This report landed in my inbox last week, and it is just too darn good not to share with y’all.
I am sharing this with you for a very specific reason: Kazia and I have a new potential client and that client is saying things like “our demographic isn’t on social media.”
That may or may not be true, but I think when you look at the results of this report, you’ll be surprised. So many people believe it’s “the kids” that are “on the Tweeter,” but according to this, it’s simply not true.
The average age of a social media user in the US currently is 37. Over half of all social media users are between the ages of 25 and 44. Linkedin has the oldest demographic, which makes sense, as it’s also the most professional. But half of the users of the big four, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, are all over the age of 35.
Not surprisingly, demographics skew a bit heavier on the female side. In general, women tend to be more social (just because of how we’re brought up), and that reflects in the demographics: 71% of social media sites have a higher percentage of women using them.
What does all this mean?? Good news for us as marketers. You can be the best at marketing something, but if there’s no one who has the means to purchase your product or service, it’s of no use. We know that women are mostly responsible for making the purchases in most households. Second of all, this 35+ age range means that they are in a financially independent demographic, although they may also be debt-heavy.
So, the next time you say “my demographic isn’t on social media,” think again. Unless you are selling to the really young or seniors, chances are, your demographic is on social media. Why aren’t you?
Read the entire Social Media Demographics 2012 report here.