{"id":448637,"date":"2011-06-27T12:57:40","date_gmt":"2011-06-27T12:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/06\/27\/over-50s-flock-to-social-networks\/"},"modified":"2011-06-27T12:57:40","modified_gmt":"2011-06-27T12:57:40","slug":"over-50s-flock-to-social-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/27\/over-50s-flock-to-social-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"Over-50s flock to social networks"},"content":{"rendered":"

27 June 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 08:57 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Facebook use among over-50s in the UK has risen faster than any other group, according to research firm Nielsen.<\/p>\n

Overall, membership of the social network grew 41% between 2009 and 2011. Among older users the figure was 84%.<\/p>\n

The trend was similar for Twitter, although unlike Facebook, younger users appear to have drifted away.<\/p>\n

Neilsen’s findings contradict research published earlier this month that suggested the site’s popularity was dwindling in the UK and USA.<\/p>\n

The latest study was commissioned by the UK Online Measurement Company (UCOM), which is funded by advertisers and media agencies.<\/p>\n

Its measurements are based on the behaviour of panel of internet users, both at home and in work.<\/p>\n

The research found that, in May, 26.8 million people in the UK visited Facebook, propelling it past Microsoft’s combined sites – MSN, Windows Live and Bing. Only Google was more popular, said Nielsen.<\/p>\n

Twitter enjoyed a record month, reaching 6.14 million unique visitors – a 34% increase on the previous month. The number of women aged over 65 using the site grew by 96% over the same period.<\/p>\n

Business network LinkedIn clocked-up 3.59 million unique UK visitors in May – 57% more than in April.<\/p>\n

Grey market<\/span><\/p>\n

If accurate, the growth among older users is likely to be welcomed by advertisers, keen to tap the wealthy demographic.<\/p>\n

“The younger audience, under 25, monetize very badly,” said Simon Spaull, chief development officer at advertising agency TBG Digital.<\/p>\n

“They are there to waste time. Clients are more interested in return on investment and an audience they can monetize.”<\/p>\n

The idea of more older people on Facebook may spark fear among younger users, wary of mum and dad popping-up online.<\/p>\n

But according to trends expert Dr Antonia Ward from The Future Laboratory, the broadening appeal is inevitable.<\/p>\n

“It is a platform. As it becomes embedded in society it becomes more embedded across the general public.”<\/p>\n

“Something like Facebook has to have a very broad base of users or it does not work,” she said.<\/p>\n

That combination of established and edgy is seen as a virtue by many advertisers, said Sam Gadsby, head of social media at Clicky Media.<\/p>\n

“LinkedIn is perfect for a business-to-business client, Twitter is an organic build.<\/p>\n

“Facebook combines both and is definitely one of the more exciting ones because it could go viral,” said Mr Gadsby.<\/p>\n

Rise and fall<\/span><\/p>\n

The popularity of social networking, and Facebook in particular has been a matter of some dispute in recent weeks.<\/p>\n

One website, Inside Facebook<\/a>, claimed that user numbers had fallen in the US, UK and Canada, despite growth elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n

Another piece of research carried out by Brilliant Media<\/a>, based on Google Analytics data, appeared to confirm the Inside Facebook findings.<\/p>\n

Facebook does not comment on statistics generated by third-party research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Original post:
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