Social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube are the darlings of the media, and with news this week that AOL has acquired Bebo for $850 million, it's clear that even the old guard thinks there is cash in communities. But what about web users? Are they showing signs of matching the medias high level of interest? If your content strategy (or your budget) doesn't include plans for a user-generated video forum, are you destined to not succeed?

Not quite. The latest Internet Activity Index (IAI) shows that internet users are spending a surprisingly small share (7.5%) of their valuable web time with communities. Usually defined as sites that combine content with communications in order to foster relationships between individual members, communities are distinguished by their user-generated content.

Released monthly by the Online Publisher's Association (OPA), the Index is a breakdown of time spent online by global web users, and measures results for five basic site types - content, communications, commerce, search, and community. A deconstruction of Nielsen Online data, the Index has only recently included the community category.

"Since the IAI was launched four years ago, a distinct category of sites has evolved around community," said OPA president Pam Horan. But, "Even with community added, our initial data reflect the same pattern found over the last 15 months. The bulk of consumers' online time is spent with content." In all, 42.7% of consumer time online is spent with Content sites, 28.7% is with Communication sites, 16.1% with Commerce sites, 7.5% with Communities, and 5% on Search sites.

When laying out your content strategy, it is best to remember that web users are not always looking for the things the media admires. Substantive content is often enough to acquire the attention that you are seeking.

In our quest to target young audiences, are writers and content strategists ignoring an important segment of Internet users? A new Burst Media study says that content providers are overlooking the needs of many of today’s Internet users.

The online survey, conducted in February 2008 of more than 13,000 web users 18 years or older, found a majority of Internet users 45 years and older believe that online content, as well as website design and online advertising, targets younger web users. Young web users between the ages of 18-24 years and 25-34 years are most likely to say online content is focused on people their age (76.0% and 73.9%). Additionally, more than one-half (55.7%) of respondents 35-44 years perceive online content to be focused toward their age segment.

But once you get to the “Young Boomer” segment (45-54 years), satisfaction drops. Within this age segment, only one in three (35.4%) believe online content is focused on people their own age. Only one in five (18.9%) respondents 55 years and older say Internet content is primarily focused on people their age. And three-quarters (77.7%) of respondents 45 years and older believe online advertising is not targeted towards them, and focuses on younger audiences.

Jarvis Coffin, CEO of Burst Media, encourages content providers to consider all age groups when creating content and Web designs: “A major audience segment, such as adults over 45, should not be crying out for content. Clearly there is an opportunity for talented web publishers to develop engaging content that resonates with older web audiences."

So next time you're working on a content strategy, don't forget this important segment. Utilize creative that is age appropriate in both design and messaging.