Study: Number of “Social Networkers” on the Rise

The New York-based Conference Board, a not-for-profit
research group focused on economic indicators and trend analysis, is notorious
for its Leading Economic Index, a monthly roundup of leading indicators
designed to forecast economic trends six to nine months ahead. But the group
delves into all manner of data, including employment statistics, advertising trends, the
trending of CEO confidence, and its proprietary
Consumer Internet Barometer.

Today, the board delivered its assessment of the popularity of social
media and social networks, pointing to both the
"exploding popularity" of social networks such as Facebook, and a broad embracing of social networks
across generations.

Among the findings from the Conference Board are:

• Forty-three
  percent of the online community now uses social networking sites,
  including Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. This is up from 27 percent a
  year ago.
• More
  than half of social networkers log on at least once a day; the majority
  log on several times a day.
• Interacting
  with family, friends and celebrities are among the main reasons people log
  on to sites like Twitter.
• The
  majority of users log on at home, although a quarter of social networkers
  log on at work, and 10 percent connect through their phone.
• About
  19 percent of those age 55 and over visit social networks, up from just 6
  percent a year ago.
• Women
  are more likely than men to use social networking sites (48 percent versus
  38 percent), but usage has increased dramatically among both groups in
  just a year.
  

Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer
Research Center said in conclusion: "Social media is here to stay,"
and "online social networks are more than just a fad among the younger
generation….they've become an integral part of our personal and professional
lives."

Calling social networks "an effective way to keep in
touch with people, connect with friends and family, and network with
colleagues," she adds that social media will likely transform marketing as we know it –
"They're powerful communication tools and are becoming an essential part
of successful marketing strategies."

The data comes from a Conference Board survey that polled 10,000 households
across the US.

Join us for App Conference – October 18-19, 2012 in Santa Clara