Study: Students find Facebook matters

Students were fast to latch on to MySpace but in the past year the grandfather of social networking sites has fallen in popularity with the student demographic. In its place Facebook has risen to dizzying heights and its popularity seems to grow each day. Why has Facebook succeeded while others have failed? Possibly the idea that users can do more with Facebook than other sites: IM, playing games, sharing pictures/videos, messaging and the list goes on.

The 2009-2010 GenX2Z study found that:

• 82% of male college students found Facebook "cool"
• 90% of female college students found Facebook "cool"
• 31% of all students found MySpace "lame"
• The other five leading social networks were also found "lame"

What keeps Facebook from falling from "cool" to "lame", especially when parents, grandparents and employers are increasingly logging on to Facebook?

"Once a trend goes mainstream, it often gradually loses its 'cool' factor. . .and [consumers] move on to the next big thing," said Tom H.C. Anderson, managing partner, Anderson Analytics. "This is not the case [with Facebook]. Users can perform multiple activities from one destination. Facebook is becoming more of a hub than just a social networking site - almost a mass medium unto itself."

So much so that Anderson Analytics is predicting that the Facebook Effect may have a similar effect on Twitter as more applications appear for the newbie social network. The Anderson Analytics study suggests that Facebook will grow to even bigger heights because of streaming video/media because college students are now watching television shows, movies and other video clips online.

The study also suggests that college students becoming fan page members of certain brands - Coca-Cola and McDonald's were noted - is pushing these brands to even more popularity.

"Given the accelerated pace of technological advancement and changes in the way we communicate, it's impossible to predict the future," said Anderson. "But if the preferences of today's college students are any indication, Facebook is here to stay. It is unlikely any of the current players will be able to challenge Facebook.

Tags: Anderson Analytics, branded social pages, Facebook, fan pages, MySpace, social marketing, social networks