In case you missed it, this week was Facebook’s tenth birthday. Amid rumors the social network was losing its groove with young Americans (traditionally its predominant user group), Socialbakers revealed data that shows Facebook isn’t really on the decline. This clarification should quiet people who have been decrying the network’s fall from grace and assure nervous marketers the channel is still a relevant place to share brand content.
The 18 to 24 age group is still the loudest on Facebook and continues to have the widest reach. Socialbakers’ data from 2013 showed that content shared by this group is actually spreading farther than ever before, with posts reaching 39 percent larger audiences compared to data from the previous year.
This update pairs nicely with information recently released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which showed Facebook was still adding members to its 1 billion plus posse and 71 percent of American adults now use the network.
According to Socialbakers, Facebook isn’t losing teens, per se. However, it may not be dominating their screen time. Younger consumers are on multiple sites all at the same time with platforms like Instagram and Snapchat considered to be rising stars in the social media landscape.
The great thing about Facebook is that it’s found openings for brands to participate naturally and respect the social nature of the site. Marketers who want to be on the cutting edge with Instagram and Snapchat campaigns will need to forge a path and find a way to share their custom content without coming across as overly promotional.
In the meantime, they can confidently share Facebook posts, knowing the site is still a popular gathering place where teens and young consumers will engage and share information.
