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Fewer people visit Facebook lately, new research reveals. The portion of Americans who use the service declined from 67 to 62 percent over the past year, according to the Infinite Dial research from Edison Research and Triton Digital.
Facebook use has been growing steadily since 2008 when Edison Research began collecting data. This is the first year the portion of Americans who visit the network dropped. Usage was down or flat in every demographic age group, gender and ethnicity.
Despite the drop, Facebook remains by far the most popular social media platform. However, notably, several other social media services continued to enjoy robust growth, a worrisome sign for the network. Previous research reported that American teen-agers are leaving the network, or never joining it, and turning to Instagram and Snapchat instead.
Fewer Users, Less Time on Site
Facebook admitted in its fourth quarter earnings report that its daily active user base in the U.S. and Canada – its most lucrative regions — fell for the first time ever in the fourth quarter, dropping to 184 million from 185 million in the previous quarter. The total amount of time users spend on the site dropped 5 percent. Facebook attributed the decline to changes in its news feed algorithm, such as showing fewer viral videos.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg put a positive spin on the drop, saying people’s well being is more important. “Helping people connect is more important than maximizing the time they spend on Facebook,” he said.
The decline in users and time on site may have prompted Facebook’s recent effort to emphasize “meaningful interactions” over passive consumption. The network’s recent decision to all but eliminate content from businesses in news feeds will squash their organic reach on Facebook.
The network’s news feed overhaul and slide in popularity illustrate the dangers of building digital properties on rented land. Many organizations invested significant time and resources to develop Facebook Pages and attract followers. That work may become futile as the social network changes its rules.
Options for PR & Marketing
Investigate other social platforms. The chance that Facebook’s popularity has peaked and has possibly fallen into a long-term decline may prompt PR and social media marketers to seek other venues. Instagram boasts more than 500 million daily active users. Snapchat announced at its fourth quarter earnings call that it gained 187 million daily active users, an increase of 18 percent from the previous year.
Re-assess their purpose for using Facebook. Although achieving meaningful organic reach on news feeds is difficult, businesses seeking to boost awareness of their brands can still benefit from Facebook. Facebook Group discussions will gain more reach, aiding organizations that seek to increase awareness of their brands through the forums, says Andrew Hutchinson at Social Media Today. It’s important to track metrics that represent your goals on the platform.
Consider other ways to reach audiences. Ignoring Facebook may be difficult, due to its sizeable user base. “But it is more important than ever to consider what other ways you can maintain connection with your audience – be it through other social platforms, or through your own, dedicated outreach, like e-mail lists,” Hutchinson says.
Bottom Line: Fewer people visit Facebook and those that do spend less time on the site. While its popularity slides, other networks see healthy growth. Although Facebook remains the largest social network, those trends may cause PR and marketing teams who have placed a priority on Facebook to reassess their social media marketing strategies.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
