While Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has over a billion users worldwide, it will be some time before or if the social network sees its second billion. While this is primarily due to world connectivity issues, a new specter is rearing its head: a loss of users.
Teen’s daily usage of Facebook dropping
Numerous media outlets are reporting that the social network giant is actually seeing a decrease in daily users. Where are they going? When you’re talking about teens, the answer is simple. Teens are moving to WhatsApp, WeChat and other options. While teens continue to use the service, their daily use is dropping noticeably.
According to the UK’s Guardian, the aforementioned apps and others like KakaoTalk, which provide (mostly) free messenger services using a smartphone’s data plan are beginning to sting Facebook.
WhatsApp user base larger than Twitter
These apps promote chat amongst your real friends rather than the online ones that people accumulate. This is done through connecting people who are actually in your phone book. WhatsApp is the worlds largest messaging app with over 350 million daily users. A number considerably bigger than Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR)’s 220 million daily users. WhatsApp, which was begun in 2009, shuns advertising and is reaping the benefits.
These other apps also have features like SnapChat which provides a genius private sharing space, while Kakao Talk also includes photo sharing options as well as game and music sharing.
Facebook messenger less dynamic
That being said, the uptake of these Asian upstarts have yet to truly capture the United States’ audience with their interface and advanced messaging utilities. This, however, may not remain the case as more and more people find Facebook’s Messenger less dynamic and make the switch elsewhere.
Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is clearly upset about this trend and will have to work quite hard to regain kids that don’t view the social media giant as cool anymore. How can it be cool if their parents are finding their way to the platform?
While kids are certainly fickle and may very well return to Facebook, the company needs to address this. Once they’re gone, it’s difficult to get them to return “home.”
