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As very close followers of Facebook’s growth and metrics, we at Inside Facebook have been absolutely astounded by Facebook’s international growth in 2008. While Facebook’s international audience totaled 34 million people at the beginning of 2008, on the first day of 2009 that number had increased to 95 million - nearly 70% of the total Facebook audience.
For example, take a look at how Facebook grew in some countries around the world last year: Italy up 2900%, Spain up 600%, France up 400%, Switzerland up 400%, Argentina up 2000%, and Indonesia up by 600%.
What’s more is that dozens of these markets are still growing at double digit rates every month - and for many, those growth rates are increasing. Facebook’s growth rate accelerated by at least 25% in 47 countries in Q4 2008 over Q3. Its quarterly growth rate more than doubled in 28 of those countries in Q4.
As of the beginning of 2009, Facebook now reaches over 10% of the national population in 26 countries. And in December alone, there were 20 countries in which at least 1% of the total national population joined Facebook. Now translated into over 100 languages, Facebook has shown that it can penetrate nearly one third of the entire national population in multiple developed markets, and we expect this to be true of many more countries in the near future.
As a result of this explosive growth, Inside Facebook has created a new premium service and newsletter called the Facebook Global Monitor. The Global Monitor is designed to provide vital data and insight to media industry executives, global marketing and communications firms, analysts, and developers for whom Facebook’s rapid international expansion poses significant opportunities or threats.
Each month, the Facebook Global Monitor will provide the latest comprehensive data on the expansion of Facebook’s audience in nearly 100 global markets. In addition, the Monitor will provide alerts on breakout and cooling markets, as well as our latest in-house projections on Facebook’s growth in each country 30 days, 90 days, and 12 months into the future.
See the full table of contents of the first newsletter below. All reports are based on primary research by Inside Facebook using data from Facebook, and each section is designed to elucidate key actionable trends.
For those interested in learning more, click the purchase link above. The price is $99 per issue, or $395 for a six month subscription. Future monthly updates will be delivered directly to your inbox. As always, please make suggestions if you’d like to see more attention paid to any topic. (Custom reports are also available.) You can reach us at mail AT insidefacebook DOT com with questions at any time.
We believe big opportunities exist for developers and marketers to reach and engage the Facebook audience in these rapidly emerging and expanding markets. Cheers to continued growth in 2009!
