Single women make up one-third of all women in the US and approximately the same in the UK.

They drive the economy in a range of different ways from their married counterparts. The way they spend money reflects a different set of values, tastes, needs, motivations and interests.

There are around 32 million single women living in US, spending around $22 billion a year on entertainment and $20 billion on cars. They are also responsible for one-fifth of all house purchases. A study based on the 2011 census stated that, “singles spend significantly more per capita than married couples do on food, housing, apparel, and education.”

Therefore, single women shoppers are a huge slice of the current US market, one worth paying attention to if you want to increase your profits. So many companies focus on moms with the idea that they buy more than anyone else, that the single ladies get left out in the cold when it comes to messaging that targets their needs and desires.

What Single Women Want

So what do single women want? They tend to be career-oriented and have no time to waste on things that don’t work. Because they do not have a permanent partner, male or female, they usually have to do a lot by themselves. A typical single woman likes to be free and independent, but is looking for good value if she does ask for help. For example, she will want a compact yet stylish car with a great repair record that will be easy to maintain. She will use online delivery services more than married women and shop online for a range of clothes, jewelry and other items.

Yet she will also make a wide number of tech purchases, such as software, smartphones, tablets and so on. She is the savviest online user, typically spending at least 25% of her life on social media, and constantly working with multiple screens. She favors sites that give a superior mobile-friendly experience and will share her good experiences and bargains with others. She likes to have a relationship with brands that will give her discounts and special offers she can make the most of.

Single Women and Social Media

Single women are the leading users of the very visual social networks such as Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat. Young women in their 20s dominate Tumblr, and they are also a more international audience, with only around 63% of users based in the US.

In relation to Pinterest, current figures show that there are 100 million active users, 85% of which are women. 42% of US women use the site regularly. 45% of all users are outside the US. 67% of all users are under the age of 40. 66% of users actively re-pin what they like, and 50% of women admit to buying something they saw at the site, with an average spend of $65. If you are not already marketing to women on Pinterest, it would be smart to start.

While YouTube is still dominated by men, there are a few categories in which women lead if you wish to market to them:

* Makeup and cosmetics
* Skin and nail care
* Weight loss
* East Asian music
* Pop music
* Dogs

The main YouTube age ranges for all users are 24 to 35 and 35 to 44. However, in terms of the beauty content, it is mainly the 18 to 24 year olds, with 40% viewing this content online. For animals and pets, the main group is 25 to 34, with more than 15% viewing this type of content online.

Tap into the passions of these single women, and watch your business grow.