Two-thirds of online adults (66%) use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or LinkedIn. These internet users say that connections with family members and friends (both new and old) are a primary consideration in their adoption of social media tools, according to Aaron Smith, Senior Research Specialist at Pew Research Center.
In Why Americans Use Social Media, roughly two thirds of social media users say that staying in touch with current friends and family members is a major reason they use these sites, while half say that connecting with old friends they’ve lost touch with is a major reason behind their use of these technologies.
This report is based on the findings of a survey on Americans’ use of the Internet. The results in this report are based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International from April 26 to May 22, 2011, among a sample of 2,277 adults, age 18 and older.
Middle-aged and older adults place a relatively high value on social media as a tool to connect with others around a hobby and interest. Sixteen percent of 30-49 year olds and 18% of 50-64 year olds cite connecting with others with common hobbies or interests as a major reason they use social networking sites, compared with 10% of 18-29 year olds.
Despite the increase in celebrities, athletes, and politicians connecting with the public through social media, less than 11% of the respondents cited reading comments from these groups as a major reason for their use of these tools.
The study does not investigate how respondents use social media to connect with brands and institutions.
While there are no ground-breaking findings in this report, its a good reminder that social media works best when you think about goals – your audiences, not yours.
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