Though many studies have covered the decline of Facebook usage among teenagers, a new study by Forrester Research finds the opposite to be true.
The younger generation is joining Facebook more often than any other social networking site besides YouTube, according to Forrester’s report, “Why the Sky Isn’t Falling on the World’s Favorite Social Network.”
About 80% of the 4,517 American 12- to 17-year-olds who were surveyed said they are active on Facebook.
Though YouTube had the highest number of teen users each month, Facebook had the most respondents (28%) say they visited the site “all the time.” Facebook and the Facebook-owned Instagram had the most “hyperusers,” teens that visit the sites most frequently. Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter also had more than 20% of teen “hyperusers.”
Twice as many pre-teens and teens use Facebook than use Snapchat, Pinterest or Tumblr. And the combined number of teenage Instagram and WhatApp users still isn’t as high as the number of teens on Facebook.
Other studies, like this teen social media privacy study by Pew Research, have shown that Facebook’s popularity among teens has decreased. But Forrester researcher Nate Elliott cautioned that there are gaps between actual social usage and what is reported.
Businesses and marketers who are looking to attract pre-teen and teenage consumers should take note of these trends when making their youth-targeted strategies.
It is important to look at the entire picture when making social media strategies. Even if the number of Facebook users does drop, keep in mind how many users are still active and how engaged those users are.
