Is Facebook Still Growing?

For many reasons, Social Media contact and advertising has become a vital channel for lots of radio stations. Not only can they reach and have a dialog with current and potential listeners, but they can also put the odds of interacting with ratings respondents squarely in their favor.

We accelerated the frequency of our NuVoodoo Ratings Prospects Studies from once to twice per year back in 2016 to make sure we know which platforms are growing and vital with different demographics and format constituencies to guide our revolutionary marketing programs effectively and efficiently.

Among respondents balanced across all PPM markets, ages 14-54, Facebook remains on top for the seventh study in a row. Among our respondents, over 3 in 5 report using Facebook daily. Facebook is an indispensable touchstone in the lives of many people in 2016.

2.8.16-1

 

But, momentum is a critical component of usage in this area. So we look not only at the usage levels for social media platforms, but also whether consumers feel they’re using the different platforms more or less or the same amount compared to what they were doing just six months ago. Our experience has taught us that these momentum numbers help predict where the opportunities will be as consumer usage changes.

Despite Facebook’s predicted demise by some in the digital world, the platform continues to have perceived positive momentum (when we net out percentages of its users saying they use it more from those who say they use it less). The Facebook momentum numbers are very positive 25-54, but are stalled at the young end of our sample (as is Twitter). Instagram continues to move forward, especially 14-34. But, the big news from our perspective is the perceived momentum of YouTube – strongly positive across all demos.

2.8.16-2

With strong daily usage and growing time spent among its users, YouTube is a priority for a station’s own organic marketing efforts AND becomes foundational for paid marketing programs for some stations.

At NuVoodoo, “we eat our own cooking” – and so we’ve put this latest intelligence to work to give our clients an edge as they compete in the ratings game. But, client or not, it’s critical for stations that wish to maintain and grow to keep abreast of these powerful channels for consumers.