Who Are Your Readers On The Social Networking Sites?
66What's in your favorite social site?
There's a difference in the users of social network sites?
Ever wonder about the readership potential that the social networking sites represent?
This should be one of the top concerns for anyone using the various Web 2.0 social portals to deliver your message to the widest range of readers. It stands to reason that one of the key factors to consider would be the daily traffic of unique visitors to the site.
But have you thought about the demographics of those visitors?
Does it really make a lot of sense to put a considerable amount of time and energy into a networking site that is dominated by visitors in the 0-17 age group if you want to discuss retirement investing?
(O.K., I realize that it should be one of their concerns but most of them don’t realize that yet!)
Well if this is something you have thought about but were unsure where to find the information, have I got a tip for you!
It just so happens, there is a summary of various demographic and other parameters compiled from three of comprehensive reports at Ignite Social Media (www.ignitesocialmedia.com).
The best part ... it's just brimming with really cool information.
Data, data, everywhere!
The summary website is entitled “The 2008 Social Network Analysis Report – Geographic – Demographic and Traffic Data Revealed”. The report provides basic data on more than 35 social networking sites including:
· Digg
· Friendster
· LiveJournal
· MySpace
· StumbleUpon
· YouTube.
The report identifies Google Insights and Google Adplanner as the sources for all of the data compiled. It also indicates that all data was not available for several of the 39 sites evaluated. A few of the more interesting information indicates that:
· Digg seems to have hit their high point of unique visitors (at about 1,000,000/day) in November 2007 but has been declining ever since; visitors are mostly male (> 70%), the 35-44 age group is highest and many are college graduates;
· Facebook has been showing a steady increase in daily unique visitors with ~ 16,000,000 in October 2007 and over 35,000,000 in October 2008; visitors are ~ 55% female many in the age range of 35 – 54 with some college experience;
· MySpace shows a decline in unique daily visitors with ~ 22,000,000 in October 2007 and ~ 18,000,000 in October of 2008; over 60% are females; 0-17 age group is the highest (>30%) with 45-54 second and less than high school or some college are highest on the education graph.
Overall, I found the report highly informative and I now have a much better understanding of "What's in my networks of preference".
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Jim was formerly an "old school" network marketer now helping home and small business owners to utilize attraction marketing and relationship building methods to grow their Internet presence. You can access additional information resources and tips to propel the growth of your business by visiting Jim's blog.
A Few Links of Potential Interest!
- Social Networking Demographics
According to circulating rumors, MyYearbook is in the process of raising a huge round of funding. If you read my recent post comparing the demographical data of the top social networking sites, this should not surprise you. Sure... - Who's Really on Social Networks? | Future Majority
By now there is a standard story about social networks and politics. It goes something like "Young people congregate on MySpace and other social networks. If politicians want to tap the power of the youth vote that emerged in '04, they need a presenc - Social Network User Demographics — Social Media Optimization
I came across a fascinating report on the demographics of social network users. Rapleaf ooked at user profiles and demographcs for the major social networking sites (MySpace, LinkedIn, Friendster, Plaxo, and Hi5 ) as well as for Facebook.
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Comments
Hi Patricia,
You are very welcome. The site does provide a nice summary for many of the popular social networking sites even if Hub Pages wasn't included (I was hoping they would be).
Thanks for the support and take care ....
Hi Jim - this is really valuable information. Thank you for sharing. I am Stumbling your hub. All the best, Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Thanks as always for the supportive comments and stumbling it!
Best always,
Jim
Hi Jim,
Well done. This is an extended example of a "new" kind of tracking, social network statistical tracking.One thing this type of data doesn't track is the fact that each social network, whether declining or on the rise, has its own set of circles, or "tribes." At every social network is a group of people, some large, some small, who are connected. Often times, you'll notice they're connected to a leader, or perhaps, it's an idea. I think we should all identify our tribe and seek to contribute, lead or follow. Often times it's all of the above. If you think about it, it's so human nature. It's just that the internet has eliminated barriers of geography, cost and time.
