Facebook loses millions of users per month in the U.S., UK and other mature markets, according to market analysis companies, given that alternative social networks attract users that search for new online platforms.
Analysts estimated that Facebook revenue in the first quarter rose by 36 percent, but studies suggest that the company’s expansion in the United States, Britain and other major European countries peaked already.
The largest social network worldwide in March lost 6 million U.S. visitors, representing a 4% decrease in their number, according to analysis firm SocialBakers. In the UK, the number of users decreased by 4.5%, or 1.4 million people. In the last six months, Facebook has lost nearly 9 million visitors in the U.S. and 2 million in the UK.
A similar trend is recorded in other major markets such as Canada, Spain, France, Germany and Japan. A Facebook spokesman declined to comment.
“The problem is that, in the US and UK, most people who want to sign up for Facebook have already done it. There is a boredom factor where people like to try something new. Is Facebook going to go the way of Myspace? The risk is relatively small, but that is not to say it isn’t there,” said Ian Maude, a media analyst at Enders Analysis.
Alternative social networks such as Instagram, the photo sharing service that has attracted 30 million users in 18 months, before Facebook bought the company in 2012, are attracting the interest of younger users.
Path, a social network for mobile phones, founded by a former employee of Facebook, Dave Morin, which restricts the number of friends to 150, is gaining 1 million users per week and recently reached 9 million people.
Facebook is growing rapidly in South America, where the number of monthly visitors in March rose by 6% in Brazil, reaching 70 million people, according to analysis firm SocialBakers, whose information is used by companies that promote on the social network.
Wednesday, Facebook will present its financial results, as analysts on Wall Street are anticipating revenue of about $1.44 billion, up from $1.06 billion a year ago.
Shareholders will be particularly interested in the user base figures and whether the advertising revenue maintained its growth trend.
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