found that an overwhelming number of African-Americans feel there is not enough content online that "speaks" to them, Moore confirmed. Almost three-quarters--or 73 percent--of African-Americans were much more receptive to culturally diverse advertising, and 68 percent favor companies that benefit the African-American community.

"I think it's pretty clear," Moore concluded. "The marketers who neglect African-Americans online are missing a huge opportunity."

In the first qualitative phase of Image Market Research's study, focus groups were conducted among African-Americans with a home ISP in three cities--Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. Six focus groups contributed, with participants in two age groups--18- to-34-year-olds, and 35- to-54-year-olds. The quantitative phase followed in May with a Web survey of 1,016 African-American Internet users. Researchers also conducted 550 phone interviews.