Thanks Jim for being one of the first to recognize the plethora of information that lies within the analysis of social network stats.
Eric Walker
Hi Eric,
You are right. The Ignite report summarizes some basic data regarding unique visitor frequency, geographic and certain demograhic tendencies only and not the details.
Mike Witt did an excellent Hub ( http://snurl.com/654bi ) on the benefits of Digg for instance about a week ago that shows his success in "tribe" building even though the general trend data in the Ignite report would suggest otherwise. The "good stuff is often in the details" so to speak and a combination of data is always best.
Thanks for the comment and I hope all is well!
Jim-
Well done hub, and excellent resources here. I knew it was a good move to subscribe to your HP RSS feed.
One of the comparisions I found interesting is the graph of Twitter and Identi.ca. Twitter looks like a stock chart for the markets last quarter of 1999 (sharp ramp)...and despite their many technical/scale challenges, the popularity growth seems to have no end in site.
While Identi.ca made a big splash, coupled with timing of outages on Twitter, they have trickled off since then.
How can you compete with something that has impacted the internet culture? Consider the whole new set of vocabulary created (Tweeple, Tweeps, Twammers, on and on). Incredible branding that doesn't easily translate to another service.
I have bookmarked these resources, and look forward to your next hub.
Good Afternoon Travis,
Thank you for the kind comments and your keen insight. The general trends are very interesting and I look forward to tracking them into the future to watch how the traffic at these sites evolve.
Twitter (or Twitter users) have done an amazing job of branding the site. As a matter of fact, I have left a few "Tweets" around myself today ... ;).
Have a great weekend and I look forward to your articles as well.
Wishing you the best in all your ventures.
Thanks Jim! Very interesting since my market target, for the most part are the seniors, retired persons or nearly retired. Thanks.....Jerry
Hello Jerry,
Glad you found the information helpful and thanks for the nice comment.
Take care ... Jim
Jim,
Great Hub! I find this information valuable.
Thanks, Barbie Perkins
Hi Barbie,
Thanks very much for the comment and I'm glad it helps.
Jim
Wonderful information Jim! Thanks for sharing. I am just learning about social networking to help me with my business. Your links are just what I need! Thanks again!
Hello Again Susie,
Thanks for stopping by and your great comments.
Learning the ropes about all the different social networking sites is key when trying to deliver any sort of message.
I'm glad you found the information and links beneficial!
I find the profiles of others so fascinating. I sometimes can learn in 5 minutes what I would like to know about someone ... that would take hours to learn in person. I know right off if this is someone I want to get to know better.
This is a great article. Take the time to read the profiles of anyone who is connected with you and you'll know who you want to follow.
Thanks for another great article Jim.
Jennifer
Excellent comments and insight into reading profiles. It's amazing how many people don't!
Take care ... Jim
Hi Jim,
Great Hub and information about the value behind social networking sites. I guess I fit into the Digg demographics and didn't even know it :-), and thanks for referencing one of my Hubs as well.
Demograhic information can be very useful when looking at what sites offer the most potential for reaching your primary customers. Not only may it save you time, but money as well.
Jim you always have great information to share, I pick up something new everytime I stop by.
Thanks again,
Mike Witt - Leader of the Tribe :-)
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the supportive comments. The information sharing is a two-way street and you definitely do more than your bit as well.
You are very welcome on the reference, it's a great article and I intend to do a summary posting on my blog referencing the Hub as well.
Look forward to catching up soon,
Jim
Jim,
Really helpful information. I am so glad that I took out some time to read some of the great articles on Digg.
Fascinating.
Chris
Hi Chris,
I'm glad you found it useful. Definitely interesting material and indicates the power of social media. I'm glad I finally got things going on Digg too!
Jim
marketingsmarter says:
12 months ago
Hi Jim,
Good information. I didn't know where to find out about the demographics of the social sites. Thanks for the insight.
Patricia