People have been saying for years that teenagers aren’t using Facebook like they used to, but according to a new survey from an investment banker, Piper Jaffray, it seems like the floodgates have opened when it comes to teens leaving Facebook.
The survey found that in just the last six months, teen use on Facebook has dropped from about 72% in spring of 2014 all the way down to 45% in the fall. This is a huge swing, which anyone who uses Facebook for marketing really needs to be concerned about.
In fact, if these numbers are accurate, Facebook has dropped to the third most popular social media site for teens, behind Instagram (also owned by Facebook) and Twitter, used by 76% and 59% respectively.
Facebook isn’t alone, however, Google+ is also feeling the squeeze with their teen audience. They dropped from 29% usage to just 12 from spring to fall of 2014.
While this is certainly a concern for Facebook, it might not be as serious as some people are trying to say. This is not, despite some sensationalist headlines, the death of Facebook. Most teens are likely leaving simply because they don’t want parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents seeing all their (often very vulgar and self-centered) posts.
Teenagers since the dawn of time have always tried to distance themselves from their parents. It is natural, and even a good thing. It helps them to grow and develop their independence (so they aren’t living in their mom’s basement when they are 35). When they enter their 20’s, they will undoubtedly start using Facebook again for keeping in touch with family, and their usage will continue to mature.
While this isn’t a signal of the end of Facebook, it is certainly something that marketers need to take into consideration when trying to target the younger generations. You can see the survey data published HERE.
