When it comes to social media usage around the globe, the stats, trends, and “did-you-knows” are seemingly infinite. A lot of surveys and have been conducted to determine the most socially connected cities based on numbers alone, so we did things a bit differently: we identified international cities that personify the social way of life in their own unique ways. We’ll take you to London, the city with the most Twitter users worldwide, and to Seoul, whose broadband penetration rate of 83 percent is nothing short of astonishing. And you’ll learn which US city is the best for online dating and where you’d likely get the best salary as a social media manager.

2. 10 Social Media Meccas
Where to Get Connected Worldwide
Multiple surveys have been conducted to determine the most “socially connected”
cities. In contrast, we wanted to highlight truly international cities that personify the
social way of life in their own unique ways. We started our research working from a list
of the “Top Twitter User Cities,” moved to how social was being used in those cities,
and then tried to venture off the beaten path a bit to offer some surprises.
We went in search of the best social media meccas, and discovered the cities with the
most users on Twitter, the most widespread broadband connection, and the most
innovative uses of social media (like crime fighting and online dating). For all of you
adventurous social media fans, consider this your passport to social adventure …

3. 1. London, United Kingdom
The City That’s All A-Twitter
Londoners rank high in using social to
stay connected. Theirs is the #1 city
with the most Twitter users, and social
media was used here during the August
riots to track rioters and looters,
organize clean ups, and keep citizens
safe. The social chatter during the riots
saw over 26,500 blog posts and 1.3
million tweets using the words
“London” and “riot” or the
“LondonRiots” hashtag in only five
days.
The British use online tools not only to
communicate and connect, but also to
bring much needed attention to causes.
Of special note is the recent decision
by the International Paralympic
Committee to encourage the 2012
Paralympic athletes to use social media
during the upcoming games to extend
the awareness of this event. Tally ho!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

4. 2. Seoul, South Korea
The Greatest Broadband Penetration
Although mobile is rapidly taking over,
the truth is that if you don’t have an
Internet connection, you don’t have
social. With a broadband penetration
rate of 83%, getting connected in Seoul
is as easy as getting on a train. As the
second most-populated metro area in
the world, this city ranks high.
Internet access is cheap, PC gaming is
popular, and Internet cafes abound. The
city government has been deeply
committed to modernization for the last
several years and the city is the home of
some of the world’s largest
telecommunication companies. We all
take it for granted, but you can’t get
social until you can get connected …
and Seoul does that with panache.
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

5. 3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Exotic City Where Women Tweet
Known for its beautiful beaches, Brazil’s
Twitter usage places it as one of the
most active in the world. Currently listed
as the 20th most active city by Twitter
usage, Rio is a gorgeous place to visit
and to tweet from, especially for the
ladies. It’s also the top spot globally for
most Mashable Meetups.
While statistics show Twitter equally
distributed between men and women
worldwide, women are leading the way
in Rio. At a data split of 57% women to
43% men on Twitter, the conversations
center around networking, business, and
“nova” (“new things” in Portuguese). The
men are much better represented in the
blogosphere, but in Rio, the women rule
Twitter and that’s reason enough for us
to feature them. Tweet away, ladies!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

6. 4. Toronto, Canada
The Most Socially Progressive Civil Servants
Besides being listed as #6 worldwide for
total Twitter users, Toronto is also
stepping into the spotlight by using
social to fight crime. Toronto Constable
Scott Mills explains, "Social media can
be a productive tool in policing. We can
get into the community in a positive
way, which helps to prevent crimes."
Through an integrated use of Twitter,
Facebook, their website and more,
Toronto police are treading uncharted
territory not yet frequented by other law
enforcement organizations. Although
the new approach is controversial to
many, putting a human face and more
communication connections in front of
citizens is working. More eyewitnesses
are coming forward and more crime is
being solved. All of this goes to show
that Toronto is one progressive city!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

7. 5. Boston, Massachusetts
Best Place to Get Hooked Up
Though listed as #8 worldwide for total
Twitter users, Boston is the best city for
online dating according to OKCupid. By
analyzing the site’s 1.5 million users, we find
that Boston was the city with the highest
percentage of its adult population with active
profiles within the last year. You can’t really
get much more social than that, can you?
Not only does Boston have a population
of singles above the national U.S. norm,
but it’s also well connected socially.
Owing this connection to its
concentrated student population and a
sharp eye toward technology, Bostonians
use social media to promote non-profit
causes, recruit for their fire department,
and quite obviously, find love. The heart
wants what the heart wants!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

