Think your younger workers are the ones whiling away the hours on Facebook and LinkedIn? Think again.
According to a recent Pew Research survey, social networking use among Internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Between April 2009 and May 2010, social networking use among internet users ages 50-64 grew by 88%–from 25% to 47%.
- During the same period, use among those ages 65 and older grew 100%–from 13% to 26%.
By comparison, social networking use among users ages 18-29 grew just 13%—from 76% to 89%.
And how often are older folks visiting social network sites?
- One in five (20%) online adults ages 50-64 say they use social networking sites on a typical day, up from 10% one year ago.
- Among adults ages 65 and older, 13% log on to social networking sites on a typical day, compared with just 4% who did so in 2009.
Takeaway for employers: If you’re starting to incorporate social networks into your communication and recruiting strategy, don’t skew the message too far toward young people.
There’s old folks in the audience, too.
