“Facebook (and other social networks) has been skewing older for a while, but the trend has been “massive” in the past six months, according to InsideFacebook.com. In the past two months alone the number of new members over 35 has doubled. Marketers take note: the median age is now over 25, and the largest single group 35 to 44. Read more at http://blog.wired.com/business/2009/03/facebook-isyour.html”

Facebook is definitely on a role! In The Netherlands there is a local community called Hyves and have about 7 MLN users equally to 45% of Dutch inhabitants.

While I had already switched from Hyves to Facebook in 2007, in the past 3 months I saw a whole network of young asians (20-30+) take the switch. I even received an e-mail from a friend in Hyves telling all his hyves friends that he would leave Hyves as he didn’t want to spend time updating 2 social networks separately.

Personally I have found ways to integrate my Wordpress blog into both Facebook and Hyves, even in Linkedin. And my Twitter is updating the ‘what are you doing now’ status in Hyves and Facebook.

But truly – as I’m 30 years old – I’m a Facebook fan generating probably more than 30 pageviews a day in facebook.

And professionally I’ve come to the conclusion that all of the people out there who are thinking about creating a new community for whatever group, they should look at these articles:
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/twitter/4963780/Facebook-Twitter-and-blogs-more-popular-than-email-report-says.html
- http://seekingalpha.com/article/35533-social-networking-sites-facebook-grows-myspace-slows

I’ve written a blog about how companies can try to deserve their own community in 7 steps on my own blog. I’m always looking for more visitors on my blog, so please have a look ;)
http://hhvo.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/marketing-20-social-marketing-dont-start-with-your-community-until-youve-proven-that-you-deserve-one/

Cheers,

Ha