47% of UK online population don't like targeted ads based on social media activity

Almost half of UK social media users don’t like seeing ads based on their profile activities, according to new data from YouGov.

The study also found that 44% of respondents would not be more positive about a product their friends have followed or liked and 43% are unlikely to talk about a brand on a social media site even if they heard something positive about it.

Econsultancy’s State of Social Report found that 75% of companies use Facebook as a marketing channel, yet YouGov’s statistics suggest there may be less benefit for brands than we think.

YouGov’s study, which polled 1,275 UK consumers, also found that Facebook’s popularity may be starting to plateau.

Just under a quarter (23%) of those who actively use Facebook state that they now use the networking site less compared with 12 months ago. 

Furthermore, 19% expect to use Facebook less in one year’s time. 41% even claimed to be getting bored with social media entirely.

That said, Facebook is still easily the most popular social network.

Almost two thirds (65%) of the UK online population have used Facebook within the last month, followed by YouTube (50%), Twitter (23%), Windows Live (14%), LinkedIn (13%), Google + (12%) and Spotify (10%).

Interestingly moneysavingexpert.com now has as many active users as Twitter.

Unsurprisingly usage of Facebook amongst younger generations is almost ubiquitous, with 95% of 16-20 year olds and 74% of 21-24 year olds accessing the social networking site within the last month.