…and that is according to a study conducted by Nielsen. Social Networking and blogging overtake email activity in the internet by 2% with 67% and 65 % respectively. The news has created a wildfire effect both on media and internet users especially the marketers and advertisers.

And with these reports and findings a couple of concerns have evolve. The sudden shift of paradigm has a profound effect on advertisers and marketers; and the challenge is how to engage these social network users in a social environment. Reaching consumers in emails has been the trend in selling an idea or products. With the sudden swing of internet activity choice means a more challenging job for advertisers and marketers.

Facebook, the top and most popular social network snatches 3 out of 10 internet users according to Nielsen. And that is two thirds of the internet users. Thus is the major participant in this global phase. Facebook’s design made it a popular choice among its users; it has few advertiser clatters and a clean look.

The top 5 sectors being compared in the Nielsen report are the Search, General Interest Portals & Communities, Software Manufacturers, Member Communities and Email. Notice that Member Communities or Social Network is on the top 4 and has a growth rate twice compared to other sectors. And this sector grows the strongest in the country of Germany with almost 12 % increase in online participation from 39% to 51%.

And to my surprise, social networking is not the niche of the younger generation anymore. The greatest participation came from the age group 35-49 and the statistics is growing. Blogging on the other hand became the niche of 59+ audiences and participants, which practically I could deduce that since people in this age are already retired and visiting other places and thus blog about it.

I found a full copy of the Nielsen Report embedded in this blog.

Mashable’s presence cannot be denied in the blogosphere. When I opened my email just this morning Hubpages invited me to take part and vote for their website. And my mind got mashed up because I know nothing about this voting thing.

So, with a flip of ten little fingers ready to scour the web with anything that has to do with “Mashable Open Web Awards”; I sat erect in front of my much loved computer and get ready to combat ignorance.

First, I want to meet and shake hands with Mashable.

Mashable is a blog which tackles and publishes anything about the newest news, concept and issues about social media like Youtube, Myspace, Facebook and more. And they decided to acknowledge websites with such strong appeal to the blogosphere community and initiated and launched Mashable Open Web Awards. Mashable has grown into a juggernaut force that; 250,000 votes combine landed on their vote polls for last year’s first Open Web Awards with more than 50 blog partners worldwide.

Second I want to know about the Open Web Awards.

Open Web Awards is an online voting competition with an international coverage which covers major, main, and advance innovations in web technology. After Vizu validated the result for the 1st Open Web Awards last year, the winners met at Palace Hotel on the 10th of January, 2007 in the City of San Francisco.

The first Open Web Awards was such a global hit last year that on the 2nd Open Web Awards, they are partnering with more than 100 blog partners worldwide; for ease of voting and extra security Poll Daddy is a part also of the process; lengthening the voting and nomination period for better and larger participation; the voting rounds started last 19th of November, 2008 and will end on the 15th of December of the same year.

You can vote once every 24 hours and you can use each email addresses once also. So think hard and wisely which website will fish a vote from you.