Social media news: Facebook 'overtakes Google'

15:00 31st December 2009

Online marketers planning their social media strategy for the new year may be interested to learn that Facebook overtook Twitter as the most visited website in the US over Christmas.

According to a tweet on research firm Hitwise's Twitter account, the reverse was the case in the UK – with Google at number one and Facebook at number two.

"Facebook was the number one US website this Christmas. Not quite there in the UK yet - maybe next year," Hitwise said.

Discussing the news, Search Engine Journal commentator Arnold Zafra suggested it could be a preface of an "impending battle" between the internet giants.

He said he was not surprised that the social networking portal was popular on December 24th and 25th 2010, as it is now common for families and friends who are unable to meet in person to communicate in this way.

The correspondent also claimed the success proved that users have not been put off using Facebook, despite recent privacy issues hitting the headlines.

He also argued the popularity of social media sites over Google and Yahoo! Mail may suggest email portals are becoming "a thing of the past".

"Facebook … is more of a communication tool than Google," Mr Zafra concluded.