BIGresearch Profiles Social Media Users; Not All Created Equal

New Analysis Provides Roadmap for Digital Marketing

 | Source: BIGresearch BIGresearch

COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwire - August 13, 2009) - Marketers continue to grapple with effectively allocating media in a changing consumer-controlled marketplace in which social media is a growing force. According to a new analysis of BIGresearch's Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM 14-Jun 09) of over 22,000 consumers, social media impacts consumers, which in turn directly impacts marketers, but not all options are the same. Social media users are likely to use more than one platform, some at a higher rate than others. For example, 60.2% of MySpace Users (those who regularly use the application) regularly use Facebook. On the other hand only 24% of Facebook Users utilize MySpace. 

                      Regularly use the following social media:

USER            Use      Use      Use     Use     Text   Read  Post to
GROUPS          Facebook LinkedIn MySpace Twitter Msg.   Blogs Blogs
Adults 18+      27.9%    3.3%     11.6%   4.1%    27.3%  10.9% 4.3%
Facebook Users* ----     7.7%     24.0%   10.5%   47.5%  20.2% 8.8%
LinkedIn Users  63.4%    ----     24.3%   22.1%   43.3%  29.1% 16.8%
MySpace Users   60.2%    7.6%     ----    14.6%   53.7%  20.5% 11.1%
Twitter Users   72.7%    18.8%    39.4%   ----    56.9%  49.3% 31.0%
Texters         48.5%    5.2%     21.5%   8.3%    ----   17.7% 7.8%
Blog Readers    51.0%    8.6%     20.5%   17.7%   44.0%  ----  34.0%
Blog Posters**  59.0%    13.1%    28.6%   27.9%   50.8%  83.3% ----

Source: BIGresearch, SIMM 14
*To be read as: 7.7% of Facebook Users regularly use LinkedIn, 24% use
MySpace.
**Blog Posters include those who post to blogs and maintain a blog

Demographically, social media users tend to be younger than the overall population, more are female and they have a slightly higher income. Additionally, marketers planning on moving products should focus on this consumer set as they are more likely to be making a big dollar purchase over the next six months than adults 18+. 

                     Social          Adults
                     Media Users*    18+
Male                 42.5%           48.7%
Female               57.5%           51.3%
Average Age          38.2            45.1
Average Income       $68,311         $66,942

In the next 6 months, plan to buy:
                     Social          Adults
                     Media Users*    18+
Vacation             30.2%           26.3%
Furniture            17.8%           12.8%
Computer             17.3%           13.2%
TV                   15.9%           12.4%
Car/truck            12.7%           10.8%

Source: BIGresearch, SIMM 14
*Social Media includes: Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Texting and
Blog Users

When looking specifically at the user of each platform, Facebook users average 37 years old and MySpace users are the youngest at an average age of 33 of those profiled. LinkedIn users have the highest incomes. Social media usage for ethnic groups indexes high across most social medias. 

            Facebook LinkedIn MySpace Twitter Texters Blog    Blog
            Users    Users    Users   Users           Readers Posters*
Male        40.2%    62.0%    48.4%   50.8%   38.3%   43.8%   47.5%
Female      59.8%    38.0%    51.6%   49.2%   61.7%   56.2%   52.5%
Avg. Age    37.1     40.6     33.0    35.5    36.2    38.3    36.0
Avg. Income $68,523  $96,937  $51,489 $68,740 $69,595 $67,941 $63,131
Hispanic    15.8%    14.9%    26.9%   19.1%   18.0%   17.7%   21.6%
Black       12.1%    11.7%    13.6%   17.0%   15.7%   13.0%   12.9%
Asian       2.9%     4.8%     1.7%    5.4%    2.2%    3.5%    4.4%
White       75.7%    75.3%    64.9%   64.4%   70.2%   71.5%   69.0%

For additional complimentary data: http://info.bigresearch.com/

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a consumer intelligence firm providing analysis of behavior in areas of products and services, retail, financial services, automotive and media. BIGresearch conducts the monthly Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey (CIA) of 8,000+ respondents and the semi-annual Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM) of 15,000+ respondents. More information is available at http://www.bigresearch.com

Contact Information: Contact: Chrissy Wissinger BIGresearch (614) 846-0146

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