Growth of Canadians on social networks slowing: report

Canada’s social network usage is projected to grow steadily over the next four years but growth will slow compared to previous years, according to a report by research company eMarketer Inc. The number of Canadians using social networking platforms from companies like Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. will reach 21.2 million this year, amounting to about 58 per cent of the population, according to numbers provided by eMarketer on Wednesday. This number will grow to 23.1 million by 2021, about 60.7 per cent of the Canadian population. Despite that growth, the rate at which it will get there will slow, with growth to increase just 1.5 per cent in 2021 compared to 3.1 per cent in 2017. The report noted a similar trend with all of North America, with growth collectively slowing to 1.4 per cent in 2021 compared to 2.9 per cent this year. However, the percentage of Canadian internet users who use social networks will increase to 73.6 per cent in 2021 compared to 70.9 per cent this year, the report added. Overall, North America is expected to see 230 million social network users in 2021, with 212.4 users this year. The United States will see the number of users grow to 207 million in 2021 compared to 191.1 this year. The percentage of its internet users using social networking platforms will reach 72.3 per cent in 2021, compared to 70 per cent this year. Over half the U.S. and Canadian populations will access Facebook regularly in 2017, with 90.8 per cent of Canadians doing so on a mobile device, the report noted. Meanwhile, the report projects that Twitter will be used by one-quarter of internet users and 35.2 per cent of social network users in Canada this year, more than in the U.S., which will see 19.5 per cent of internet users and 27.9 per cent of social network users frequent the platform. The data was based on the analysis of data from research firms, government agencies, media firms and public companies and interviews with top executives at publishers, ad buyers and agencies. Due to the data not being based on one survey, the company could not report a specific margin of error, public relations director Douglas Clark said in an email.

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Growth of Canadians on social networks slowing: report

Brief | July 12, 2017

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