Whether it’s on the phone with her best friend, at the playground with other moms, or in the office kitchen comparing notes on their weekend shopping, we all know women love having a chat. With the ubiquity of mobile and digital technology, it’s no surprise that women are taking their conversations online, but the numbers are definitely giving marketers a reason to sit up and pay attention.

In an average week, Australian women spend an average of 19 hours online, with 40 percent of that dedicated to social networks such as Facebook, Skype and YouTube. These are the findings of a survey conducted by female-centric advertising network, SheSpot, that polled 5435 women.

The report, titled ‘The woman behind the screen,’ found that 80 percent of Australian women have a Facebook account.

More importantly, while women are communicating digitally, their attention is shifting away from computer screens and onto tablets and mobile phones. The study found that time spent on computer screens has dropped from 77 percent to 68 percent, and by 2012, mobile usage will account for 1 in every 5 minutes spent online.

With 51 percent of surveyed women admitting to having an emotional relationship with their mobile phones and spending at least an hour each day on it, the study suggests that brands should aim not to be interrupters of a woman’s life, but to have a daily role that contributes and suits their media habits.

Aside from social networking, shopping is also high on women’s list of favourite things to do on their mobiles, with 94 percent of female smartphone users having made a purchase directly online, and 90 percent regularly conducting research such as price comparisons.

The study suggests brands that produce winning offers online, apps or connection points will see a greater ROI by effectively tapping into women’s mobile habits.