Not Facebook nor Skyrock. The main social network in France in terms of user accounts is Copains d’Avant, which gets together former school and university students. This is at least what shows a study by Ifop, a research company that has interviewed 1,000 people.
These are the top social networks in France:
1. Copains d’Avant: 49% of French Internet users do have an account in this network.
2. Windows Live Messenger: 46%
3. Facebook: 37%
4. Trombi: 19%
5. MySpace, Skyrock, Viadeo: 8%
8. Hi5, Twitter: 5%
Twitter is a very interesting case. Few people do have an account but it has grown a lot in terms of public knowledge (notoriété): from 28% in Spring 2009 to 63% in Autumn 2009. Also to note that Facebook is pretty much known by everybody in France, even net users older thatn 65 do know it.
Hi every body, i am french and i have an account in “Copains d’avant” since 2001. So i will try to share with you my personal point of view.
You re right “in terms” of user “Copain d’avant” is number one, but “Copain d’avant” have been created in 2000.
“Copains D’avant” is not really a social network, is a web site where you can create a user in order to find old friends … the first game you play when you begin with social notwork. And that’s all … So to be a social network i miss functionality to allow micro blogging, or create group or create a fan page, or share video or links or share events. With “Copain d’avant” you can find easly your old friends but it s very dificult to finds new one.
“Copain D’avant” means “Friends form an other age”, this platform was a very good idea in 2001 but now is a bit “old school”. And i remember I paid 19€ for on year in 2004, yes at the beginning the economic model was based on pay per use for premium access. Since 2007 premium access is totally free ;O) …
So on a functional point view and on a philosophical point view it’s a bit strange think on “Copain D’avant” as a social network.
If you want to have a better general vision of French’s Social Network it’s better to analyze social network’s grows instead of users volumes. I don´t have any data about this kind of ranking, somebody know?
Regards, Lionel.
Sorry i had show your link to statics from IFOP …so i think the better figure to understand social netowork market is this one:
http://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/le-net/popularite-des-reseaux-sociaux/appartenance-selon-l-age.shtml
Regards, Lionel.