Social Networking Spurs In-Person Meet-ups

Active social media use = time with others

Think someone’s affinity for spending timing on social networking sites means the person is less social in the “real” world? A new report from ExactTarget dispels that myth.

The study found that the number of hours spent in the virtual world social networking doesn’t impact how much time is spent in the real world, with real people. In fact, spending more time on Facebook or Twitter has resulted in more time spent in-person with friends and family.

• 27% said they hang out more with friends, even though they use Facebook more
• 46% who use Twitter said they spend more time with others with increased frequency

Most Facebook and Twitter users in the study said their social media habits have zero impact on how much time they spend with others.

Most online time spent on Social Media

The results of the study are more interesting when you consider people spend the most digital hours each week on social networking websites.

The TNS “Digital Life” survey of internet users around the world found people spend 4.6 hours a week on social sites, on average, compared with 4.4 hours on email — the most common internet activity.

While more time is spent on social media, email is checked daily and engaged with more frequently.

• 75% check email daily
• Less than 50% check social networking sites daily

61% of frequent internet users have a profile on a social network, according to UM’s “Social Media Tracker” report.

• US internet users stay in contact with 53 people, on average, via social media, up from 31.2 last year
• Worldwide, people stay in touch with 52 friends through social networks, compared with 38.8 in 2009