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Press Release
Social Networking Explodes Worldwide as Sites Increase their Focus on
Cultural Relevance
Social Networking Explodes
Worldwide as Sites Increase their Focus on Cultural Relevance
Facebook and Hi5
More than Double Global Visitor Bases During Past Year
RESTON, VA,
August 12, 2008 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital
world, today released a study of worldwide usage of social networking
sites, indicating that while the growth in new users in North America is
beginning to level off, it is burgeoning in other regions around the world.
During the past year, the total North American audience of social networkers
has grown 9 percent compared to a much larger 25 percent growth for the world
at large. The Middle East-Africa region (up 66 percent), Europe (up 35
percent), and Latin America (up 33 percent) have each grown at well-above
average rates.
Social Networking Growth by Worldwide
Region
June 2008 vs. June 2007
Total Worldwide Audience, Age 15+ - Home
and Work Locations
Source: comScore World Metrix
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Unique Visitors (000)
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Jun-07
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Jun-08
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Percent Change
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Worldwide
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464,437
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580,510
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25%
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Asia Pacific
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162,738
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200,555
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23%
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Europe
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122,527
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165,256
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35%
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North America
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120,848
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131,255
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9%
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Latin America
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40,098
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53,248
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33%
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Middle East - Africa
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18,226
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30,197
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66%
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“While the social
networking trend first took off in North America, it is beginning to reach a
point of maturity in the region,” said Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice
president. “However, the phenomenon is still growing rapidly in other regions
around the world – especially as the established American brands turn their
focus to developing markets.”
Facebook and Hi5 Lead Global Growth among Top Social
Networking Sites
During the past
year, many of the top social networking sites have demonstrated rapid growth in
their global user bases. Facebook.com, which took over the global lead among
social networking sites in April 2008, has made a concerted effort to become
more culturally relevant in markets outside the U.S. Its introduction of
natural language interfaces in several markets has helped propel the site to
153-percent growth during the past year. Meanwhile, the emphasis Hi5.com has
put on its full-scale localization strategy has helped the site double its
visitor base to more than 56 million. Other social networking sites, including
Friendster.com (up 50 percent), Orkut (up 41 percent), and Bebo.com (up 32
percent) have demonstrated particularly strong growth on a global basis.
Worldwide
Growth among Selected Social Networking Sites
June 2008 vs. June 2007
Total Worldwide Audience, Age 15+
Home and Work Locations
Source: comScore World Metrix
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Total Unique Visitors (000)
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Jun-2007
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Jun-2008
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% Change
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Total Internet : Total
Audience
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778,310
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860,514
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11%
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Social Networking
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464,437
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580,510
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25%
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FACEBOOK.COM
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52,167
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132,105
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153%
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MYSPACE.COM
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114,147
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117,582
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3%
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HI5.COM
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28,174
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56,367
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100%
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FRIENDSTER.COM
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24,675
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37,080
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50%
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Orkut
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24,120
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34,028
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41%
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BEBO.COM
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18,200
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24,017
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32%
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Skyrock Network
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17,638
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21,041
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19%
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Facebook Gains Traction in Europe
and Other Regions
Facebook’s
recent ascension to become the top global social networking site has been
spurred by its substantial growth across worldwide regions. Though its largest
visitor base is still in North America (49 million), Facebook’s growth in the
region is a relatively modest 38-percent. In every other worldwide region, Facebook’s
audience has more than quadrupled.
Europe is quickly catching up with North America as Facebook’s largest
visitor base with 35 million visitors in June, a 303-percent increase and a net
addition of nearly 27 million monthly visitors versus year ago. Other worldwide
regions have seen even more dramatic growth on a percentage basis.
Worldwide
Growth for Facebook.com
June 2008 vs. June 2007
Total Worldwide Audience, Age 15+
Home and Work Locations
Source: comScore World Metrix
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Total Unique Visitors (000)
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Jun-2007
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Jun-2008
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% Change
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FACEBOOK.COM
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52,167
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132,105
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153%
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North America
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35,698
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49,248
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38%
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Europe
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8,751
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35,263
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303%
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Asia Pacific
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3,712
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20,712
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458%
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Middle East - Africa
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2,974
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14,951
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403%
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Latin America
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1,033
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11,931
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1055%
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“Facebook has done an exceptional job of leveraging its brand
internationally during the past year,” added Mr. Flanagan. “By increasing the
site’s relevance to local markets through local language interface translation,
the site is now competing strongly or even capturing the lead in several
markets where it had a relatively minor presence just a year ago.”
About
comScore
comScore,
Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. For more
information, please visit www.comscore.com/boilerplate.
Contact: Andrew Lipsman Senior Analyst comScore, Inc. 312-775-6510 press@comscore.com
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