Australia - Digital Media - Social Networks

Synopsis

Social media developments are fascinating and exciting. They show the great potential of the new communication and information tools that are becoming available thanks to the internet, Web 2.0, email and broadband infrastructure. However, for these new social media tools to succeed, they need to be fully and totally integrated into our daily communication.

Popular social media sites have come and gone over the last five or years as users trend to new features that allow us to experiment and connect. By mid-2011 sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Foursquare, LinkedIn and newcomer Google+ are all attracting our attention.

By mid-2011 the number of users of the social networking sites continues to grow, with over ten million Facebook users and over 2.5 million twitter users in Australia. This rise in users continues the trend from 2009 where Australians interacting with brands via social networks jumped by more than 60%. Increased use of mobile broadband through mobile devices is driving consumer uptake while many businesses are still coming to grips with social media.

This report includes BuddeComm’s assessment of social media as a communication tool and includes information on some of the most prominent social media sites, including broad statistics both Australian based and global trends.

Companies mentioned

Companies mentioned in this report include – Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Wordpress, Mashable, MySpace, Specific Media, NewsCorp.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Social networks market summary
• 3. Social Network trends in Australia
  • 3.1 New generations survey
  • 3.2 A growing market
  • 3.3 Tweens taking up the technology challenge
  • 3.4 Small business not using social media
• 4. Key social networks
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Facebook overtakes Google
  • 4.3 Twitter
  • 4.4 MySpace
  • 4.5 YouTube
• 5. Statistical overview
  • 5.1 The increasing influence of social networks – to online sales
  • 5.2 Sharing, shouting and researching
• 6. Mobile social networking
• 7. Personal social networks
• 8. Incorporating social media
  • 8.1 The organisation or group challenge
  • 8.2 Crowdsourcing
• 9. Conclusions and trends
• 10. Related reports

• Table 1 – Top social networking sites in Australia – 2009 - 2011

• Exhibit 1 – Foursquare
• Exhibit 2 - The Obama campaign
• Exhibit 3 – Examples of Web 2.0 developments