So the title is a bit of hyperbole, but for most techy, social media savvy folks, the mainstream Facebook audience can sometimes seem a bit foreign, so I find it can help to think of them as a bit closer to the cast of Jersey Shore.
Below you will find 5 pieces of scientifically proven, data-backed evidence that the “average” Facebook users is a little Jersey Shore. Although, aren’t we all? Maybe GTL should be changed to GTLF?
Exhibit 1: Facebookers Aren’t High Level Readers
Readability is a measure of how much education is required by a reader to understand a given piece of text. As the complexity of an article increases, the number of times it’s shared on Facebook decreases.
Exhibit 2: Facebookers Love Sex
When I studied the linguistic content present in over twelve thousand stories, I found that those stories with sexual content were shared far more than the average story was.
Exhibit 3: Facebookers Are Anti-Geeks
Some of the least-shareable words I found in my study are traditionally techy favorite topics. iPhone, Google and Twitter may be loved on Twitter, but not so much on Facebook.
Exhibit 4: Facebookers Need Simple Language
When I analyzed the parts-of-speech in stories shared on Facebook, I found that those articles with flowery language, laden with adjectives and adverbs aren’t shared as often as simple, noun-and-verb posts.
Exhibit 5: Facebookers Love the Weekend
In most forms of publishing, posting a new story on a weekend is a big no-no. With Facebook however, the opposite is true. Articles published on the weekend tended to be shared more than articles published during the week. 
So remember, when you're on Facebook, you're not on Twitter. You're not talking to social media dorks. (I use the term social media dork lovingly, as I myself am one, and I'm married to one) You're talking to an extremely mainstream audience. So you need to start thinking like a "normal" person, starting thinking like the Jersey Shore.
More from the author: To learn more about how to use Facebook for marketing, check out The Facebook Marketing Book, written by Alison and Dan Zarrella.
I am guessing you used public based facebook data for this specific study? The problem with that data is that it shows if people are not savvy or smart enough to even update their privacy settings to allow for social monitoring tools to see what they are saying then their level of content is not going to be that great. Correct me if I am wrong to how you collected this data in question.
But yes I do agree to specific extent to what you are saying, for example I own many various pages to various website niches I have. I have seen the level of content in my "Tattoos" themed page very poor, yet then the level of content in my "Watches"themed page quite good.
when Facebook first started you had all the smart guys and girls on it, it was a reall college based site. Myspace was the so called "Digital Ghetto" back then. Aorund 1-2 years ago every one from Myspace shifted to Facebook, Every one from "digital ghettos" all over the world such as bebo also shifted to Facebook so I guess the Smarty/College styled Facebook was then transformed into what it is today.
I agree that any thing SEX is big on Facebook, but that is the same with real life I mean SEX sells does it too bad Facebook is soo highly monitored for any adult based content it gets taken down quicker then you can blink which is a good thing as we have many kids on the website.
Great article, danzarella, I'm a sucker for data. I loved the data; I actually found myself laughing at some of the graphs.
This user makes a great point: we need to know more about the methodology. Your data appears significant enough to draw conclusions about A demographic, but we need to figure out WHICH demographic that is.
The data on sex may be a little deceptive, simply because the category is more broad than some of the others. I'm also not sure what your methodology was on splitting out topics. If the topic was sex in the media, where did you place it?
Exactly I know its all great to go create some graphs on Facebook and say it is like Jursey shore, But I too dont really even waste time collecting data on users who are not physically able to update their privacy settings, becuase if you are making your profile visiable to the whole world then it is a worry. I knwo some people love showing their profiles off to every stalker can see it.
Very interesting data, as usual, Dan. I wonder how much even those of us who think of ourselves as intellectuals exhibit these behaviors on Facebook. I may like a pretty dense book on occasion, but as I'm plowing through my feed reeder or social media links in the morning, I tend to be drawn to blog posts I can absorb quickly, and I also tend to respond favorably to those. I suspect that we all act "dumber" than we like to think online.
Very clever and simple. LOVED this article. Thank you soooo much!
