Dive Brief:
- Bridge Ratings conducted research on Facebook use and found it declining for both millennials and 35- to 44-year-olds, as reported by eMarketer.
- The shift was more dramatic among the older group, with 41% reporting not using the social media platform as often compared to 25% in 2016. For millennials, 35% said they weren’t using the platform as often compared to 31% last year.
- EMarketer’s own research estimates almost 90% of social media users will access Facebook at least monthly this year and that 53.8% of Facebook users are only accessing the platform via mobile devices.
Dive Insight:
The Bridge Ratings numbers suggest social media use may be reaching a level of maturity, with users feeling less compelled to check-in repeatedly throughout the day. The findings could also be reflective of a growing sense of dissatisfaction with social media in general among some consumers who are taking extended breaks from the space or intentionally trying to check their timelines less frequently as a way to avoid what is perceived as incendiary and low-value content.
Before marketers get overly concerned about the Bridge Ratings survey, eMarketer’s numbers reflecting Facebook's significant reach should be reassuring. Additionally, the social media giant's own metrics from its recent Q4 earnings report don’t indicate any major issues, with an 18% increase year-over-year in daily active users for a total of 1.23 billion and mobile active daily users up 17% year-over-year, reaching 1.15 billion. For revenue, mobile ads generated 84%, up from 80% from Q4 last year.
What the Bridge Ratings report does indicate is a slight upswing in complacency around Facebook, especially for the 35-to-44 group. EMarketer also makes the point that Facebook is becoming a go-to spot for video content, which might drive marketing strategy for organic and paid content.