The way we watch television is changing, there’s no doubting that. With the additions of recordable TV, online players and social networks, audiences are spending their watching hours using various devices at the same time.

The phenomenal rise of the smartphone and social networks means that multi-tasking has been taken to new heights. The numbers of people talking about TV programmes, films and advertisements on Facebook is on the up, so brands and advertisers should take note and react accordingly.

Not convinced? Let’s crunch some numbers:

* While watching TV, 73% access devices constantly or very often and 78% access a device during a TV show.

*41% of viewers say that a TV ad leads them to interacting with a brand online.

* 71% of respondents check social media during an ad break and 64% during a TV show.

* While watching TV, 85% go to Facebook, more than any other social network.

This graph is showing how audiences use their smartphones and tablets whilst watching TV.

Clearly, a new generation of multitaskers has stepped up to the forefront of television watching. This is great news for brands because it means that the job of getting people to use their connected devices is all but done, all you have to do is drive them to your websites and social media platforms.

In order to reach a maximum number of people within your online communities, do your research on your current demographic. Find out what they are likely to be watching on TV and why they might be attracted to that program.  Then push out relevant tweets or Facebook posts that will capture your audience while they are online and engaged.

The idea that people always skip or mute the ads is somewhat disproved by this research. There are actually people making conscious decisions based on TV ads and 14% of tablet users are purchasing a product during a program due to an advertisement they have seen.

There are also a growing number of calls-to-action on TV ads. There is often a hashtag present on screen, the social media sites of the brands and now even Shazam links to identify soundtracks.

But you don’t necessarily need to be selling a product that you advertise via television. As a brand, you just need to be aware of these numbers and know that if you want to join a conversation and be noticed, peak TV times are ideal.

These figures give you a great idea of how consumers are using social media, and if you’re online at the right times, you will notice what TV productions people are talking about. If you join in, make your tweets relevant and perhaps explain why your products and services could link in with what’s being discussed. But don’t force this; if there’s no link, don’t make one, just join in.