Facebook is deserted by teenagers. If adults remain loyal to the social network, the youngest have massively migrated to video-oriented social networks, such as TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram.
Facebook is no longer popular with younger people. According to a new study from the Pew Research Center, Americans aged 13-17 go less and less on the social network. From 2015 to 2022, the proportion of teenagers who regularly use Facebook has plummeted. 7 years ago, 71% of young people were still followers of the platform. Today, only 32% of teens say they use Facebook.
In addition, young people who continue to use the platform are less and less diligent. Only 7% of young users say they are constantly checking their newsfeed. Most are content to pass on their account from time to time, which does not help advertisers.
The disinterest of young people for Facebook does not date from this year. As early as 2013, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of the platform, realized that “younger users are interested in other products and services” that replace Facebook. In 2016, middle age of Facebook users has crossed the 40-year mark, revealed Harris Interactive’s Social Life barometer.
At the time, experts pointed the finger the rise of Snapchat and Instagram to explain the aging of Facebook’s user base. Based on photo and video sharing, these applications have made a name for themselves in the daily lives of Generation Y and Z. Young people are now turning away from Facebook to spend more and more time on TikTok, the Chinese social network.
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TikTok overshadows Facebook
67% of teenagers questioned as part of the study claim to use TikTok “sometimes”. 16% of respondents even admit to checking their TikTok feed from almost constantly. Additionally, 86% of the app’s teenage users visit the platform every day without a single exception.
YouTube is also helping to divert teenagers, keen on videos and content, from Facebook. Google’s platform is the preferred network for 13-17 year olds. 95% of teenagers explain using YouTube. 19% of young Americans admit they hang out on YouTube almost constantly.
“YouTube and TikTok stand out as the platforms teens use most frequently,” the study notes.
Instagram is still used by 62% of young Americans. Despite competition from TikTok, Snapchat remains one of the favorite networks of young people. 59% of respondents use it. Half of young people still check Instagram and Snapchat days.
Mirroring Facebook, platforms like Twitter or Tumblr are seeing a drop in interest from teenagers. Only 23% of teenagers say they have ever used Twitter, compared to 33% in 2015. Meanwhile, Tumblr only attracted 5% of young people, compared to 14% seven years ago.
A trend emerges from these statistics. If social networks based on exchanges between Internet users are losing momentum, platforms allowing entertainment in front of videos are on the rise.
To reinvent itself, Facebook wants to take inspiration from TikTok
If teenagers are gradually deserting, Facebook remains an essential network for adults. According to a previous survey by the Pew Research Center, 69% of American adults use the social network.
“Facebook’s growth has leveled off over the past five years, but it remains one of the most-used adult social media sites in the United States,” says the Pew Research Center in a study published in 2021. .
70% of members check their Facebook account every day. 49% of them connect several times a day to the platform. The frequency of use by adults remains stable from year to year.
Despite adult loyalty, Facebook began to lose users for the first time in its history. During the first quarter of the year, the social network had 1.929 billion daily users, compared to 1.930 billion in the last quarter of 2021. The user base recovered in the following quarter, reaching 1.96 billion. .
To revive its growth, Facebook has taken strong measures. The social network, for example, has gradually reworked its news feed to emphasize the recommendations of the algorithm. The home page has been enriched with videos and other publications advised by artificial intelligence. Facebook even announced the arrival of a brand new thread in its application. Openly inspired by the way TikTok works, this new feed will no longer prioritize posts from your friends or pages you follow. The feed displays posts recommended by the algorithm, especially videos.
This change of course was poorly received by Internet users. In order not to lose users, Facebook has recently formalized the arrival of a new tab, entitled Fil de publications. This section will display all of your friends’ posts, groups you follow, and pages you follow in chronological order. With this ambivalent strategyFacebook seeks to satisfy the users of the first hour while attracting the youngest.
Source :
Pew Research Center