Who is using social media and how? It may look that teenagers are most active on the Internet, but a new report reveals that social networking demographics are shifting. Facebook is the top social network for teens, but the photo-sharing society of Instagram is viewed as more “prestigious”.
The latest update in the 2014 Social Media Demographics by BI Intelligence, the research service of Business Insider, shows that although social media is still a relatively new mean of communication, it has already proved itself as a powerful and influential phenomenon. And while older social platforms are becoming more mature, newer websites and messaging apps are gaining popularity among the younger generation. But demographics reveal even more interesting trends – which social networks are attracting more men, and which ones – more women?
According to the report, which gathered data from different surveys and statistics, Facebook is still dominated by women. Approximately 10% more women than men in the U.S. are likely to use the platform. Surprisingly, Twitter, which has always been more balanced, is now attracting more male users than female. Pew study showed that while 15% of women have Twitter account, the rate in men jumps to 22%.
Globally, users aged 25-34, are most active on social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google + and Pinterest. Snapchat and Tumblr, on the other hand, are mainly used by teens and younger adults, also find the researchers. However, despite the recent drop in Facebook’s popularity, it remains the top social network for teenagers in the U.S. Almost half of teens on the website admit they are now using it more than they did last year. And Facebook also has the largest number of daily teen users among all social networks.
But when asked which social platform matters the most, teens admit Instagram is the most important and most “prestige”. In the Piper Jaffrey’s latest survey, Facebook and Twitter are no longer leading. Interestingly, 83% of the youngsters from wealthy families are on Instagram, more than any other social, gender or age group.
And while teens love Facebook and worship Instagram, their parents prefer the professional feel of LinkedIn. Most of the users of the website are between 30 and 49-years old, or those in the “prime of their career-rising years”, according to the report. Of course, the professional social network is also mostly used by well-educated people.
The presence of YouTube is still strong – it reaches more people, aged 18-34 than any cable TV network. The video-sharing website was chosen by millennials (basically those who reached adulthood around the year 2000) as the top channel for watching content. Digital and TV channels such as Facebook and ESPN aren’t as popular for them, while generally, teens will opt for Facebook and generation X would choose TV for accessing content.
Snapchat, the photo messaging app, turns out to be the youngest social network of all, with more than 60% of its users aged 18 to 24. In comparison, only 28% of users on Instagram fall in this age group.
