The Center for the Digital Future (at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California) has released their 2007 Digital Future Report, which provides a broad year-to-year exploration of the influence of the Internet and online technology on Americans.

Much of the report focuses on the fact that Internet use is growing and evolving as an instrument for personal engagement – through blogs, personal websites, and online communities. In fact, 43% of the surveyed Internet users who are members of online communities say that they “feel as strongly” about their virtual community as they do about their real-world communities.

Perhaps more relevant to small business owners interested in search marketing are these facts:

• In 2006, nearly 78% of Americans age 12 and up go online.

• Over 68% of Americans use the Internet at home.

• Internet users who go online at work actively use the Internet for work nearly 8 hours a week (an increase of more than two hours since last year).

• For the first time this year, the percentage of women going online was higher than the number of men.

• The number of online purchasers rose to its highest level in the history of the study – 51.1%.

• Online buyers are spending an average of $50 a month more than they did in 2001.

An 8-page summary of the report is available free here (PDF), or you can purchase the complete report ($500 for individual use, $1,500 for corporate use) here.