Pew Internet has released their updated social networking study and several of their findings are quite remarkable:
- 47% of adults in the US use social media sites versus only 26% in 2008
- The average age of social media users is now 38, up from age 33 just two years ago
- 52% of Facebook users and 33% of Twitter users engage with social media daily
- Myspace users tend to have the lowest level of education; LinkedIn users are the most educated
Within these findings, I’m most intrigued by the growth of middle-aged and senior users. While adoption by younger users tends to mark the start of trends, the growth among older users indicates mainstream acceptance. In other words, it’s clear that social networking – particularly on Facebook – has officially arrived.