MySpace Attracts Older Audience - WSJ Article - Online Marketing Demographics

MySpace Attracts Older Audience
Associated PressOctober 6, 2006;
Page B4NEW YORK --
Half of MySpace's users are 35 or older, according to comScore Media Metrix's analysis of its U.S. Internet traffic measurements. Only 30% are under 25, despite a common belief that the site is mostly populated with children and young adults.Just a year ago, teens under 18 made up about 25% of MySpace, the popular online hangout run by News Corp. That is now down to 12% in the comScore analysis released yesterday.By contrast, the 35-to-54 group at MySpace grew to 41% in August, from 32% a year earlier."This analysis confirms that the appeal of social-networking sites is far broader," said Jack Flanagan, executive vice president for comScore, adding that the data suggest that social networking is becoming mainstream.Sites such as MySpace encourage users to stay in touch by offering tools such as message boards, photo sharing and personal profile pages. Members can expand their networks by adding other users as friends and, in turn, connecting with their friends.The study was based on comScore's regular panels for measuring Internet audiences, rather than MySpace's registration information, where users often lie about their age.ComScore also reported that MySpace had 56 million unique U.S. visitors in August, much less than the 100 million-plus registered users MySpace has world-wide. The company has said about 10% of its users are abroad. A better explanation for the gap is the fact that many people have multiple profiles, each counted separately by MySpace but not by comScore.Facebook had 15 million unique visitors, Xanga eight million and Friendster one million, according to comScore.
Copyright © 2006 Associated Press
Reposted by Zach Hoffman
Online Marketing Agency
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