Social Networks – Also for Grownups
The share of adult internet users who have a profile on an online social network site has more than quadrupled in the past four years — from 8% in 2005 to 35% now, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s December 2008 tracking survey.
As marketers, you may be focusing heavily on how children and young adults use social network sites, but since adults still make up the bulk of the users of these websites it’s important to take note.
Adults make up a larger portion of the US population than teens, which is why the 35% number represents a larger number of users than the 65% of online teens who also use online social networks.
But of course, age still matters. Younger online adults are much more likely than their older counterparts to use social networks
- 75% of adults 18-24 using these networks, vs
- just 7% of adults 65 and older
And how do adults use social networks? Same-old-same-old: Most adults, like teens, are using online social networks to connect with people they already know. But there is a twist: When users do use social networks for professional and personal reasons, they will often maintain multiple profiles, generally on different sites.