Oh dear! The first one was a little bit dissapointing. I thought at first "maybe it's not that Facebook people are poorly educated, maybe it's just the average age of a Facebook user is that of a 9th grader". No... Just over 20% of users are under 19. Doh! Maybe it's also that people don't go onto to Facebook to read, they go on to participate and exchange and so things that are easy to digest quickly are more popular? I'm trying to stick up for humanity here... :)
Interesting analysis, the spike in weekend sharing is surprising. Just curious if the average Facebook user in this case is assumed to be American? Otherwise tens of millions of global ESL users could potentially be skewing the reading level, language complexity and sharing stats down.
For these stats, primarily US-based english language sites were used.
I suppose it would be very different if you researched Polish or German or another European country FB users behaviour...
This post made my day when I read it a week ago. I then proceeded to look at the trending topics on Twitter the next Thursday evening... Snooki was in at least 3 trending topics. AHHHH!
Wow! I had not been to my personal facebook account in while and not less than 5 minutes ago I was about to leave a post on my wall about how I don't like it any longer (it has changed over the past year or so). However, I could not articulate what or why I had this feeling and this urge to post.... So I didn't. Then I come see this post and realize this is why I feel this way. Thanks for saying what I couldn't. And providing the data to back it up!
Nice comparison...Almost accurate except Jersey Share fans are not as smart as some facebookers:)
I'n a mix of disgusted, amused and intrigued. This is excellent data, however, I'd love to see it up against age, demographic, income, education level, etc. to get a more comprehensive feel of users (i.e. or the less intelligent users from a certain age bracket and geographic location?). Thanks for posting!
I glossed over this blog post initially (with 'Jersey Shore' not meaning an awful lot to a UK-er!) but I'm glad I came back to it. Thank you very much for going to the effort - it's very insightful indeed.
epic. Need to send this to all my facebook friends who are addicted to facebook.
The conclusions deppends on what are my target, because may be my target are exactly that kind of people!
Based on strictly common sense, I assume. I agree with you. Sadly.
This was a very interesting read, the data you presented was great.
I must admit I am a bit sad to think that I have anything in common with the colorful Miss Snookie, as I am a Facebook adict...but things could be worse I suppose. Im going to log onto Twitter now, just to try to make myself feel better :)
Quite interesting post Dan. I liked it. It seems that you had done good analysis for writing this awesome post. It helps us to undersand all the perspectives of the Facebook & also helped to know deep understanding of facebook & its users.
This is hilarious! But all of it is incredibly true. Facebook has turned into a foreign place with topics and comments from people who baffle me. I have begun to consistently use my 'hide newsfeed' button for many 'friends' whom I don't want to offend by deleting. The graph showing the comprehension levels was embarrassing for my generation, which is supposedly so technologically savvy and advanced. Apparently we are not as intelligent as we thought we were. Our minds our being consumed by GTL...and F.
GTL!
So basically you're saying Facebook is the new Myspace?
Great post danzarrella !! Really funny comparison and analysis about what Facebookers really like :DAlthough we might had the same conclusions, you are now bringing scientific data to prove it: perfect.
I did a french translation of your article here Actualité référencement (article not yet online right now, but will be published within an hour), please let me know if you see any problem about that :)
Thanks again ;)
Great post. This explains why so many people fall for Facebook scams ;) - Jenni
I love this sentence, "So remember, when you're on Facebook, you're not on Twitter. You're not talking to social media dorks...". Perhaps this is why I have really gotten away from Facebook and become such a Twitter-Head!
I have so much more fun, interaction and solid traffic from Twitter. I often feel on Facebook like no one knows what I am saying, except for my Twitter and SEO conference pals. This is fantastic. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.
Well, this info is great to know. I kinda would have guessed a lot of this data. I've realized all I do in Facebook is look at pictures of family and here and there add a pointless comment just to say something.
Kinda sad I guess, but who cares it's Facebook.
Love it! No wonder Jersey Shore and Facebook are so popular.
I fear for society and what the world is coming to...
Always interesting to read what you have to say Dan. Looks like you have a bit of a "hit" post on your hands just judging from Twitter...
Thanks dude!
I think a further study on Myspace would be hilarious. "Myspace users are akin to the cast of Degrassi."
"Myspace users found attempting to friend vegetables"
I must say superb on the research you made and Thank you for taking ma side on this topic... specially i like the topic Jersey Shore... It really is! unlike Twitter it really is.