8. 6. San Francisco, California
The Best City for a Stellar Social Media Salary
Coming in at #7 for most Twitter users,
San Francisco also comes in on top for
well-paid social media managers.
According to PayScale.com, the average
pay ranges from $35,069 to $86,712,
outranking other social media meccas
like New York City, Los Angeles, and
Washington, D.C.
While being connected is cool, being
able to make a comfortable living at
what you do is a big plus. When you
add in the innovation coming out of the
area—thanks in no small part to nearby
social giants like Facebook, Google, and
Apple—it’s clear that this is a socially
connected city that is worth visiting and
working in.
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

9. 7. Bangalore, India
Facebook Hotspot
Despite an overall population access to
the Internet at only 8.3%, the adoption
rate of social media here is astonishing.
What distinguishes India though, is that
they are the third largest country on
Facebook, second only to the U.S. and
Indonesia.
Listed at #23 among cities with the most
Twitter users, Bangalore has long been a
hub of technological activity. With a
250% increase in the Indian social media
networking audience (September, 2010,
year-on-year), brands are focusing on
leveraging social media marketing
techniques more than ever here. If you
want to find some friends, Bangalore, the
Silicon Valley of India, might be a place to
visit.
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

10. 8. Paris, France
The European LinkedIn Connection
As #28 among cities with the most
Twitter users, Paris has something else
going for it. No, we don’t mean the great
wine and mind-blowing museums. We
mean LinkedIn.
A full 56% of people using LinkedIn live
outside of the United States, and France
is one of the most represented countries
on this business social media network.
The same holds for Facebook, with
France ranking earlier this year as the
fifth fastest growing country in number
of Facebook users. While Paris itself may
be less connected than some others on
Twitter, its commitment to multimedia
and interactive social media experiences
earns it a place on our list. Besides,
don’t you need an excuse to go there?
We thought so …
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

11. 9. Jakarta, Indonesia
Socially Connected for Social Change
At #16 among cities with the most
Twitter users, Jakarta is an enigma.
Although social media is heavily used
here, the political climate in Indonesia
isn’t as warm as some places in the
world regarding open use. For this
reason, we want to feature the city here.
In Jakarta, social media is aiding massive
social change. With laws already in
place that require information sharing by
the government, the openness required
by social media is not particularly
comfortable to everyone. Potential
corruption, for example, is certainly
more likely to be discovered with the
easy, free sharing of information. For this
reason, we put Jakarta and its
widespread use of social for social
change on our list. Power to the people!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

12. 10. Washington, D.C.
Most Socially Networked
The Beltway City won top honors—
thanks to a mix of data that includes the
number of Facebook and LinkedIn users
per capita, overall Twitter usage, traffic
generated by the major social networks
(including MySpace, Friendster, Reddit,
and Digg), and the percentage of
households that visit chat rooms and
blogs.
Another enigma, D.C. might surprise
you as a contender here. With so much
of politics and the nation’s business still
being done with a handshake and a
promise, the pace and reach of social
here is staggering. With this city coming
in so strong in so many ways, it’s a real
harbinger of the change that social
media is bringing to the world. Bring it
on, we say!
10 Social Media Meccas - Where to get connected worldwide

13. 10 Social Media Meccas
Where to Get Connected Worldwide
Social media is rapidly increasing choices—for products, relationships,
and even ideas. Although we could have re-listed the cities that, strictly by
the numbers, were the “top” in terms of Twitter usage and other similar
stats, we firmly believe that in social, numbers only paint part of the
picture. Innovation, creativity, connectedness, and engagement are all
equally important.

14. 10 Social Media Meccas
Where to Get Connected Worldwide
Next on “The Pulse”:
"Top 10 Picks for the Coolest Agency Reception Area”
We’ll feature our best picks of coolest agency reception areas nominated by
YOU according to a variety of factors. We’ll also post pics of the top picks!
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