The Numbers on Facebook Jamaica

There are 37,000 more female Facebook users in Jamaica than there are males, and Dancehall leads the next closest keyword by nearly 30,000. Females number 305,020 versus 267,940 males while Dancehall is listed as an interest 64,260 times and music, the next highest mentioned is 35,720.

There are 37,000 more female Facebook users in Jamaica than there are males, and Dancehall leads the next closest keyword by nearly 30,000. Females number 305,020 versus 267,940 males while Dancehall is listed as an interest 64,260 times and music, the next highest mentioned is 35,720.

These are some of the surprising analytics for this market as of May 19. Jamaicans on Facebook climbed from about 35,000 in May 2009 to around 350,00 a year later, and now to 580,160, and growing.

Such figures have prompted big changes in marketing and advertising in Jamaica in the past few years. Both the print and broadcast media have had to recast themselves in the online world to hold on to advertising income. Digital agencies such as Panmedia are now doing more business online than off as the products demanded of advertising agencies have expanded to web specific promotions, mobile and Facebook apps and games.

Facebook has gained most from this increase in consumers on the social networks as Jamaican businesses have shifted their advertising spend to online properties. Not surprisingly, the largest Jamaican age group on Facebook is 19 to 24 with 162,080, followed closely by those 25 to 34, with 155,640.

The under 18 segment is not far behind with 148,200 and 16,280 Jamaicans over 55 have a presence on Facebook.  University graduates number 34,220 with another 3,680 enrolled in tertiary institutions.

Look in this column for updates of these figures and for any spikes  that deserve special mention.