A major new study released last week by The Pew Research Center indicates that the proportion of college graduates and people aged 30 to 49 participating in online social networking has more than doubled over the past two years. The study, which is titled Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2009, features 11 sections on topics such as Religion and Social Values, Foreign Policy and Global Engagement, and Social Networking, Science and Civil Liberties.
Online social networking is “no longer just for the young,” according to Pew. Though the 18-29 demographic remains the best represented group on sites like Facebook and Twitter, with 70% of 18-29 year olds using social media sites, the greatest growth has occurred among those aged 30-39 and 40-49. As of April, 43% of 30-39 year olds use social networking sites, up from 21% in December 2007, and 29% of 40-49 year olds are networking online, up from 11% in December 2007.
Most of this growth is taking place among college graduates. In December 2007, only 20% of college grads were active on social networking sites. That figure now stands at 42%, surpassing both high school grads (39%) and those with some college education (24%).
Pew also reports that online social networkers are “checking in daily, or more often” to their favorite social media sites. “Nearly one-in-five of those who use social networking sites (19%) say they visit these sites several times a day, while another 24% say they visit about once a day,” the study says.
At Molding Web, we believe this continued growth in daily online engagement can enable businesses to reach new customers and build stronger relationships with existing customers via social media marketing. We also offer search engine optimization, content writing, and other Internet marketing services that are designed to support the organic, long-term business goals of our clients.
