1 in 3 US Mobile Owners Access SocNets on Device

January 3, 2012

This article is included in these additional categories:

Boomers & Older | Brand Metrics | Mobile Phone | Social Media | Technology | Youth & Gen X

comscore-mobile-social-networking-in-us-eu5-jan12.gif32.3% of the US mobile population age 13 and older reported accessing social networking sites on their phone at least once in the past month, according to [download page] a December 2011 study from comScore. The use of social networking among the smartphone population is even more pronounced: 64% of US smartphone users reported accessing social networking sites once in the previous month, and 38.8% reported doing so almost every day. US smartphone owners are also slightly more likely to use applications than mobile browsers to access social networking sites (40% vs. 37%).

Reading Posts Most Popular SocNet Activity

Data from “It’s a Social World” indicates that the leading activities among US mobile users who reported accessing social networks on their devices at least once in the previous month were reading posts from people known personally (80.1%) and posting status updates (70%). A significant proportion of US mobile social networkers reported using their devices to engage with brands and organizations (53.8%), as well as with public figures (45.3%). About one-third received coupons, offers, or deals, while roughly 3 in 10 reported checking in via location-based services.

Texting Widespread Globally

pew-texting-popularity.jpgSocial networking may be popular, but the most widespread mobile activity after making phone calls is texting, with a median of 75% of cell phone owners across 21 countries saying they use their device to text, ahead of taking pictures or video (50%) and using the internet (23%), according to a December study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Among US users, the gap in usage is less pronounced: 67% report regularly sending text messages, while 57% take pictures or video and 43% access the internet.

Youth Most Connected

In nearly all the countries surveyed by Pew, respondents aged 18-29 are more likely than those 50 or older to access the internet on their mobile phone. The gap is most pronounced in Japan, where 78% of mobile users aged 18-29 regularly use their devices to access the internet, compared to only 20% of those aged 50 or older. In the US, there is a similarly wide disparity: 73% of mobile users aged 18-29 use their device to access the internet, compared to 49% of those aged 30-49 and 21% of those aged 50 and older. According to the report, youth are also consistently more likely to use their cell phones for texting and taking pictures or video.

About the Data: comScore’s Media Metrix reports on more than 70,000 entities, with audience measurement for 43 individual countries and 6 global regions, as well as worldwide totals. Pew surveyed 25,503 respondents in 21 countries by telephone or face-to-face between March 21 and May 24, 2011.

45th Parallel Design Ad

Explore More Charts.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This