I was an eBay Platinum Powerseller. On average I would get about 40-50 emails per day. I think it's safe to say most of us here on SEOMoz are college graduates. I don't waste time watching Jersey Shore. I need to make money honey. But you are right about the level of education as far as writing goes because while answering 10,000+ emails on ebay, there is no doubt in my mind that most people have subpar English skills. I am a facebook person, but I don't write like a lot of those people. And to tell you the truth, most of my facebook friends are college graduates. What's that one saying? "Birds of a feather flock together"?
Super clever, yet effective study on this demographic.
Thanks,
I realise that this post is in jest, and actually makes a good point about Facebook being more mainstream than Twitter. However, I have to say that comparing, even jokingly, the general population to Jersey Shore, suggests a slight level of arrogance.
If this is how 'social media dorks' view the average man or woman (and Nielsen's research has shown that in most countries the Facebook audience matches almost exactly with the general population), then I'll renounce my dorkiness to stand with the Average Joe.
I get what you're saying, but the problem is that the data suggests the "average" person is a lot closer to the stereotype I've presented than you might think.
No, it doesn't. It proves nothing other than a worrying tendency to view normality as being somehow something to sneer at.
Facebookers perfer simple language: I'm pretty sure that there have been plenty of studies to show that most people prefer simple language online, the reason being that the reading experience online is different to that offline. Long, windy pieces, with 'flowery language' (one of your other points) is harder to read on a screen, and provides a less enjoyable experience.
Not being interested in technology to the point of obsession doesn't make someone a cast-member from Jersey Shore, it makes them normal.
Facebookers are interested in sex - aren't you?
Facebookers prefer the weekend. Maybe that's because most normal people don't have jobs that allow them to spend all their weekdays pissing about on Twitter.
Nice post but i was wondered how you have done such a huge study over facebook where around 30 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each month. Anyways, i appriciate your effort but few things that i can't agree with you are:
1. popularity of linguistic content: As facebook is the most popular social networking site with more than 500 million active users so spamming is natural. And with my experience linguistic content are mostly spammers not active users.
2. iPhone, Google and Twitter may be loved on Twitter, but not so much on Facebook : i have made a simple facebook page search 1st with apps and second with iphone . The thing what i found is that pages iphones are having huge likes and fan followers than that of apps.
What is believe is that you are right at your stand point and i am at mine stand point. But the thing that contradicts our vision is the reaching or viewing ability of facebook data which is too limited to dig by an individual.
I'm not sure what you're saying about "linguistic content" in fact, I don't think you're understanding what I mean by that phrase.
And second, there is a big difference between anecdotal evidence and empirical evidence.
I think it's just a mistake. I was referring to sharing of sex related content within your linguistic study of facebook content sharing. I just want to share the view that indulgence of spammers in facebook can make this topic a top one. But do you think that real people (active users) also have hands in making such sharing popular one.
Regading the next one: i know there is a big difference between anecdotal evidence and empirical evidence. But i just want to ask how can you conclude your data as a final one. Even using graph.facebook.com data you can dig out real time search result but still they are not enough to conclude any trend. So i think in this case facebook search seems to be more reliable than that of these.
Your conclusions are really impresive but i just have doubts on the credibility of data. That's it.
This reminds me of our most recent customer acquisition campaign. I believe the exact phrase used was, "Screw the details! Just make it pretty...people like pretty."
Yeah..Great source of information..lots of valuable data...
Pretty interesting stuff and good analysis.
As a complete side note, you now rank very well for Jersey Shore Facebook and I'm sure will get some traffic to this page from people searching for the Jersey Shore Facebook page ;)
It is true in our world, and I mean those of us who appreciate SEOmoz and other geeky delights, that one of the biggest challenges is to dumb ourselves down. Seriously, just look at how many brilliant people there are out there with failed careers because people just didn't "get" them.
It is so easy to think, but yet hard to realize how unpopular thinking is. It is a good part of why I once blogged a piece titled "When I go to Hell, They'll Have Me Selling SEO".
Brainiacs are sexy, but we just need to express things in terms which reflect our awesomeness. If people hear about your huge cranium, they may think you have some sickness. If you have a big head, they look down. ;-)