Social media marketing is an indispensable arm of business operations. However, it is easy to get swayed and misled by statistics and misinterpretation of information.
Businesses cannot build a social media marketing strategy based on outdated data. You need the latest statistics that equip you with insights into your audience's demographics, interests, behaviors, and overall industry landscape. Armed with this data, you can tailor your marketing strategies to elevate engagement and maximize return on investment.
Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes into the world of social media advertising, let these statistics be your compass as you navigate the complex landscape of digital marketing.
Commonly Used Social Media Platforms
Social media is barely two decades old, and yet it has penetrated nearly every aspect of our lives. There are at least 35 social media platforms worldwide with over 100 million active monthly users.
The top 10 social media platforms are as follows:
Social Media Usage Statistics
The proliferation of smartphones and affordable internet has led to widespread social media usage among people of all ages and demographics.
Here are the top social media statistics to consider when devising a selling strategy on social media for your brand:
- Social media usage has been on a steady rise since 2015, but in 2017 and 2020, we witnessed the most significant surge in active users worldwide.
- The global social media penetration rate stands at 61.4%.
- 80.8% of the "adult" (age 18 or above) of the world's population is active on social media.
- 72.5% of the USA's population is active on social media, whereas the figures for other Western democracies like the UK and Canada are 84.4% and 85.7%, respectively.
- While Australia boasts 81% of its population with an active social media presence, the figure for India stands at 32.8%.
Social Media in the United States
The United States is the global epicenter for technological innovation and the birthplace of nearly all world-renowned social media apps. More than 257 million Americans are active on social media, which makes up 82% of all internet users in the country.
Nearly all age groups enjoy access to social media interaction every day, with millennials leading the pack with an almost 90.4% adoption rate. Gen X follows this with 77.5% and baby boomers with 48.2%.
Social media engagement in the US is multi-platform. The average American maintains 7.1 social media accounts across various platforms. 78% of females are on social media, whereas the % of males with an active social media presence is 66%.
Social Media Advertising Statistics
Social media advertising enables businesses to connect with their audience, maintain an omnipresent brand image, and engage with their buyers at all hours of the day. It is a critical component of present-day marketing, and its value is set to expand with each passing year.
With a staggering market size of $121.66 billion projected for 2024, social media advertising is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. To make the most of your ad spend, keep the following key statistics in mind:
- The average hour spent per user on social media is 2.5 hours.
- Mobile is the king of social media access, with over 91% of social media accounts accessed via mobile devices. This underscores the importance of mobile-friendly advertising in your marketing strategy.
- 89% of marketers consider ROI from influencer collaborations as better or at least comparable to other marketing channels.
Social Media Statistics By Platform
Billions of people log in to their social media accounts to connect with friends and family, stay updated on current events, consume entertaining content, and interact with their favorite brands.
Here's a breakdown of social media statistics by platform.
Facebook Statistics
Facebook, the third most visited website on the Internet, has clung to its social media crown for nearly two decades. Here’s what the usage and advertising statistics for the website look like:
- Despite new competitors cropping up every year, Facebook remains the largest social media platform in the world, with three billion monthly active users and more than 2 billion users logging in daily.
- The average American user spends about 30.9 minutes daily on the platform.
- 50% of the average user time on the platform is spent watching videos.
- 56.3% of Facebook users identify as male, whereas the figure for female-identifying users stands at 43.7%.
- As per 29% of the marketers, Facebook generates the highest Return on Investment amongst all social media platforms.
- Despite being bemoaned as the “Boomer Platform,” the most active age group on Facebook is 25-35, making up 18.3 % of its global users.
Instagram Statistics
Instagram revolutionized direct-to-consumer (D2C) marketing, and influencer partnerships, as it ushered the age of social presence for businesses worldwide.
Before we get into the statistics for Instagram, it's important to point out that this platform has the highest number of cross-channel users. 77.4% of YouTube users, and 52.8% of TikTok users are active on Instagram, making it an indispensable part of your social media marketing strategy.
Here are the top stats that you must keep in mind when it comes to Instagram.
- Instagram has two billion active monthly users and ties with Facebook for the highest ROI in influencer marketing (29%).
- Adults in the U.S. spend 33.1 minutes on Instagram every day.
- The platform has continued to grow post-pandemic, and advertisers can now reach 176 million more in 2024 than they could last year.
- Users aged 18 - 24 make up for the largest user base of Instagram, with 32.0% of the total active users.
- Instagram has continued to work on its ad reach over the past years, with a 12.2% climb since 2020.
- Instagram Reels is now the best-performing content type on the platform, with a 33.8% reach rate.
- As per Instagram, 70% of buyers make their purchasing decisions by browsing through Instagram.
- It’s not just buyers, Instagram is the number one choice for influencer marketing for over 89% marketers.
LinkedIn Statistics
LinkedIn is one of the fastest-growing platforms for business-to-business (B2B) brands and professionals around the world, and is home to more than 67 million business profiles.
The platform has seen an exponential growth in the past four years, with a 26.2% jump in revenue in 2022, and an 8% increase in 2024.
Let's look into the following LinkedIn statistics:
- The platform has over 1 billion members across 200 countries.
- The US leads in LinkedIn user count, with over 214 million users.
- Much like Facebook and Instagram, 56.3% of LinkedIn users identify as male, and 43.7% identify as female.
- Millennials make up for most of LinkedIn users, as 60% of LinkedIn's base is aged 30 to 49.
