Twitter and Status Updating: Demographics, Mobile Access and News Consumption Amanda Lenhart Pew Internet Project AoIR 10.0 Milwaukee, WI October 8, 2009

Methodology RDD tracking surveys of adults 18 and older August 2009 November 19-December 20, 2008 November 20-December 4, 2008 April 8 – May 11, 2008 For results based on internet users margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points @ 95% confidence level. Question wording changed from May to November. May 08 wording: “Do you ever use Twitter or other microblogging service to share updates about yourself or see updates about others?” Nov-Dec 08 wording: “Do you ever use Twitter or another service to share updates about yourself or to see the updates of others?” October 2009

RDD tracking surveys of adults 18 and older

August 2009

November 19-December 20, 2008

November 20-December 4, 2008

April 8 – May 11, 2008

For results based on internet users margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points @ 95% confidence level.

Question wording changed from May to November.

May 08 wording: “Do you ever use Twitter or other microblogging service to share updates about yourself or see updates about others?”

Nov-Dec 08 wording: “Do you ever use Twitter or another service to share updates about yourself or to see the updates of others?”

What is Twitter? October 2009

Twitter use 19% of American internet users used Twitter* in August 2009 11% of American internet users used Twitter or other service to share updates in April 2009 11% of American Internet users used Twitter or other service to share updates in December 2008 6% of American internet users used Twitter or other microblogging service to share updates in May 2008 * Note: In this presentation, “Twitter” is a shorthand for “use Twitter or update a status online” October 2009

19% of American internet users used Twitter* in August 2009

11% of American internet users used Twitter or other service to share updates in April 2009

11% of American Internet users used Twitter or other service to share updates in December 2008

6% of American internet users used Twitter or other microblogging service to share updates in May 2008

* Note: In this presentation, “Twitter” is a shorthand for “use Twitter or update a status online”

Demographics of Twitter users (Dec 08) Younger adults 19% of online adults 18-24 have ever used Twitter or updated a status online 20% of 25-34 year-olds 10% of 35-44 5% of 45-54 4% of 55-64 2% of 65+ Lower income (youth) 17% of under $30,000 10% of $30-$74,999 10% of $75,000+ Racially/Ethnically diverse (9% of Whites, 15% of African-Americans, 16% Hispanics (English)) More likely to be urban than average. Equally likely to be male or female (11% twitter in each group) October 2009

Younger adults

19% of online adults 18-24 have ever used Twitter or updated a status online

20% of 25-34 year-olds

10% of 35-44

5% of 45-54

4% of 55-64

2% of 65+

Lower income (youth)

17% of under $30,000

10% of $30-$74,999

10% of $75,000+

Racially/Ethnically diverse (9% of Whites, 15% of African-Americans, 16% Hispanics (English))

More likely to be urban than average.

Equally likely to be male or female (11% twitter in each group)

Demographics of Twitter users (Aug 09) Skewing younger 37% of 18-24 31% of 25-34 19% of 35-44 10% of 45-54 10% of 55-64 4% of 65+ No income differences Still racially and ethnically diverse – 19% of whites, 26% of African-Americans, 18% Hispanics Rural lagging – 20% urban, 16% suburban, 10% rural. Starting to skew female? 17% of online men twitter, 21% of online women October 2009

Skewing younger

37% of 18-24

31% of 25-34

19% of 35-44

10% of 45-54

10% of 55-64

4% of 65+

No income differences

Still racially and ethnically diverse – 19% of whites, 26% of African-Americans, 18% Hispanics

Rural lagging – 20% urban, 16% suburban, 10% rural.

Starting to skew female? 17% of online men twitter, 21% of online women

Twitter users use more mobile & social media Wireless internet users more likely to use Twitter (14% vs. 6%) SNS users – 23% have used Twitter vs. 4% of non-SNS users Bloggers – 27% of bloggers Twitter vs. 10% of non-bloggers Twitter users more likely to go online via their cell phone (40% vs. 24% of others) Data from Dec 2008 October 2009

Wireless internet users more likely to use Twitter (14% vs. 6%)

SNS users – 23% have used Twitter vs. 4% of non-SNS users

Bloggers – 27% of bloggers Twitter vs. 10% of non-bloggers

Twitter users more likely to go online via their cell phone (40% vs. 24% of others)

Data from Dec 2008

October 2009

Twitter & health (Dec 2008) Twitter users more likely to look for health information online More likely to be affected/caring for someone with a chronic condition than to have one themselves October 2009

Twitter users more likely to look for health information online

More likely to be affected/caring for someone with a chronic condition than to have one themselves

Last slide Twitter users are generally intense and savvy users of online resources Media & News Information Resources (like Health Information) Communication Mobile Younger Adults (and thus racially diverse as are American youth generally)… … but not teens October 2009

Twitter users are generally intense and savvy users of online resources

Media & News

Information Resources (like Health Information)

Communication

Mobile

Younger Adults (and thus racially diverse as are American youth generally)…

… but not teens

Thanks! Amanda Lenhart Pew Internet & American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org [email_address] @amanda_lenhart