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Summer Social-Network Traffic Still Sizzling, but Down from '07

The share of US visits to social-networking sites increased 7% in June 2008 from May but has decreased 19% year-over-year, though the social-network category is averaging about 6% of all US sites visits this summer - or 11% more than other months in 2008.

MySpace.com received 71.92% of the market share of US visits in June 2008 among Hitwise’s custom category of 57 of the leading social-networking websites. Facebook ranked second with 16.91%, followed by MyYearbook, which received 1.54%.

MyYearbook recorded the largest gain in market share in June 2008 among the top five visited websites, increasing 318% compared with June 2007. Tagged and Facebook followed, increasing 45% and 40%, respectively.

Below, other findings issued by Hitwise.

Seasonality of Social Networks

Social networking websites see an increase in visits during the summer months (as reported in June).

So far this summer, the social networking category is averaging about 6% of US visits, which is up 11% compared with the other months in 2008. The trend was the same in 2007, up 16% in summer - and up 10% in 2006.

MySpace Top in Average Time Spent

In June 2008, the average time spent among all social networking websites was 27 minutes and 34 seconds, or an increase of 9% compared with June 2007.

Among the top 5 most-visited websites, MySpace led, with its users spending an average of 31 minutes and 12 seconds on the website.

Facebook recorded the largest growth in average time spent, increasing 41% in June 2008, to 21 minutes and 6 seconds, from 14 minutes and 56 seconds in June 2007.

UK Figures

In the UK, Facebook.com accounted for 45.29% of UK Internet visits to social networking sites during June - a 188% increase compared with a year ago.