Canadians love Social Networking

John Blaise
July 15, 2011
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facebook canadaFor gaming operators and marketers, looking to understand how Canadians are communicating and interacting online, according to an Ispos Reid Study, there’s no need to look any further than social networking sites.

According to Ipsos’ most recent Canadian Interactive Reid Report special feature on Social Networking, one-half of all Canadians (50%) and the majority of online Canadians (60%) now have a social networking profile.

Social networking is no longer the exclusive domain of the youth. Younger online Canadians aged 18 to 34 years (86%) are the most likely to have a social networking profile, a majority (62%) of those aged 35 to 54 now have profiles and a good portion (43%) of those 55 years and older have one too.

Yes it’s official, the baby boomers are all over Facebook.

There has been a dramatic increase in the frequency in which Canadians are using social networks. According to the study, nearly one-half of online Canadians (45%) are now visiting a social networking site at least once a week, and 30% visit daily, which compares to 35% who were visiting weekly, and 19% who were visiting daily this time last year. Momentum continues to grow as well, as 32% of those who have an online profile admit they are using it more than last year vs. 15% who say they are using it less (53% say their usage is the same).
Not only are females playing more games instead of having sex, (what else is new?)

But women have really taken to social networking as females tend to visit social networking sites more frequently than their male counterparts, probably just to play more games. Online Canadian women are much more likely to visit a social networking site at least once a day than men (37% compared to 24% of men).

“There have been some suggestions in the media recently that social networking is leveling off in industrialized countries,” says Steve Mossop, President of Ipsos Reid’s Western Canada practice. “While the number of Canadians accessing online social networks may be peaking, the engagement in this platform has not diminished. In fact we continue to see dramatic increases in usage.”

Even though the vast majority of Canadians have a Facebook profile, Facebook’s dominance may be challenged from the significant growth of both Twitter and LinkedIn over the past year. According to the study, the number of Canadians with a profile on Twitter has grown exponentially from almost none (<1%) in 2009 to 10% last year, and 19% today. The proportion with a profile on the professional social networking site LinkedIn has more than doubled during the same period from 6% in 2009 to 14% today.

The study has also uncovered a very important finding for marketers, that nearly half (48%) of Canadians with social networking profiles ‘like’ or ‘follow’ at least one brand or company through their social networking site. And of those who follow at least one brand, the number of brands followed averages 6.7.

Summarizing the results of the study Mossop says, “A new era has dawned in the social networking space…The first five years was about building awareness and usage around socializing, and consumers responded positively. The next five years will be about commercialization of social networking. Companies who understand, and enter this space will gain a whole new way of interacting with and engaging their customers.”

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Tags: Article, Canadians, Facebook, Ispos Reid Study, Social Networking
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