The End of Social Networks in the USA

Recent Harris polls have suggested that while a high percentage of US population are involved in social networking and blogging on some level, over half still do not use Twitter or take part in the two largest online social networks- Facebook and MySpace. Furthermore, the survey highlights that 48% of US adults have a MySpace or Facebook account and that only 16% update it daily. The numbers are even lower for Twitter with only 5% of US adults saying they are currently using it.

Are these the looming signs of the fall of social networks? Has the world of new marketing finally proved to be nothing more than a bubble, a blimp in the certain road back to traditional media? Hardly.  A critical look at the polls and articles published by Harris Interactive on the subject lead to several issues that critically undermine the relevance and merit of this study:

Conducted amongst 2200 adults in the US, the study provides no further information about the test pool, such as how they were selected and what / if there was an incentive for participating in the study. The test pool itself does not necessarily reflect the US population and with no further information about geographic location, socioeconomic status, gender, race etc, conclusions and trends are difficult to draw.

It is important to keep in mind that in the US, which lags behind Europe in terms of Internet usage and accessibility, entire areas of the population are relatively still unexposed to the online world.  Segmenting the study to geographic areas would have likely revealed a great disparity of use of social networks between US urban and rural areas.  Given the nature, development and future of social networking, it is hard to believe that the fine people of Antelope, South Dakota (population 867) will ever be a true part of this super information gateway.

Furthermore, the test group includes adults above the age of 18, whereas one of the most significant groups for social networks, (in particularly Twitter) is actually the 12-18 age group. While these populations are in fact the future of the world of online marketing, they are completely ignored by the study, thus distorting further the understanding of true use of social media. In fact, the study itself shows that younger age groups show much higher proportions of social media use (74% for 18-34) than their older counterparts (24% for over 55), which supports the claim of distorted results.

Another factor that the study does not take into consideration, though it does briefly mention, is education. While two of five people with a high school degree or less (40%) use social networking, the number significantly rises to 55% and over for college graduates. With the direct correlation between education, higher socio-economic status, internet accessibility, spending and demographic factors, it is safe to say that once more, populations that are not really within the target market areas for social networking are distorting the results of true use.

So how does this all relate to marketing and social media worldwide? Why is this relevant to an online marketing agency specializing in social networks in, let's say...Edinburgh?

First, the data actually suggests that despite economic downturns and recessions in both the US and the UK, the online marketing world is still growing, as early adopters are now giving way to mass populations, younger crowds and growing market reach. Second, the young age of users is a fantastic sign for companies looking to create financial benefits through social marketing, whether through push / pull strategies or through indirect brand association and recognition. High usage rates among young adults is just the right fit for companies who offer services or products online, as young adults with disposable income and an established trust in online shopping are far more likely to make online transactions.

Finally, the fact that US markets are slower to adopt social networking trends can be seen as an opportunity. While the UK markets are crowded and congested, companies may look to expand their reach overseas much like Hotel Chocolate and create entire new avenues for financial benefit.