In one of the Nielsen Reports, Social media was shown to have grown rapidly with today, nearly 4 in 5 active Internet users visiting social networks and blogs.
It said amongst other things, that “across a snapshot of 10 major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over three-quarters of active Internet users.”
The subject became interesting for me particularly, when another report (Comsec I think) said that the social media phenomenon had reached a plateau in Australia.
I thought this was strange because Australia is far behind USA, UK and EUROPE in terms of user ability, online functionality and engagement as a means to converse, communicate, share, do business, make money or gain exposure.
Sure, everyone knows about Facebook, and as popular as it is represents only a fraction of what is really going on.
My take therefore is that Australians have only just been ramping up the last 8 years or so- sorry those who hate these networking forums-and the fact that the Australians are spending more time online than any other Country is because we have not yet developed the ability to navigate, comment or engage like the Americans, Europeans and some of the English have.
The report went on to say that in the U.S., social networks and blogs reach nearly 80 percent of active U.S. Internet users and represent the majority of Americans’ time online.
As for Australia there are at least five reasons why the social media phenomenon will continue unabated and they are-
- The demographics of Australia and our distance from other Countries and each other.
- We are playing catch up to UK, USA, and EUROPE as we always lag behind them in these fields of marketing and online consumption.
- We are educating ourselves more the last number of years and with the emphasis on self-education, called “the need to comprehend,” much time spent online will be knowledge and skills based as people become more mobile, open and adaptive to change (viz Open Universities inter alia).
- Since 2008, and the subsequent economic downturn, we have been forced to learn other ways to gain business and network with each other; it goes without saying that the Internet is by far the most efficient, powerful and cost effective way to do that.
- As social media is now more focused on knowledge dissemination, sharing videos, content, engagement and a more balanced approach to marketing and business by sincerely adding value without the sales push, people are finding it way more appealing.
Chris Borrett
Image Credit-FreeImages.com-ilker