Compared to user activity on social networking sites last year, Facebook and Twitter posted gains of 69% and 45% respectively in the U.S. Globally, the total minutes spend on social networks monthly saw a more than 100% gain over the same time last year.

With data from more than 125 Facebook advertising campaigns from 70 brands, Nielsen and Facebook release their findings that hold important implications for brand advertisers.

With Facebook leading the way and Twitter activity on the rise, Australians are rapidly increasing their participation in social media, content sharing and brand interaction.

On average, global web users across 10 countries spent roughly five and a half hours on social networks in February 2010, up more than two hours from the same time last year.

In a demographic view of social networking activity on mobile devices, women were found do use their phones to “tweet” and “friend” 10% more than men.

For a brand manager, the focus needs to be less about ad impressions and more about making a precise and measurable impression on the right audience.

In the U.K., almost 80 percent of the time spent on Twitter is accounted for by 7 percent of its most active users. Other social networks show similar patterns.

Nearly 13 percent of viewers tuning in to last week’s Olympic opening ceremonies were also surfing the web, according to data gathered from Nielsen’s TV and Internet convergence panel.

The Nielsen Company reported January 2010 data for the Top Parent Companies/Divisions and Top Web Brands, as well as average Internet usage.

How well a TV ad does can often rely on “Earned Media” — the volume and value of the online conversations that happen before an after it airs.