Social Networking Watch

Older Adults Among Newer Members On SNS

USA TODAY -- Jan 14 -- Social networking is attracting new and older devotees, according to a Pew Research Center analysis. It finds that 35% of adult Internet users now have a profile on at least one social network. And among online adults ages 35-44, 30% have a profile. The young are still more likely to use these sites. Among 18-24-year-olds, 75% of those who go online have a profile. Netpop Research, a firm that studies online behavior, says social networking grew 93% in the two years between 2006 and 2008. During that time, Facebook grew 500%. FULL ARTICLE @ USA TODAY

Social Networks Grow 93% Since 2006

SEEKING ALPHA -- Jan 14 -- With 40m active users in the US, social networking has grown 93% since 2006 (Netpop Research). 76% of U.S. broadband users (105m) are active contributors to the web via social media (uploading photos, blogging, rating products). ~ 29%, or 40m broadband users are regular contributors to social networks. FULL ARTICLE @ SEEKING ALPHA

Social Networking Still #1 Growth Area In Online Marketing

MASHABLE -- Jan 12 -- According to eMarketer 33% of small businesses indicated that they would keep spending on social networking about the same, while only 5% reported that they plan to spend less than in the previous year.

FULL ARTICLE @ MASHABLE

Pre-Shop Customer Reviews Important To Online Customers

CENTER FOR MEDIA RESEARCH -- Jan 8 -- Nielsen Online found that customer reviews are an important research tool for online consumers, with 71% agreeing that consumer reviews make them more comfortable that they are buying the right product. 81% of online shoppers have read product or retailer reviews by other customers. FULL ARTICLE @ MEDIA POST

This post also appears on OnlinePersonalsWatch.

Advertising On UK Social Networks

EMARKETER -- Jan 8 -- In mid-2008 eMarketer calculated that UK social network ad spending would reach £175m ($322m) in 2009. Changes in the market have led to revisions of the 2009 estimate downward by about 20%. Some of this adjustment is due to the general economic climate. But it also reflects the fact that MySpace has had difficulty gaining traction in the UK. The UK market share of MySpace had fallen by one-half in the year to June 2008, from over 29% to less than 15% according to Hitwise. FULL ARTICLE @ EMARKETER

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Social Network Your Way To A New Job

THE MODESTO BEE -- Jan 6 -- 50 - 70% of jobs are discovered through networking, according to a research by Mark Granovetter, a Stanford University sociology professor. Half of employers think information posted on social networks should be taken into account when making hiring decisions, according to a 2006 AfterCollege Inc. survey of 750 employers. About 37% wouldn't hire someone if they discovered something questionable about them. FULL ARTICLE @ WORKING.COM

Mark Brooks: In 1973 Mark Granovetter wrote 'the strength of weak ties' which is classic social networking reading. 

Online Video Viewing Jumps 34%

CNET NEWS -- Jan 5 -- Internet users in the U.S. watched 12.7 billion online videos in Nov, an increase of 34% versus a year ago, according to ComScore. YouTube is the top U.S. video property with nearly 5.1 billion videos viewed. FULL ARTICLE @ CNET NEWS

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UK Housewives Are Net Addicts

SOCIALMEDIAN -- Jan 1 -- According to a study of internet behaviour, housewives in the UK spend 47% of their leisure time on the web, compared with 39% for students and 32% for the unemployed. Overall, the Chinese spend the largest part of their leisure time online - 44% compared with 28% for Britons, rising to 32% of those aged 18-24. FULL ARTICLE @ SOCIALMEDIAN    

Networking Sites Face Data Cost Crisis

TELEGRAPH.CO.UK -- Dec 29 -- Dozens of social networks could fail next year as digital advertising slows according to research from consultants Deloitte. Surviving websites may be forced to supplement their revenue with pay-subscriptions, selling members' data or extra financing, the researchers said. The gloomy forecast comes as growth predictions for digital advertising have halved from 17% to 7% for next year, according to eMarketer. FULL ARTICLE @ TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

Forty Million Americans Now Contribute To Social Networks

READ WRITE WEB -- Dec 11 -- According to a new report from Netpop Research, 76% of all U.S. broadband users actively contribute to social media sites, and 29% contribute regularly to social networks. Among these social networkers, Facebook is quickly catching up to MySpace, though iMeem, LastFM, Digg, and LiveJournal are also very popular with college students. FULL ARTICLE @ READ WRITE WEB