Connecting with friends and colleagues online is not just for kids and teens anymore – research shows that 73% of adults in 2013 use a social networking site, according to Pew Research. It might not surprise anyone – but Pew Research found that that most adults use Facebook as their social network of choice.
Whether people are looking to connect with relatives, long lost high school friends, or professional networking – research shows that 71% of adults use Facebook above other sites. This number of Facebook users is up from 67% in 2012.
Other social networks such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram are also popular but the number of adults using those sites are way below Facebook. Pew Research found that 42% of adults use multiple social networking sites – such as Twitter.
Pew Research also researched the habits of adults who are actively logging in and participating in social networking. The results indicated that adult Instagram users are nearly as likely as Facebook users to check in to the site on a daily basis, according to Pew Research. The survey also reported that Facebook and Instagram exhibit especially high levels of user engagement – useful information for brands deciding what platforms to focus on.
Facebook still dominates as the most popular social network where people log in to discover what their friends are up to — multiple times a day. Research indicated that 63% of Facebook users visit the site at least once a day, with 40% doing so multiple times throughout the day. Other social media sites like Twitter and Instagram also generate multiple check-ins- but still the numbers are far behind Facebook. For instance only 35% of adults log in to Instagram multiple times a day. Likewise, Twitter has seen 46% of adults logging in once a day but only 29% visiting a few times each day.
Pew Research found that overall adults are inclined to use two or more social networks – while only 36% use only one. Facebook is the social network of choice for those using only one social networking site –86% use Facebook exclusively.