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Hitwise Intelligence - Alan Long - Asia Pacific
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The changing face of Social Networks
November 18, 2009
This is the first in a blog series reviewing the lifestyle and demographic changes seen in the online audience profiles of the Social Networking and Forums industry in Australia.
The series acts as a sequel to the upcoming Experian Hitwise report ’The Rise and Rise of the Social Network’ and webinar on November 10.
Today, I am going to look at the industry level changes and in the following weeks review the four major players in the social media space – Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and Twitter.
Since the start of 2009 (the week ending 3 January 2009) the Social Networking and Forums industry share of all Australian Internet visits has increased 14.34 % and command 11.78% of all visits by Australian Internet users, second only to Search Engine’s 12.71%.
I am going to examine the profile of visitors to the Social Networking and Forums by Age, Gender, Geographic and Mosaic Lifestyle profiles to provide a top level understanding of the industry.
Age:
In coming posts we will see the nuances between four of the major social networks, but from an overall industry perspective it is no surprise that the 18-24 age group are highly over represented when compared against the online population.
The 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 age groups all represent a similar percentage of the Social Networking and Forums share of visits and each are over represented against the online population.
Only the 55 years and over age group are under represented in comparison to the online. However, when compared to the start of 2009 they have grown in line with the overall industry maintaining their share of visits.
The fastest growing age group are 25-54 and 35-44, while the 45-54 and 18-24 age groups have experienced a decline in share of visits to the Social Networking and Forums industry this year.
Gender
There has been very little change in the gender profile of the industry since the start of this year (4 weeks ending 31 January 2009). Females are over-represented, and males under represented.
Geographic
Northern Territory and South Australia have the highest representation of users of Social Networking and Forums, while other states are very close to the profile of the Australian online population.
The east coast states dominate with 78.6% of all visits, whilst the other states are experiencing the fastest growth rates in usage. South Australia has seen the most growth in share of users to Social Networking and Forums in 2009 closely followed by Queensland, suggesting that the population was initially a little slower in its acceptance of social media.
Lifestyle Mosaic
The five over represented Lifestyle Mosaic Groups when compared to the Australian online population are:
E: Family Challenge – Mixed family forms with stretched budgets in outer suburbs
K: Community Disconnect – Older blue-collar workers and retires in country and coastal locations.
D: Pushing the Boundaries – Young families living in recent developments on the fringe of major cities.
F: Metro Multiculture – Medium to high density areas with much cultural diversity.
This highlights the breadth of diversity of the audiences of Social Networking and Forums, and through specific targeting within different Social Networks marketers have the ability to finely target their desired audience.
C: Young Ambition (educated high-earning young singles and sharers in the inner suburbs) is under represented against the online population but it was the fastest growing segment in 2009. Other Groups to experience strong growth this year are:
K: Community Disconnect,
J: Suburban Subsistence (low income, low-spending households in major regional and outer metro areas),
G: Learner and Earners (students and professionals living in high density lower cost suburbs).
Summary:
· 59.1% audience under 45
· Slight skew to female.
· East Coast represent 78.6% of visits.
· South Australia and Queensland are growing fastest.
· Northern Territory and South Australia had the highest representation against online population.
· Broad and diverse audience.
· Outer suburban/regional areas over represented.
· Young Ambition fastest growing Lifestyle Mosaic Group.
Next I’ll look at Facebook’s audience profile
Download our recent report ‘The Rise and Rise of the Social Network’
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Posted by Alan Long at 04:40 PM
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