Twitter vs. Facebook: Facebook Still Claims Twice As Much Time

The time Americans spend on Twitter each month is on the rise, though it still falls short of the hours we dedicate to Facebook.

According to new data from Experian Hitwise, the total time users spend on Twitter.com rose from 1 hour and 51 minutes in November 2009 to 2 hours and 12 minutes in November 2010.

Though those numbers fail to take into account the hours users pass tweeting and reading tweets using third-party Twitter clients, such as Hootsuite and Tweetdeck, the figures are less than half of what American Internet users dedicate to Facebook.com. Experian found users spent over four-and-a-half hours on Facebook.com, while a Nielsen study found the number was even higher, totaling 7 hours a month in January 2010.

The Experian Hitwise research found visits to Twitter.com increased over the past year, during which Twitter underwent a major redesign that featured multimedia content more prominently. The duration of those visits fell slightly, however.

Experian writes in its report, "Twitter.com visits in late November 2010, in fact, reached an average of 10.0 visits per month, up from just 7.3 visits per month the year prior. As visit frequency increased, however, the duration of the average Twitter.com session declined, suggesting visitors today are seeking more frequent quick hits, rather than spending longer periods of time reading through posts. According to Experian Hitwise, the average amount of time Twitter.com visitors spend on the site during a typical session fell to 13 minutes, 12 seconds on November 27, 2010, down from an average of 15 minutes, 12 seconds spent on the site each session on November 28, 2009."

How much time do you spend on Twitter every month? Tell us in the comments below.

Comments

[Peta51]

09:30 AM on 01/28/2011

I prefer Twitter over Facebook. Facebook has too many commercials and interference. Of course its highlight is that it is the most popular website in the world, I can contact folks I know, but many folks I know in real life around me here in Sacramento are not really into progressive politics as I am. Too conservative and waving in their support for Peaceful Revolution, which I advocate.

We need to use Internet Power in order to engage in constructive dialogue, exchange important information and timely news and help to create mass consciousness for progressive ideas and ideals. On Twitter I am @Peta_de_Aztlan.

[mallowtree]

11:44 AM on 01/27/2011

That's because we spend more time cursing FB and trying to figure out why it just won't work the way it should.

[eugenio fouz]

11:38 AM on 01/27/2011

I love both, facebook and twitter. However, I confess I fancy tweeting much more. Twitter is like a river, fast, simple, universal. I have been twitholic for a weekend because of a Spanish hashtag on @perezrevertefacts, a famous and admired Spanish writer.
Twitter is a wonderful tool of communication, a kind of portable radio open to everyone, a telephone, a savage bird with no limits. On some occasions a weapon or a key to freedom. Think of those countries where mass media has been forbidden recently and the blue bird flew free

[J0E1]

10:21 AM on 01/27/2011

I can't believe it's even that high.  What a worthless site twitter is.

[ResearchtheFacts]

09:40 AM on 01/27/2011

Security is apparently not an issue to justify the selling of your info by having a built in excuse.  Otherwise, the site would be locked down tighter than fort knox.  They certainly have the working capital to do it.