Here are the important top level Social Networking trends:

• Usage is up – including as a substitute for ‘email type’ communication
• Global utilization is up
• Ad spend is up

According to data compiled by eMarketer:

Global Social Network ad spend in 2010 is projected at $3.3 Billion, up about 30% over 2009 and 2011 is projected to go up another 30%.

The US accounts for just over half of that ad total. But in 2011 US spending will start to be become a lower percentage because international social network ad spending will increase more rapidly. There are several reasons why this is the case.

Social networks are very popular in the US with a reach of about 74% of Internet users. But SocNets are even more popular in many other markets. According to The Nielsen Company, the social network/blog category reached 86% of active Internet users in Brazil in April 2010 and 78% of active users in Italy for example.

Chinese social networks are strong performers. According to the Data Center of China Internet, the number of social network users in the country reached 245 million in 2009, up 34% over 2008. Social networks such as Tencents QQ, search giant Baidus Baidu Space and RenRen (formerly Xiaonei) dominate usage.

Although China has just over 500 million internet users, according to eMarketer estimates, QQ has even more accounts than that 587 million as of March 2010. Tencent, a public company, reported $141 million in online advertising revenue in 2009 and $30 million in Q1 2010.

Facebook is growing the most rapidly outside the US. In the US as well as in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and Singapore, Facebook was the No. 1 website based on market share of visits in June 2010, according to Experian Hitwise.

Social Networks are where people are turning to exchange information, ask for recommendations, communicate about virtually anything, and… socialize. Many savvy businesses have joined the conversation and purchased advertising space. Many have not or have and done it wrong.

Does your busdiness know hot to:

• Engage within the various social network websites in a targeted, effective manner?
• Advertise in a cost effective manner?
• Separate personal from business social network pages?
• Create business branded pages in the various SocNet websites?
• Create or apply special apps to fully leverage SocNet traffic?
• Monitor, measure, analyze SocNet user activities?

If you struggle to understand, utilize, or measure SocNet results, talk to an Internet Marketing Company to develope a Social Media Strategy and to get training… contact us.