Hey Social Sixers,
This week’s Social Six is bigger and better than ever (literally). To spice things up, each week I will be blowing out one of the six pillars, with lots of my own opinion baked in. Feel free to disagree or agree with me in the comments area. This weeks focus is on communities, but if that’s not your favorite topic, have no fear. Each week a different pillar will be the focus, so keep checking back.
10 Fascinating Facebook Facts — And What They Say About Us
With over 600 million people using Facebook, there are bound to be behaviors and tendencies that speak to our culture as a whole that can be found through the social network. A new study had the same thought, and did some research on the stats and facts behind this social giant, and what they found, is fascinating. While there are of course exceptions, most of these stats represent users general feeligns towards the community as a whole, whether they feel a part of the Facebook community, or would like to keep themselves more removed. These are the top ten “fun” facts that have been revealed about our community:
1. 56% of Americans think it’s irresponsible to friend your boss on Facebook
2. Facebook links about sex are shared 90% more than average
3. People in Facebook relationships are happier than single people
4. 21% of people would break up via Facebook
5. 85% of women are annoyed by their Facebook friends
6. 25% of households with a Facebook account don’t use privacy controls
7. 48% of parents friend their kids on Facebook
8. 47% of Facebook users have profanity on their walls
9. 48% of people say they look at their ex’s Facebook profile too often
10. 36% of under-35s check Facebook, Twitter or texts after sex
Some of these are not, or should not, be shocking to most of us (numbers 2 and 7 for example) but others are definitely worth looking into. Let’s take a look at number 6. Privacy has been a huge issue in the world of social as of late. While the stat reads that 25% do not set their privacy control, I think a better way to look at this is to flip it around and say that a whopping 75% of users DO set their privacy controls. And 75% of 600 million ain’t bad. Whether this reflects a lack of trust within the community is debatable, but I think this also plays well into fact number 1 on the list. While I personally disagree that it is irresponsible to friend your boss, it may be irresponsible to not make only certain parts of your profile visible to them. Tying this back into number 6, it is interesting that people would rather not friend their boss, rather than limit what information they can see. Working for CM, I have been Facebook friends with my boss since day one, but not without careful consideration as to how much I would like them to see. Both of these stats point out the apprehensive feelings towards Facebook and how, at times, people will close off parts of their community in order to save their privacy.
On the flip side from these two points, number 3 and 5 are interesting in the sense of how comfortable some people feel within the Facebook community. When someone’s Facebook relationship is listed as “In a Relationship” rather than “Single” they have been noted to be happier in general. While their relationship might be lacking or unhealthy, just knowing the community knows they are in a relationship makes them feel happier. Also 85% of women allow their Facebook friends to get on their nerves. While they might not speak to these people offline, their online presence and annoying habits get to 85% of women. Comparing these two stats to the first two is the perfect example of two different sides of Facebook. The private side, in which people view the community as a threat, and the public side, where people look to their fellow community members for communication and acceptance.
Other Must-Read Headlines this Week
Tools & Technology: Raptr Shows How Social Networks Can Get More Personal
Raptr, a social network for gamers is allowing users to create more personal experiences within the community.
Measurement: HOW TO: Get Started With Google Analytics
No matter what you are looking to use your analytics for, check out this “how to” article on how to get started with using Google Analytics.
Influencers: An Actor Who Knows Start-Ups
Ashton Kutcher has been at the forefront of investing in some of the most successful startups around (including Foursquare) and is making sure to get in of the ground floor of some of the future social apps.
Partnerships: Foursquare and Groupon Planning Distribution Deal
Leaders from two ends of the social world may be starting up a partnership of their own soon. Social location giant Foursquare and group buying moguls Groupon are in talks for partnering.
Fun Stuff: “American Idol” Twitter Curse Is Right Again
If you watch American Idol, and believe in curses, then this curse is right up your alley. Apparently, a curse has been discovered regarding how many tweets an American Idol contestant receives, in relation to when they get kicked off the show. Rumor has it, whichever contestant receives more tweets about them leading up to the show will be kicked off.
