Jacobs Media has released the results of their Web survey, which found that social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are drivers for first time personal meetings.
Survey: Social Network Users Meet Offline
A total of 27 percent of those who use social networking sites say they have met someone personally after communicating online. Personal meetings are most likely to take place among 18-34 year olds, with 32 percent indicating that they had met with someone after communicating with them on a social network.
“This trend is a clear indication that for many, social networking sites go well beyond computer encounters, and can be the start of personal relationships,” notes Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs. “This is also an indication of how the Internet is evolving beyond information to socialization”
The Jacobs Media survey included 25,000-rock radio listeners from around the U.S., 14 percent said they were actively involved on social networking sites, while 35 percent said they were casual users. Women were found to be slightly more active on these sites by a small margin, while people 18-34 were more likely to be regular participants (24%).
The survey also found that older users use social networking sites with some degree of regularity. “We were surprised,” said Jacobs. “When you think about MySpace and similar sites, you think teens or twentysomethings. The reality is that adults are clearly using these Internet meeting places, too”. Close to half (46%) of 25-54 year olds are active on these sites at some level.
Not surprisingly, MySpace was found to be the social networking site of choice. Out of the entire sample four in ten were visitors to MySpace (39%), trailed by Facebook (8%). Classmates.com was mentioned by one fourth of respondents (24%), with the most participation coming form women and 25-54 year-olds.
