30% of teens name Twitter as their most important social network, close behind the 33% who tab Facebook, per results [PDF] from Piper Jaffray’s 25th Semi-Annual teen research project, which surveyed more than 5,000 teens. The trends favor Twitter, though: compared to the last survey, conducted in the Fall of 2012, the proportion of teens naming Facebook as their most important has dropped 9% points, while those naming Twitter have grown by 3% points. Instagram is also gaining, up 5% points to 17% indicating it as their most important social network.
The remaining social networks identified have mostly stayed flat: Google+ (down 1% point to 5%); Tumblr (up 1% point to 4%); and Pinterest (flat at 2% points) remain far behind the top tier of preferred networks. Overall, 93% of teens say they’re using social networks, down a percentage point from the previous survey.
Facebook’s drop is a worrisome sign for the social network, as teens are often used as a leading indicator of future trends. According to data from Experian Hitwise, Facebook’s leading share of US visits to social networking sites and forums has dropped from 63.2% in March 2012 to 58.5% in March 2013. Read the rest at MarketingCharts.
The e-Strategy Academy covers all aspects of digital marketing including search optimization & marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, video marketing, mobile marketing & public relations.