There is lots of buzz about Facebook attrition, privacy concerns and dying socnets. Those of us familiar former LiveJournal and Friendster users aren’t really surprised.
Once mom and dad show up to the party, it’s time for the cool kids to find another one. But unlike the MySpace (client) to Facebook shift from mainstream site to mainstream site in the past few years, it appears the average émigré may be headed to niche socnets instead…
Online gaming site Roiworld surveyed 600 teens ages 13 to 17 in late April and found that teens spend two hours per day online on average, 80% of which is spent using a social network. These same teens are, however, showing signs of “Facebook Fatigue.” Nearly one in five (19%) who have an account no longer visit Facebook or are using it less.
Of the group that are saying goodbye to Facebook, 45% have lost interest, 16% are leaving because their parents are there, 14% say there are “too many adults/older people” and 13% are concerned about the privacy of their personal information.
While interest in Facebook may be waning, it’s still the most popular social network among teens — 78% have created a profile and 69% still use it.
I’m a big music guy and tend to watch the music industry for early shifts and innovations in social media. For example, the first embeddable multimedia widget I ever saw came from a record label. Musicians started experimenting with Twitter and fan engagement almost immediately. Francis and the Lights just released the world’s 1st HTML5 embeddable album designed for iPad/iPhone iOS4. x
With that said, check out this compelling commentary from Digital Music News (Who’s Really Turning Their Backs on Facebook..):
The media has been drumming up a frenzy about Facebook privacy, and reports of cancelled accounts are seemingly everywhere. But so far, the fallout is difficult to quantify, and Facebook is still reporting gains. In fact, the world’s largest network is expected to hit the 500 million user mark by mid-July.
But well before the privacy hubbub, researchers have been talking about a much different type of attrition. So who’s really turning their backs on Facebook?
Actually, younger users – college-aged and well below – have been slumping or disengaging, while older users – like 35-54 year-olds – have been sharply gaining. That was recently echoed by Bridge Ratings, which zeroed in on a number of different networking demographics…
Take, for example, younger girls. “This group of young people are turning their backs on sites such as Facebook and MySpace,” the report noted. Instead, sites like Club Penguin, Poptropica and Stardoll are doing far better with the 6-17 female population, though this is part of a much bigger demographic trend. “Laser-focused product messaging keyed to the lifestyle of the target is critical,” the group continued.
The bigger takeaway is critical for music marketers and bands to understand. Sure, skipping Facebook or MySpace would be unwise, but different bands attract wildly different demographics, and that makes targeting a critical skill on social networks. A nuanced understanding of the different players – beyond the typical heavyweights – is key.
Where to next? Don’t look to mom and dad. Follow the teens…

(photo via Oh Crap My Parents Joined Facebook)