People who are young and single tend to use social media the most.

Online retailers using parcel delivery and courier services may want to focus their social media marketing strategy on the young and single, according to preliminary findings of a new report.

Roughly half (51.3 per cent) of the overall US adult population were found to have visited Facebook, MySpace or Twitter in the preceding month, the Media Audit study found.

For people aged under 35, single and have no children, that figure jumps to over 80 per cent.

The report's authors note that this makes this group 57 per cent more likely than any other to visit one of these sites in a typical month.

In addition, this demographic was noted for having much more disposable income, possibly as a result of having no children and not owning their home.

"Not only is this audience attractive to advertisers, but it is also elusive," the report states, pointing out that the internet is the main way of reaching them.

The news comes after a StudyLogic study revealed that men are less able to manage without access to online social networks.

Posted by Lucy Pritchard

Article Added: 19/01/2011 16:40:22