New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook

July 30th, 2009

By Jessica Lee

Reports from Inside Facebook earlier this year have shown the growth in Facebook use amongst users over 35 and baby boomers especially. Now, a new study from Anderson Analytics shows how different generations are using social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

According to the numbers, the top reasons for joining a social network across all generations are to “keep in touch with friends” and “for fun.” However, as expected, older users are primarily using the site to keep in touch with family.

Generation Z users (13 to 14 years old) use MySpace and Facebook more than any other site in the study by a long shot, with Facebook slightly trailing behind MySpace at 61% to 65%. 9% of this group use Twitter, and none use LinkedIn.

75% of Generation Y users (15 to 29 years old) use MySpace compared to Facebook at 65%. Usage of Twitter (14%) and LinkedIn was up for this group. Respondents in the Generation X (30 to 44 years old), baby boomers (44 to 65 years old), and the WWII categories are more likely to use Facebook, followed by MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In other words, Facebook is becoming a popular site among the older generations – but the more telling stats here would be on growth and engagement.

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24 Responses to “New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook”

DR. WHAW? – July 30, 2009 « One true sentence. Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook by Jessica Lee — At first glance this may seem like a silly choice, I promise it’s [...]
ttunguz Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
It’s interesting to compare the use cases of Twitter and Facebook particularly in the under 35 demographic. See http://expostfacto.tumblr.com/post/152730049/comparing-twitter-and-facebook-usage for an analysis
People under the age of 30 use Myspace more than Facebook « Lightspeed Venture Partners Blog Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
[...] myspace, social networks, twitter. trackback Interesting research noted at Inside Facebook on how different generations use social networks. Most interesting chart to me shows that Gen Y (15-29) and Gen Z (13-14) use Myspace more than [...]
Ashish Tewari Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 4:31 am
‘Connect with Family’? Yeah right. Keep tabs on family is more like it.
» Blog Archive » links for 2009-07-31 Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 5:01 am
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook (tags: Social-Media facebook) [...]
Let’s cut our power bill and save the environment | Personal Finance Debt & Investing Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 6:27 am
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook (insidefacebook.com) [...]
links for 2009-07-31 - Kevin Bondelli’s Youth Vote Blog Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 11:30 am
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook [...]
Facebook and Twitter are for oldies — NevilleHobson.com Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 12:48 am
[...] Inside Facebook has a good take on the stats: […] 75% of Generation Y users (15 to 29 years old) use MySpace compared to Facebook at 65%. Usage of Twitter (14%) and LinkedIn was up for this group. Respondents in the Generation X (30 to 44 years old), baby boomers (44 to 65 years old), and the WWII categories are more likely to use Facebook, followed by MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In other words, Facebook is becoming a popular site among the older generations – but the more telling stats here would be on growth and engagement. [...]
Metrics: Geezers Say “Tweet Me! Tweet Me!” – Engaged Life Learning Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 7:24 am
[...] Inside Facebook: According to the numbers, the top reasons for joining a social network across all generations are [...]
Ferodynamics Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 9:01 am
Twitter will bury all of them
Uso de Facebook en diferentes generaciones | Denken Über Says:
August 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
[...] estudio de como usan Facebook las diferentes generaciones en insideFacebook donde además del típico “para hacer amigos” o “recuperar conocidos” que [...]
edbuzz.org » The Weekly Update: July 27 – August 2 Says:
August 2nd, 2009 at 8:22 pm
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook– Jessica Lee, Inside Facebook [...]
Actualidad - Facebook y las nuevas generaciones | Despertares Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 am
[...] un nuevo estudio de Anderson Analytics muestra como las distintas generaciones utilizan las rede sociales como Facebook, MySpace, [...]
links for 2009-08-03 | bg Theory, LLC Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook (tags: socialmedia) Share and Enjoy: [...]
Sheep Guarding Llama » Blog Archive » August 2, 2009: Westchester Journal News = Fail Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
[...] across a really interesting demographic study on how social media is used by different generational groups. It is interesting to see how the digital natives and the digital immigrants differ in their [...]
Use of Facebook by different age groups « OxfordStaffDev Says:
August 4th, 2009 at 5:46 am
[...] Source: InsideFacebook [...]
Retelele sociale: un mediu pentru oamenii “mari” | pr365.ro Says:
August 7th, 2009 at 12:36 am
[...] studiu recent, prezentat de Anderson Analytics, arată modurile în care utilizarea reţelelelor sociale (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter şi LinkedIn) [...]
מדיה חברתית: קישורים מהשבוע האחרון (26.7-1.8) | Blinkit - הבלוג של בלינק Says:
August 18th, 2009 at 8:58 am
[...] ועוד סטטיסטיקות – על ההבדלים הדוריים בשימוש בכלי מדיה …. [...]
New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook « World of Cush Says:
August 27th, 2009 at 3:01 am
[...] http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/07/30/new-study-shows-how-different-generations-use-facebook/ [...]
New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook « Read by Cush Says:
August 30th, 2009 at 11:18 am
[...] http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/07/30/new-study-shows-how-different-generations-use-facebook/ [...]
New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook « MK Marketing Group Says:
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
[...] New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook September 22, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized — mkmarketinggroup @ 11:24 pm New Study Shows How Different Generations Use Facebook [...]
New Study On Social Network Use Released « Says:
September 24th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
[...] 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment A new study from Anderson Analytics was released this week regarding how people are using social network sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. Results [...]
New Study On Social Network Use Released « Says:
September 24th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
[...] 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment A new study from Anderson Analytics was released this week regarding how people are using social network sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. Results [...]
simon Says:
February 8th, 2010 at 3:18 am
Facebook has also made peole lazy to socialize with the real world as well , people arnt picking up the phone to say hey hows it going and what you been up too ect ect , so thats the side effects of social network sites in my opinion.