A new study conducted by Pew Research shows the rise of female domination in the world of social media. Check out the infographic above created by Ruby Media Corporation that displays just some of the differences between males and females and the forms of social media that they use and how they interact with them.
Although I do not want to feed into certain generalizations of gender and different social media platforms, I was not surprised about the demographics on pintrest and Tumblr. In general, these sites have a more feminine appeal in sharing photos and ideas that typically represent female interests- fashion, recipes, DIY crafts, etc.
I was also not surprised by the statistic on women's relationship with social media brands and online consumption. I feel that women tend to consume more than men, in general, and their social media habits in this aspect are simply a reflection of their consumer habits in real life.
Although there were percentages that seemed quite obvious, the research raises some information that proved to be more interesting to me. For example, I was surprised with the outcome of the study in regards to Facebook usage. While my pintrest timelines are clearly ruled by female posters, my timeline on Facebook seems to be pretty balanced between female and male contributors.
Also, I found it interesting that more females accessed their news online and through social networks. I would have predicted that roughly the same percentage of males and females get their news through forums like Facebook and Google +.
It is clear from the data presented that females overshadow males in social media usage and interaction, but it is hard to determine what exactly these results imply about the different genders. Does it mean that females have a stronger desire to connect with others and communicate more than males? Or is this just true through online mediums?
Despite what this study may or may not suggest about the motives of females versus males in the online world, the facts discovered should be used to the advantage of both marketers and female users.
Companies should take into consideration the predominantly female population of social media into their social media marketing strategies, in order to reach their target audience more effectively. Also, this may be the first public avenue where females have overshadowed males. These female users, should use this dominance to voice their opinions and promote further gender equality in all aspects of future life.
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