- When it comes to advertising, LinkedIn yields the most impressive results for 82% B2B marketers.
- Furthermore, 77% of marketers consider LinkedIn to be the best social media platform for organic growth.
Pinterest Statistics
Pinterest is vastly underestimated by users and marketers alike. However, it is the 15th Most popular social network worldwide.
Here are the Pinterest stats that matter:
- The platform has approx 480+ million active monthly users.
- Pinterest maintains its popularity among young users, with the 25- —to 34-year-old age group making up 20.4 percent of its global audience.
- Women make up 69.5% of Pinterest global users, the figure for men stands at 22.4%, and 8.1% of users are unspecified.
- Pinterest shoppers do very well for themselves, as 1 in 3 of them have an annual income over $100,000.
- When we talk about “feel-good” platforms, Pinterest tops the list, with 8 out of 10 logging in to relax.
TikTok Statistics
Despite being tied down in legislation and facing severe threats to its existence in the US, TikTok's popularity continues to soar. The platform is expected to surpass 1.8 billion users by 2024.
Here are the top statistics to keep in mind:
- TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users, with 150 million customers based in the U.S.
- TikTok users spend approximately 95 minutes/day on the app.
- The TikTok ad spend increased by 27% in 2023, making it the fastest growing platform for social media advertising.
X (formerly Twitter) statistics
X continues to be the epicenter of political discourse and the public square for disseminating information worldwide. Below are the platform's top stats.
- X has over 619 million monthly active users worldwide.
- An average X user in the US spends 32 minutes daily on the platform.
- 53% of X users are on the platform to stay updated on news.
- The gender gap on X is high, favored by men by 63%.
- Unlike any other platform, users actively consider spending less time on X.
YouTube Statistics
The affordability of smartphones and the availability of inexpensive mobile networks have greatly expanded YouTube's audience reach.
This accessibility has also resulted in 70% of YouTube users accessing the platform via mobile devices.
Here are the YouTube stats that matter:
- As of January 2024, YouTube had nearly 2.9 billion users worldwide.
- YouTube's global advertising revenues for FY 2022 - 2023 were $31.5 billion.
- An average YouTube user spends approximately 28 hours and 5 minutes monthly on YouTube.
- YouTube's audience skews male, with more than 54% of users being male.
Influencer Marketing Statistics
Influencer marketing focuses on leveraging micro and macro influencers to promote a brand's products or services to a specific target audience. Since the inception of Instagram in 2012, social media influencer marketing has exploded and is now a $21.1 billion industry worldwide.
Marketers leverage various platforms for influencer marketing, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Each platform offers unique advantages and caters to different demographics.
If you're interested in testing the waters or expanding your influencer marketing strategy, you must be aware of the following statistics:
- The Influencer Marketing Industry is projected to reach around $24 billion by the end of 2024.
- 49% of consumers make their purchasing decisions based on influencer recommendations.
- Instagram remains the most popular platform, with 72.5% marketers placing it as their top choice for influencer marketing and creator collaboration.
- TikTok comes second on the list for marketers, with 69% of brands using it for their influencer collaboration campaigns.
- 32% of marketers find Instagram the most accessible platform for working with creators.
- The average earned media value from influencer marketing is $5.78.
Use Social Media Statistics To Guide Your Strategy
At the end of the day, social media is a numbers game. Views, likes, comments, link clicks, and conversions are quantifiable metrics that give you valuable insights into your performance.
As marketers, we can’t afford to throw darts in the dark anymore. That's why conducting a social media audit is essential. For the highest ROI, using these social media statistics to guide your overall strategy is crucial.
Here’s how you can put these statistics to maximum use:
1. Set Smart Goals
Set specific goals and track the metrics aligning with your business objectives. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, focus on KPIs such as referrals, leads generated, and overall conversion rate. Knowing how to track social media analytics with UTM parameters can be invaluable.
Use statistics like average ad spend, demography, and average conversion rate per keyword to guide your strategy.
2. Know Your Audience
Use social media statistics to learn about your target audience, buying preferences, and social media behaviors, and tailor your content and engagement strategies accordingly.
For example, Instagram is trending toward short videos, with Reels garnering the most engagement from all other content types. Therefore, it is wise to invest your resources in short-form video at this moment.
3. Optimize Your Brand Profile
Optimize your brand profile with content and graphics that aligns with your overall brand identity and messaging to maximize appeal and online engagement.
4. Stick to a Posting Schedule
Use tools like Highperformr to create a structured content calendar with outlined themes, topics and post schedules to maintain consistency, relevance, and engagement across platforms.
Highperformr tracks your daily posting schedule and social media activity through its unique social calendar.
Never miss a day of posting.
Sign up for free today to learn more.
Turn These Stats Into Action With Highperformr
Social media marketing is evolving, and these statistics give you a brief insight into the whole process. Today, we learned that Facebook and Instagram continue to hold people’s attention decades after their release, whereas TikTok is swiftly encroaching on Meta’s ad revenue.
But knowing these stats is just the beginning – you need a robust social strategy, reliable content partners, and top-tier tools to excel. Enter Highperformr.
With Highperformr, you can ideate, create, iterate, publish, and track your social media efforts seamlessly. Tailored for product managers, designers, marketers, and creators, Highperformr elevates your online presence and streamlines your workflows.
What’s more? You can unlock 25 free Highperformr AI Tools by clicking on this link.
Highperformr is easy to use, and fun to play with. Get started today.
