links for 2009-03-29

From Box UK, a survey of business models used by the top Web apps, most of them variations of ad-supported Free and Freemium. In the chart below, the largest segment (ITA) is ad-supported, the second largest (ISV) is Freemium. After that is referral (ITR) and then the sale of virtual goods (IPV), such as the gifts in Facebook.

Over the last 60 days, according to data from Inside Facebook, the number of users over 35 doubled, and the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is women over 55. The majority of Facebook users are now over 25.

Interestingly, looking at Facebook's growth in the U.S., not only are the majority of new users over 25, but there is also a far larger number of new female users than male (13.5 million vs. 9.5 million in the last 180 days). Growth among users between 18 and 25 (a group highly coveted by marketers), however, has been relatively slow – only about 2.3 million signed up in the last 180 days.

Survey by the Aberdeen Group:
– 63% of the companies plan to increase their social media marketing budgets this year
– social network advertising alone will rise over 17% this year to $2.35 billion
via MicroPersuasion
– 39% of companies find it somewhat difficult to measure social media, and 20% say it is very difficult.

By speech enabling your blog with webReader, you offer readers the option of listening to your blog content.