Facebook and LinkedIn Hit New Milestones
New York : Facebook use in the US will continue on a solid growth track over the next three years, as the site cements its place at the epicentre of internet activity.
As more users of all ages flock to the popular social network, marketers will find new opportunities to tap into an engaged, demographically diverse audience.
Facebook usage has grown steadily in the past two years and will continue on a solid trajectory. eMarketer estimates that 132.5 million people in the US will be using the service this year; by 2013, that number will increase to 152.1 million.
This growth will be driven primarily by increased Facebook use among older boomers and seniors. At the same time, teens and young adults will continue to form the core of Facebook’s audience, with penetration rates among these groups ranging from 80% to 89% of internet users by 2013.
Facebook’s recent successes—and its future prospects—are intrinsically connected with the site’s diversification. What started out as a pure-play social network has evolved into an all-purpose destination that is beginning to replace email, instant messaging, video-sharing, gaming and other activities that were otherwise scattered across unconnected venues.
Marketers are a big part of this evolution. Whether through brand pages, display ads, viral videos, Facebook Login or the “like” and “share” buttons, marketers are finding multiple ways to tap into the Facebook juggernaut. This activity will continue as the audience grows in numbers, demographic diversity and sophistication.
Meanwhile, professional social networking site LinkedIn announced that it has reached 100 million users worldwide, and is continuing to add 1 million users per week. LinkedIn filed for an initial public offering in January.
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