YouGov recently announced the results of a Bloomberg//YouGov survey examining social media trends and usage one month after the launch of the new social media site Google+. The survey gauges the impact of the new Google product on the social media community and other social media products.
According to Michael Nardis, Head of YouGov Investment Products, “Google+ is starting off extremely strong. It’s chipping away at engagement levels on Facebook and Twitter. With Google reporting 25 million accounts already and an estimated 16MM more US adults reporting that they plan to join over the coming year, Google+ can be a threat to both.”
Google+
Already 13% of adult Internet users in the US have signed up for a Google+ account with another 9% planning to sign up in the next 12 months. Those signing up are also highly engaged:
45% of users report reading content once a day or more (only Facebook’s 62% is higher among social networks)
46% of Google+ users report creating content (e.g., creating updates; posting links) at least once a week. This is on par with Twitter (42%) – which focuses on easy content creation
Perhaps as a consequence of the steep launch trajectory some early adopters are claiming to have become early abandoners. 31% of early joiners report having abandoned Google+ accounts or have not yet created any content on it.
The demographics of Google+ users are significantly different from other social networks. As existing networks like Facebook and LinkedIn have matured as products, they are attracting a more mature demographic. Google early adopters skew young, male and educated:
- 3 men for every 2 women (vs. 1 man for every 1.2 women on Facebook)
- 43% of membership is 18-29 (vs. 31% for Facebook)
- 59% has a college degree (vs. 37% for Facebook)
- 48% are Single (vs. 33% of Facebook users)
“Google+ is tracing a path similar to Facebook’s initial growth – building excitement in a core group of early adopters. For Facebook, it was college students. For Google+, that path is young, educated, single men who are heavy internet users,” said Nardis.
Impact on Facebook
As Google+ gains followers, it is likely to negatively impact Facebook usage. 30% of Facebook users who already use Google+ plan on cutting down time spent on Facebook this year.
Impact on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Myspace
Google+ is well-positioned to become the second-largest social networking site in the US within the next 12 months. As an estimated 16 MM US online adults plan to join Google+ in the next year – substantially higher than any other social network – it is positioned to surpass Myspace, Twitter, and LinkedIn in US membership.
Other Social Media Sites
Only 19% of US Internet users are members of LinkedIn, but 35% of those with household incomes over $120k are members. LinkedIn users are not, however, as active as other social media users and 24% of current members plan to reduce time spent on the network.
Although 51% of all online adults check a network at least once a day, many social networks have a substantial number of members checking less than once a month:
The survey also showed that social media sites are not as “wide open” as some claim. Only 17% of social media users accept “all” or “nearly all” connection requests, and 60% of users have deleted or de-friended connections.
Note
A sample from the YouGov panel of US residents was used for this study. 1,003 adults, nationally-representative of the US online adult population, were interviewed online from July 29, 2011- August 2, 2011.
Posted in: G+,Google+,Social Networking
