6.6m unique users across the group make July a record-breaking month
The latest figures from Friends Reunited show that since the re-launch in May this year the number of unique users has more than doubled, with over 1.8 million messages sent per month and a 450% increase in content sharing through photo uploads.
The Friends Reunited group* received a total of 6.6 million users over the course of the month, with 5.5 million visiting the recently re-launched Friends Reunited site according to new Nielsen figures.
With over 19 million registered members, Friends Reunited represents an unparalleled cross section of Britain's online population. Over 11 million of those users are over 35 and with an average use age of 42, Friends Reunited is now firmly placed as the nation's favourite social networking site for grown-ups compared to other social networks, which are used mostly by under-30s.
The increased usage follows the recent move of Friends Reunited from a subscription model website to totally free to use as well as the addition of new site features.
New features on Friends Reunited that contributed to the site's growth include a Timeline that allows members to share events from each other's past. Over 200,000 events have been added to the Friends Reunited Timeline since the site re-launch
Andy Baker MD of Friends Reunited, commented: "One of the main reasons for our success is that we have made use of new, easy-to-use, no-nonsense features aimed squarely at helping UK grown-ups stay in touch with their friends online. To allow British grown-ups to be more sociable online, we're providing them with something that they trust and can use easily."
Jeff Henry, MD of ITV Consumer, adds: "We are extremely pleased with these results from Friends Reunited which show our recent decision to change from subscription to an advertiser funded model has resonated with our loyal and valuable users who also mirror the core ITV audience. It shows is that we have changed the Friends Reunited business model and moved it into the heartland of what ITV knows and does best; working with advertisers to deliver more ways to engaged and connect across a range of platforms".
There is also more good news from the rest of the Group. Researching family trees is an activity that has taken the nation by storm in recent years and is at the core of hugely successful sister site, Genes Reunited. There are now over 8 million registered members, representing one in four UK adults online. The site holds 500 million names in its archives, with a new name added every second. There are 1.3 million 'Smiths' on Genes Reunited and the largest family tree created on the site holds 149,787 members.
The third site in the group, Friends Reunited Dating, now boasts 970,000 members. Members say their success in using the site is down to its grown-up demographic - with three out of four members finding a date within the first two weeks of starting out on the site. The site also boasts an unusually even gender balance, with an almost perfect 50/50 gender split
Andy Baker concludes: "Friends Reunited is preparing for the launch of new features to be released later in 2008 which will further extend it's position as the leading UK social network for grown ups. One of the areas we're most excited about is the rampant growth of video across the other ITV portfolio sites and online generally which presents opportunities too add considerable value for the communities developing on the site."