Facebook is losing users under 25 years of age at an accelerating pace, according to a new eMarketer analysis. And while the social media giant could once count on Instagram to retain that younger audience, Snapchat is now be siphoning many away.
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For the first time this year, less than half of US internet users ages 12 to 17 will use Facebook via any device at least once per month.
The number of US Facebook users ages 11 and younger will decline by 9.3%., according to eMarketer. Additionally, the number of users ages 12 to 17 and 18 to 24 will decrease by 5.6% and 5.8%, respectively.
This is the first time that eMarketer has predicted a decline in the number of US Facebook users in those age groups.
Facebook Will Lose 2 Million Users Ages 24 & Younger
Facebook will lose 2 million users ages 24 and younger this year, eMarketer estimates, but unlike in previous years, not all of those users are migrating to Instagram. eMarketer predicts Instagram will add 1.6 million users ages 24 and younger. Snapchat, meanwhile, will add 1.9 million users in that age group and that trend appears to be accelerating.
“Snapchat could eventually experience more growth in older age groups, since it’s redesigning its platform to be easier to use,” eMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson said. “The question will be whether younger users will still find Snapchat cool if more of their parents and grandparents are on it. That’s the predicament Facebook is in.”