Trends In Social Networking Among Uk Teens And Young Adults

Does your target market include teens and young adult Internet users

? If so, you may find several new studies published by ComScore to be useful in refining your targeting strategies.

15-24 year old gravitating to Facebook

comScore Include a leader in measuring the digital world, recently released an analysis of social networking among 15-24 year olds that shows a change in social networking habits. Although more people in this age group are visiting community sites than a year ago, the average 15-24 year old is spending less time overall on sites.

The number of 15-24 year olds visiting community sites reached 6.8 million in June, up 14 percent versus the previous year while time they spent on sites is down 9 percent. This data is not really as contradictory as it may sound at first blush. The data shows that 15-24 year olds are beginning to consolidate the time they spend on networking by focusing on one or two primary sites. The hands down most popular site is Facebook.

This data contradicts some popular theories that have been suggesting that this age group would abandon Facebook because it overall user profile is more weighted toward older users. IN fact almost 78% of all users are over the age of 25. This fact doesn't seem to be stopping its popularity with the younger cohort. Its simple-to-use platform appeals to users of all ages.

Eighty percent of the total U.K. online population visited site in the in May of 2009. 25-34 year old Internet users, logged the highest usage at 89 percent, followed by 15-24 year olds at 86 percent.

Engagement also more heavily favors younger age segments, with 15-24 and 25-34 year olds averaging 5.4 hours per user per month compared with 3.7 hours per month among users age 55 and older. Overall, social networking was the second most popular online activity in the U.K. based on average time spent per user of 4.6 hours, trailing only instant messaging at 8.6 hours. Once again, it ranked as the most popular site.

Top three networking sites

While Facebook is the clear leader in the UK as well as in the U.S. with site with 23.9 million visitors, Bebo.com reports a healthy 8.5 million visitors, Windows Live Profile weighs in at 6.9 million visitors and MySpace Sites at 6.5 million visitors.

Lessons for Ecommerce

The biggest and easiest lesson to draw is that you need to be represented in the places where your target market gathers. The gradual concentration on Facebook as the primary gathering place makes it easier to solve the problem of maintaining a presence across so many sites. However, before you put all of your eggs in the basket, it may be worth taking a good look at whether your market is almost entirely at Facebook with some maintaining a Bebo or My Space presence as well or if there are distinctions among the groups that populate these different sites.

by: Jane Dawson

POST COMMENT

Why Start A Business Now Using An Internet Based Business Opportunity Instead Of Delaying Building Relationships: Effective Networking At Trade Show Exhibits How To Choose Packages For Internet Hosting WiMAX standard, and you are ready for it? -WiMAX, Wi-Fi, wireless Internet access - Communications Industry Becoming a Webmaster: Specific Features of the Profession Ban of Gambling over the Internet and Its Effect over the Society Having An Internet Business Plan For The Secret To Locating Startup Capital Ways To Make Extra Money At Home By Playing Lotto Successfully On The Internet Making Your Living From The Internet Requires Some Effort! How Internet Entrepreneurs Build Online Business The Easy Way The Impact On Internet Marketing And Video Email Reasons To Invest In A Hosted Voip Internet Phone Service What Every Network Marketer Needs to Know About Excuses and Objections