Barack Obama added you on Google+ (!)

'Barack Obama has added you on Google+'!  This is arguably the most exciting thing to happen to me online since Britney Spears started following me on Twitter - though I assume Barack Obama is adding everyone?????

On a more serious note, celebrities taking to Twitter were a key factor in driving it into the mainstream (@stephenfry, @wossy, @aplusk and so on) - if celebrities start to follow Barack Obama it could see a similar effect for the new Google network......

Related posts

Google Plus Circles - the real labels!

Like this post?  
Then subscribe to regular updates from this blog - 
click here to use a Reader or click here to get email updates

Spotify launches in the US [video + invite link]

Spotify have (finally) launched their cloud-based, music-on-demand service in the US.  As in Europe, Spotify US will offer 3 different levels of service, Spotify Free, Spotify Unlimited and Spotify Premium and will facilitate music listening through both desktop and mobile app.



Spotify US has an impressive list of launch partners (Coca-Cola and Sprite, Chevrolet, Motorola, Reebok and Sonos) who will all be running campaigns in partnership with Spotify in the coming weeks and months.

Invites and more information on Spotify US can be found here: http://www.spotify.com/us/hello-america/

Enjoy!

Related posts

Spotify Mark Ronson interactive ad

Spotify first TV ad

Spotify integrating service into Swedish broadband packages

Like this post? 

Then subscribe to regular updates from this blog -
 click here to use a Reader or click here to get email updates

Google Plus Circles - the real labels!

Google Plus lets you assign contacts to different Circles, allowing you to selectively share content. These Google Plus Circles can be renamed by users, with the Circle labels used remaining unseen to anyone else. Many are using the defaults 'Friends', 'Acquaintances' etc labelling, but John Jantsch has posted a graphic that highlights what we're really thinking!

Google Plus - Circles, the real labels!

[Hat tip: Duct Tape marketing]

Related posts

Like this post? 
Then subscribe to regular updates from this blog -
click here to use a Reader or click here to get email updates

Facebook usage figures by country - July 2008 to July 2011

I have been collating Facebook usage statistics by country since July 2008. This means it is possible to look at growth in Facebook by country for 4 data points - July 08, July 09, July 10 and July 11.  

Latest Facebook usage figures - Dec 31st 2011 click here

-Recent news reports and negativity around Facebook losing audience are not reflected by the figures below. Usage numbers may be reaching saturation point in some markets, but the global picture is still one of extraordinary growth.

The table below shows the top 30 countries by number of active Facebook users according to the data available from Facebook (leave a comment if you want to know statistics for other countries.)

Top 30 countries with highest number of Facebook users (July 2011 - data from Facebook):

Rank	Country	Number of Facebook users July 2008	Number of Facebook users July 2009	Number of Facebook users July 2010	Number of Facebook users July 2011	12 month growth %
1	USA	27,811,560	69,378,980	125,881,220	151,350,260	20.23%
2	Indonesia	209,760	6,496,960	25,912,960	38,860,460	49.97%
3	UK	11,171,540	18,711,160	26,543,600	29,880,860	12.57%
4	India	711,520	3,236,140	10,547,240	29,475,740	179.46%
5	Turkey	3,464,640	12,382,320	22,552,540	29,459,200	30.62%
6	Mexico	1,042,820	3,644,400	12,978,440	26,770,300	106.27%
7	Philippines	162,640	2,719,560	14,600,300	25,307,800	73.34%
8	France	2,461,140	10,781,480	18,942,220	22,713,240	19.91%
9	Brazil	119,080	1,015,400	4,757,200	21,239,380	346.47%
10	Italy	491,100	10,218,400	16,647,260	19,806,660	18.98%
11	Germany	618,080	3,136,680	9,949,760	19,459,280	95.58%
12	Canada	9,621,820	11,961,020	15,497,900	16,597,760	7.1%
13	Argentina	417,980	4,906,220	10,542,040	15,642,240	48.38%
14	Colombia	2,412,000	5,760,300	10,226,820	14,631,600	43.07%
15	Spain	695,900	5,773,200	10,610,080	14,409,960	35.81%
16	Malaysia	450,580	1,995,040	7,317,520	11,221,040	53.34%
17	Thailand	114,180	697,340	4,216,760	10,612,380	151.67%
18	Australia	3,217,380	6,053,560	9,009,660	10,419,100	15.64%
19	Taiwan	71,340	685,460	6,745,160	9,932,740	47.26%
20	Venezuela	966,700	3,578,740	6,686,300	9,079,180	35.79%
21	Chile	2,105,820	4,830,680	6,944,540	8,527,460	22.79%
22	Egypt	783,440	1,618,040	3,518,460	7,885,820	119.35%
23	Poland	83,180	619,180	2,772,540	6,363,100	129.50%
24	Peru	148,940	839,220	2,551,700	6,260,980	145.37%
25	Pakistan	236,340	765,480	1,937,760	4,795,200	147.46%
26	Russia	67,760	412,840	1,244,280	4,648,080	273.56%
27	Netherlands	211,920	1,061,480	2,644,460	4,513,280	70.67%
28	Sweden	1,141,700	2,287,240	3,798,020	4,403,300	15.94%
29	Belgium	531,740	2,372,460	3,505,920	4,255,180	21.37%
30	South Africa	878,120	1,720,820	2,884,080	4,095,280	42%

[*figures are taken from Facebook API and then compared to Facebook usage statistics lists that I have previously compiled (facilitating the growth calculation.)]

As usual, if you want to know the latest Facebook usage statistics for another country (and data is now published for almost every country in the world), leave a comment in the post below and I will try to post the relevant Facebook user statistics data.

Join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/paidownedearned

Like this post?
Then subscribe to regular updates from this blog -
click here to use a Reader or click here to get email