Social Media Use Exploded in 2012, Led by Pinterest
Nielsen and NM Incite released the 2012 Social Media Report, pointing to a growing mobile Web and app social network.
It's hard for some to remember life before the Internet, let alone social media, and now it appears that these sites are coming of age.
Consumers spend more time on social networks than any other site — about 20 percent via a PC, and 30 percent using a mobile device, Nielsen's Social Media Report revealed.
Still not impressed? The report also tips a 37 percent increase in the total time spent on social media in the U.S., reaching 121 billion minutes in July, compared to 88 billion in summer 2011.
The ultimate social network, Facebook, remains the most-visited in the U.S., and earned the title of most popular Web brand in the U.S. this year. It reached 152.2 million PC visitors, 78.4 million app users, and 74.3 million mobile Web surfers. That dwarfs social sites in all categories (see graphic below), beating No. 2 Blogger by more than 93.7 million PC users. In the mobile app race, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+, and Pinterest carry the top five spots.
Top networks like Facebook and Twitter have profound staying power in a world where social media options are expanding every day, including breakout star Pinterest, which boasted what Nielsen reported is the largest year-over-year increase — 1,698 percent. For more, check out PCMag's Pinterest Board.
Overall Internet connections are on the rise, as well, drawing more than 80 percent increases in mobile Web and app usage in the last year; PCs dropped 4 percent. Meanwhile, tablets, handheld music players like the iPod touch, game consoles, Internet-enabled TVs, and e-readers are slowly boosting connectivity.
With so many mobile options, it appears nearly a third of people ages 18 to 24 write Facebook comments, send tweets, and perhaps even blog from the comfort of their bathroom. Those ages 25 to 34 are more likely to use social networking in the office.
For all of the celebrity accounts and political usage accrued by social media, it seems that people still focus on connecting with friends and family members. More than 60 percent of people turn on Facebook to keep up with someone they know in real life, while 9 percent initiate LinkedIn contact because of a person's physical attractiveness, Nielsen reported.