60% of MySpace users are now 25 or older, according to Hitwise. The stats, which come via eMarketer today, show that in May/June 2005, 45.5% of MySpace users were over 25, while that number had risen to 60.3% by February 2006.
We're always fairly skeptical of these stats, since it's virtually impossible to measure the age of social networkers with a high degree of accuracy. MySpace users are likely getting older, but whether those older members are quite as addicted as the youth demographic isn't so clear. eMarketer adds that social networking is less popular than email, search, business, shopping, entertainment and porn - so no surprises there.
Meanwhile, JupiterResearch reports today that 48 percent of brand marketers will use "social marketing" in the next year, compared to 38 percent last year. That means more branded MySpace profiles, more YouTube contests and more "pull" marketing that engages users, rather than forcing ads down their throats.