Around the Net
Facebook Traffic Declines in U.S., U.K.
- TechCrunch/Times Online, Monday, February 25, 2008 11 AM
Facebook saw month-to-month traffic declines in December and January, according to separate reports from ComScore Media Metrix and Nielson Online.
TechCrunch (link:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/22/facebook-fatigue-visitors-level-off-in-the-us/) suggests that the Web's No. 2 social network may be plateauing in the U.S. ComScore data shows the site's traffic
leveling over the past few months, dipping by about 800,000 visitors in January. In December, the site drew 34.7 million unique visitors in the U.S. compared to 33.9 million in January. MySpace also
saw declines, but less so, drawing 68.9 million U.S. uniques in December compared to 68.6 million in January. Meanwhile, data from Nielson Online shows Facebook's UK traffic
dipping 5 percent in January. Nielson Online analyst Alex Burmaster suggests, "There could be an element of Facebook fatigue. While building up the number of friends and getting all the alerts was fun
for a while, people are possibly finding it hard to manage their networks..." Adds Nic Howell of New Media Age: "When Tory MPs and major corporations start profiles on Facebook its brand is devalued,
driving its core user base into the arms of newer, more credible alternatives." Is Facebook plateauing? Are users getting fed up with the site's dissemination of personal
information? Worldwide, the site grew 3 percent in January according to ComScore, but declines in the U.S. and U.K. are troubling, nevertheless.
