Nielsen has released its Q3 2011 Social Media Report, a set of data compiled from a number of its tracking services that provides a great overview of the continued rise of social media and mobile web consumption among American internet consumers. The big trends? Social media use is growing overall and becoming more mobile. And social media users are more likely to spend money and to influence how others spend money.
Social networking dominates online time
Social networks and blog sites dominate Americans’ internet time, accounting for 23% of all time spent online, more than double the time spent on the #2 category, online games. In May of 2011, Americans spent more than 53 million minutes on Facebook alone.
Social media demographics: female, age 18-34
Females make up the majority of visitors to social networks and blogs. On Facebook, 62% of page views are from female visitors, and Tumblr has the highest representation of female teens of all 9 of the social networks studied. People aged 18-34 have the highest concentration of visitors among all age groups. In general, social media users are more likely to be well-educated. Asian/Pacific Islanders outrank other ethnic groups, while African Americans are more highly represented on Twitter than on other social networks.
Mobile social media use is surging
37% of mobile phone users now access social media from their phones, and social networking is the feature valued the most by 30% of mobile phone users, second only after GPS, which 56% value the most. It is the third most-popular app for smartphone users who have downloaded apps, after games- and weather-related apps, with 60% of smartphone users using social networking apps.
Overall, U.S. mobile internet use is up 47% over last year, but the mobile audience to social networking sites is up 62% during the same period. The largest increase is among users age 55 and over, which saw a 109% increase in the use of mobile social networking.
Active social media users are more influential–online and offline
53% of social media users follow a brand, 60% create reviews, and they are 33% more likely to give their opinion on TV programs. They are 75% more likely to be heavy spenders on music, and 47% more likely to be heavy spenders on clothing and accessories.
Check out the full report:
