Facebook is still the most popular social networking site in the United States though growth has been slow in the last couple of years, according to a new Pew Internet and American Life Project report released Monday.
Almost 73 percent of U.S. adults use social networking sites on a daily basis. After interviewing 1,801 adults from August 7 to Sept. 16, 2013, researchers of the new study by Pew Internet and American Life Project found that a whopping 71 percent of these participants were Facebook users.
Though this giant social networking site continues to remain dominant, growth has been significantly slow in the past years. The new survey showed that the 71 percent is only a 6 percent rise in users compared to the 65 percent in 2012.
One reason for this can be because most users are now turning to multiple social networking platforms for their daily social fix. The study showed that 42 percent people had accounts on multiple social networking sites and were equally active across all platforms. In fact, Instagram users are just as likely to log in to their accounts daily as Facebook users.
The number of Facebook alternatives usage also increased this year. LinkedIn was used by 22 percent of U.S. adults online, Pinterest by 21 percent, Twitter by 18 percent and Instagram by 17 percent.
The level of engagement also varied across platforms. Sixty three percent of Facebook users admitted to logging in to their account at least once a day while 40 percent admitted to checking their accounts multiple times in a day. On Instagram, 57 percent of users visited the site once a day and 35 percent admitted to logging in multiple times. Around 46 percent of Twitter users visited at least once, and 29 percent did the same multiple times.
Once regarded to be a social networking platform for teenagers and young adults, the survey highlighted that it has become increasingly popular among U.S. adults aged 65 and above. American adults aged 65 and above now account for 45 percent of Facebook users, compared to 35 percent last year. A recent Global Social Media Impact Study not only echoes the current trend in the decreasing user-base on Facebook, but also claims that the social network's popularity among teens is just plain "dead."
The study also found that teens still keep their profiles active on Facebook to connect with older members of their family and siblings who are away for education and jobs, according to an HNGN report.
