Table of Contents
Issues in the Market
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- Definition
- Abbreviations
Future Opportunities
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- The Language Barrier
- Social networks profit pressure
- Control over user information
Market in Brief
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- Impact of UK recession – Negative and positive aspects
- Growth now being driven by older users
- General social networking versus niche players
- Social networking usage trends
- New entrants: The emperors in new clothes
- A fluid, complex and fiercely competitive market
Internal Market Environment
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- Key points
- UK in context
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- Figure 1: Percentage of adult internet users (18+ years) using social networks, Nov 2008
- Reports of social networking in decline have been premature
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- Figure 2: Social networking usage in the last three months, by gender, April 2008-January 2009
- Continued growth and a balance of the sexes
- Growth in older users
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- Figure 3: Usage of social networks, by age, April 2008-January 2009
- Networking for business and jobs in the recession
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- Figure 4: Social networking usage in the last three months, by socio-economic group and working status, April 2008-January 2009
- Testing times boosting demand for networks
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- Figure 5: Effect of the current economic situation on web browsing habits, October 2008
Broader Market Environment
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- Key points
- Older users more connected than ever
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- Figure 6: British internet penetration at home/work/place of study or elsewhere, by gender, age and socio-economic group, January 2003-09
- Some 80% of surfers now using a broadband connection
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- Figure 7: UK broadband penetration, 2004-08
- Lower PDI
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- Figure 8: Trends in personal disposable income and consumer expenditure, 2003-13
- Rising number of one-person households
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- Figure 9: UK household sizes, 2003-13
- An ageing population
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- Figure 10: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, by gender, 2003-13
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Social networks struggle to compete for ad spend
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- Figure 11: US online social network advertsising spending, 2008-13
- Social networks aren’t the only place for converged entertainment
Who’s Innovating?
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- Google launches Latitude
- OpenSocial link up with MySpace
- Branded and tailor-made networks – FreshNetworks and Ning
- Barrack Obama’s social innovation
- The Vatican harnessing collective will
- Yahoo! Creating social connections through the email platform
- Facebook and Salesforce.com launch Force – bringing business developers into the social world
Market Share
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- Key points
- Engaging users assumes priority over market share or market size
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- Figure 12: Top ten social networks in the UK, June 2007-08
- Facebook takes the UK crown
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- Figure 13: Top ten social networking and forum websites, December 2008
- Time spent is a more important measure
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- Figure 14: Websites/applications with greatest increase in total UK minutes, May 2007-May 2008
- How do social networks compete with other web sectors?
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- Figure 15: Leading websites/applications by average total monthly UK minutes, June 2007-May 2008
- Niche network explosion
Companies and Products
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- Key points
- Bebo
- MySpace
- Friends Reunited
- Faceparty
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Key points
- Most popular not the highest advertising spenders
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- Figure 16: Advertising expenditure on social networking sites, 2006-08
- Facebook and MySpace
- Google Latitude
- Engaging with applications
Where are Social Networks Used?
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- Key points
- Majority of social networking still in the home
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- Figure 17: Places where internet users go onto social network sites, March-December 2008
- Accessing at work in the downturn
Reasons for Using a Social Network
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- Key points
- Connecting with people you know…
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- Figure 18: Reasons for using a social network, December 2008
- …and not with people you don’t
- Look but don’t poke
- Making use of dead time
How Social Networking has Affected Other Leisure Habits
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- Key points
- Low impact on other habits
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- Figure 19: other activities that have reduced as a result of using social networks more, December 2008
- The devil is in the detail: Online social networks have not yet delivered a universal one-stop umbrella service
- Online social networks are convenient and save time for the busy user
- Traditional media is not dead
- Radio GaGa – Radio, someone still loves you!
General Attitudes towards Social Networking
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- Key points
- Young and on guard to strangers
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- Figure 20: General attitudes towards social networking, December 2008
- What of the prospects for advertising?
- Enthusiasm withers for a quarter of respondents
Number of Friends Social Networkers Have
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- Key points
- Online social networking = True social networking
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- Figure 21: Number of friends social networkers have, December 2008
- Women and men are equal
- General networking trends
- Uber-networkers are young users
Usage of Social Networking Sites
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- Key points
- Facebook’s dominance of the UK market is underlined
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- Figure 22: Popular social networking site usage, December 2008
- Facebook users
- Can MySpace fight back?
- Can anyone challenge Facebook’s dominance?
Appendix – Internal Market Environment
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- Figure 23: Social networking usage in the last three months, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and working status, April 2008 to January 2009
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Appendix – Where are Social Networks Used?
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- Figure 24: Places where internet users go onto social network sites, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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Appendix – Reasons for Using a Social Network
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- Figure 25: Most popular reasons for using a social network, by detailed demographics, December 2008
- Figure 26: Next most popular reasons for using a social network, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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- Figure 27: Other reasons for using a social network, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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Appendix – How Social Networking Has Affected Other Leisure Habits
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- Figure 28: Other activities that have reduced as a result of using social networks more, by detailed demographics, December 2008
- Figure 29: Other activities that have reduced as a result of using social networks more, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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- Figure 30: Other activities that have reduced as a result of using social networks more, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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Appendix – General Attitudes towards Social Networking
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- Figure 31: Most popular general attitudes towards social networking, by detailed demographics, December 2008
- Figure 32: General attitudes towards social networking, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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Appendix – Number of Friends Social Networkers Have
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- Figure 33: Number of friends social networkers have (0-100), by detailed demographics, December 2008
- Figure 34: Number of friends social networkers have (100+), by detailed demographics, December 2008
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Appendix – Usage of Social Networking Sites
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- Figure 35: Regular users of leading social networking sites, by detailed demographics, December 2008
- Figure 36: Differences in usage between most popular leading social networking sites, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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- Figure 37: Differences in usage between next most popular leading social networking sites, by detailed demographics, December 2008
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