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The Graying of Facebook: Where Are All the Younger Users?

The Graying of Facebook: Where Are All the Younger Users?

As Facebook has gotten older, so has its user base. Industry watchers have been saying for years that younger users aren’t using Facebook as enthusiastically as their older siblings, parents, and grandparents are. This month, eMarketer reports that the decline is actually proceeding at a greater rate than expected, with growth among 12 to 17-year-olds and 18 to 24-year-olds decreasing by 5.6% and 5.8% in 2018.

[Tweet “eMarketer predicts that Snapchat will gain 1.9 million users under 25 this year.”]

Last year, ReCode reported that the concern with the flight of younger users is that Facebook will lose an entire generation of users who could be served ads in addition to the content they signed up for. All was not lost, however, as it seemed clear that many of these younger users were using Instagram or Snapchat instead. As Instagram is a Facebook product, brands that already had an advertising presence on Facebook simply needed to extend their marketing efforts onto the new platform.

Easier said than done, of course. The fact that both platforms are owned by the same group of people doesn’t mean that the content that’s effective and appealing on one platform will resonate on another. And in the interim, Snapchat’s gaining new users at a faster rate. eMarketer predicts that Snapchat will gain 1.9 million users under 25 this year, while Instagram gains only 1.6 million.

The question is what all of this means to your business. As always, we begin with your customer profile. How old is your customer? If your target market is under 25, focusing your marketing efforts solely on Facebook may be a mistake. However, it’s important to remember, especially when we’re focused on the younger end of that age scale, that the target customer may not ultimately be the person making the purchasing decisions. Parents and caregivers are more likely to be on Facebook, and it’s where they’ll research your brand. It’s important in these instances to maintain an effective presence on multiple platforms.

Pay attention to the data captured by Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Business accounts have access to insights about users location, gender, lifestyle, interests and more. You can compare this data to your customer profiles to see if your assumptions about the market are correct. Additionally, it will help you identify areas where making an extra outreach effort can yield rich rewards. The data will also tell you if the time spent on any given platform – whether that’s Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram – is worth the investment. Don’t make your decision based on what the headlines say. Rely on what your data tells you.

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Creative Director/Senior Designer

Tom DiGrazia

With over a decade and a half of professional design experience, Tom brings his knowledge of design principles and focus on user experience to every aspect of his contribution to TTG. Paying special attention to each client’s brand, personalized needs and individual interests, he strives to create compelling concepts utilizing intuitive and highly-refined design solutions. In addition to traditional and digital design work and oversight at TTG, Tom also boasts a wide portfolio of web development projects with the company, allowing him to stretch his CSS and HTML skills across multiple platforms and disciplines. He feels that being a designer in the digital landscape of websites, eCommerce solutions, email marketing platforms and social media, it is important to understand the code that goes into these areas as it assists his ability to tailor designs specifically targeted to achieve the best end result and further builds understanding and communication with backend development teams.

In his off hours, Tom is an avid pop culture enthusiast, staying up to date on the latest shows, films, comics and games. He can also typically be found taking part in a whole host of artistic activities that help him further stretch his creative legs. Regardless of the activity, Tom is always accompanied by his dog, Eli, and his cat, Tib.

Specialties:
Design, Photography, Illustration, Digital Imagery Manipulation, Wesbite Development

Platforms/Tools:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, HTML/CSS, Wordpress

Analyst/Strategist

Courtney Dumont

As Senior Marketing Strategist & Analyst at Technology Therapy Group, Courtney is energized by the ability to flex both her left and right brain daily. Courtney discovered her passion for Marketing at Bryant University, where she spearheaded research on students’ perceptions of Social Media Marketing for her Honors Capstone Project. After graduating Bryant in 2012, she joined the Technology Therapy team, where she’s honed her skills in social media, search and social advertising, email marketing, SEO, and more.

Since joining the team, Courtney has created digital marketing strategies and managed campaigns for clients across the country, ranging from plastic surgery centers, to jewelry stores, to construction companies. With a cohesive, cross-channel approach and a focus on data-driven decision making, she has increased their leads by up to 217%. But Courtney doesn’t leave her zeal for social media at the office; she also runs a local foodie Instagram account with her husband to document their meals across Rhode Island and beyond. Check them out: @hoppilyfed.

Specialties:
Marketing Strategy, Data Analysis, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Social Media

Platforms/Tools:
Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Facebook Creator Studio, Instagram, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Emma Mail, Google Data Studio, WordPress, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Microsoft Office