Which social network is the most popular among adults? Pew reveals its findings.
Earlier this month, the Pew Research Center released its Social Media Update for 2014, a study that examined social media usage across several demographics.
According to the survey, 24 percent of adults used two social media sites in 2014, while 16 percent used three sites. Many take advantage of the opportunity to utilize more than one social media site to create a personal brand for themselves to show future employers, some Ohio University professors said.
Five social networking sites were analyzed in the report: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. The report broke down users based on classifications like gender, race, age and class. Education standings were also evaluated.
The study surveyed 1,597 people over the age of 18 and found that out of the sampling, 71 percent of adults used Facebook in the past year, while only 23 percent of adults use Twitter.
Karen Riggs, a professor of media studies at OU, spearheaded the new Certificate in Social Media Studies offered at the university. She said Facebook remains the most-used network because of its broad user base.
“Facebook is just so general…You can find anything there. It’s easier to communicate in a more complete way with people across your life,” she said.
Riggs said reports like these are important because the lessons taught through the Certificate in Social Media Studies needs to be responsive to cultural changes.
“Students need to understand how to be nimble in that market and also to help shape it,” Riggs said.
Another tool that more young adults are using is LinkedIn. Pew found that 28 percent of all Internet users were active on LinkedIn in 2014. That number was 22 percent the previous year.
Dan Farkas, who teaches public relations at OU, said LinkedIn is a critical part of the job search. He said every student should be on the network.
“People who soon will be graduating from college are flocking to LinkedIn and not just to make connections and look for jobs,” he said. “They’re also trying to clean up the images they might have created for themselves on Facebook and Twitter. They see it’s time to sharpen their professional identity.”
A network used for both personal and professional purposes is Twitter, which is continuing to grow. The study found 37 percent of adults 18 to 29 use the site, whereas 31 percent did the previous year.
“Any employer who's interested in hiring you is going to look at your social media profiles... They're going to look, so to me it's just having a basic level of being considerate in what you're posting,” Farkas said.
Krissy Lotthammer, a sophomore studying integrated media, said she uses Twitter as a primary way to publish her thoughts. However, she also uses Tumblr to post privately.
“I can express myself without people getting mad,” she said.
Shannon Egan, a sophomore studying screenwriting and producing, also uses the site, which was not included in the State of Social Media report.
“I definitely use Tumblr the most because it’s more artistic,” she said.
For those who use social media to create a cohesive professional presence, the best advice Farkas said he has had for young people and their social media action is to stop and think.
“(Ask yourselves), why are we doing what we're doing? And if (you) don't know the answer, then stop.”
@w_gibbs
wg868213@ohio.edu
