When people aren’t hard at work or spending time with their families, what exactly are they doing? According to a recent infographic from GO-Gulf.com, 30 percent of the world’s population is spending their spare time online.

Thirty percent of the world’s population doesn’t seem like a huge number…but it is. Thirty percent actually represents 2,095,006,005 people who are spending 35 billion (yes, billion) hours online each month. To put things in perspective, 35 billion hours per month is equivalent to 3,995,444 years. How are these hours spent online? The breakdown is below:

• 22% of time is spent on social networking sites
• 21% of time is spent conducting online searches
• 20% of time is spent reading content
• 19% of time is spent on email and communication
• 13% of time is spent on multi-media sites
• 5% of time is spent doing online shopping

Although the study shows that most online users visit Google more than any other site, most of their time online is spent on the social media giant Facebook. Facebook receives nearly 138,000,000 unique visitors per month. These visitors are spending almost 8 hours a month on the site. Imagine spending an entire workday on Facebook?!? Although that idea might not sound so farfetched for some!

Facebook isn’t the only site bringing in the online visitors; YouTube videos receive a total of 4 billion videos a day and more than 60 hours of video content gets uploaded every minute. With more than 250 million tweets sent per day, Twitter is keeping online users engaged as well.

So what’s next?

According to GO-Gulf.com’s study, the future of online engagement will be found in location based services, timeshift TV (think DVRing) and Internet banking.

How do you spend your time online?

Follow Meredith on Twitter at @MeredithMobley. Follow Arketi on Twitter @Arketi.

I joined the Google+ community last summer, and although I thought Google+ was a great, new social media powerhouse backed by Google, one question lingered in the back of my mind: “How can Google+ be used for business?” I think I’ve found my answer.

For those of you not familiar with Google+, let me bring you up to speed. Google+ launched in June of 2011 as the invitation-only social networking platform powered by Google that was going to give Facebook a run for its money by creating an opportunity to make more genuine connections and share with specific “circles” versus a sea of “friends.”

Since last summer, its membership has grown significantly and includes everyone from young professionals, to CEOs and yes, even “Mr. Facebook” Mark Zuckerberg, himself. But how can businesses capitalize on Google+? Is it even worth it? Yes. According to Jason Cormier, writer for Search Engine Watch, businesses need to be active in Google+ for one simple reason: The quality and corresponding engagement around your search engine visibility stands to either noticeably improve or gradually decline.

Having trouble keeping your Facebook “fans?” Forbes.com Blogger Susan Breslin has some insight into why. According to Breslin, end-users see right through you. In her article, she discusses five main reasons why you are losing fans, and because I would hate to keep you in suspense, I’ve included those reasons below:

1. You don’t own your page.
2. You’re trying too hard.
3. You don’t get it.
4. You’re boring.
5. You’re a control freak.

I have to admit, reason number four kind of stings. Ouch. Don’t take these personally, though. Instead, remember what social media is all about. Engage your fans and get to know them. Don’t be overbearing. Social media allows you to be more flexible with your content and responses. Although you cannot control the conversation, you can definitely monitor and contribute to it. By contributing, you can alter the direction of the conversation.

People are going to talk about your brand online. Wouldn’t you rather they include you in the conversation by tweeting your company directly or posting on your Facebook wall?

In a June 2011 post, I outlined a few additional reasons why your social media friends and followers aren’t following you back. Take a look for yourself and feel free to add to the list.

Follow Meredith on Twitter at @MeredithMobley. Follow Arketi on Twitter @Arketi.

Using social media for business is as much about relationship building as it is marketing and branding. As marketing and public relations professionals, we do our best to “woo” new Twitter followers and keep that spark going with our current ones. But, like any interpersonal relationship, there are highs and lows, beginnings and ends.

Why do consumers fall out of love with your brand on Twitter? According to The Social Break-Up report by Exact Target and cotweet:

• 52% leave because…
  • Content became repetitive or boring
• 41% leave because…
  • Twitter stream became too crowded with marketing posts
• 39% leave because…
  • Company posted too frequently
• 27% leave because…
  • Company didn’t offer enough deals
• 21% leave because…
  • Tweets were too promotional

Don’t take it personally. According to this report, nearly half of all consumers who created a Twitter account no longer use Twitter. They aren’t just breaking up with brands, some are leaving Twitter altogether.

So, how do you get back that loving feeling? Don’t use Twitter, or any other social media platform, as an online billboard for your company. Take the time to monitor what your followers or people on Twitter in general are saying about your company. Listening to consumers or brand enthusiasts online creates the opportunity to try new tactics that might send former followers running back into your brand’s arms!

What are some other methods your company has used to engage or re-engage your followers?

*Originally posted on WriteAmbition.com