The way we use and engage with social media is constantly changing. From communication to entertainment, sharing news and other relevant information, shopping, job searching, interacting with brands, and instant messaging, the possibilities are endless. As social media continues to grow and evolve, with 4.48 billion users worldwide (as of 2021), this mega-network of channels, content, and communication has become a crucial part of daily life. With 58.7% of the global population active on at least one platform, there’s a good chance over half the people you know engage on social media to some extent.

While Facebook is still the top-performing platform, with 2.8 billion active users, other channels – especially video-sharing apps – have grown immensely in popularity, especially following the 2019 “isolation period.” With the rise of influencers, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube have seen an incredible uptick in usage, featuring limitless categories of content and new opportunities for brands to market and advertise their products and services.

One thing every marketing expert will tell you: Social media and trends go hand-in-hand. That’s why it’s so important to develop your marketing strategy with a digital marketing agency that keeps up with the current and ever-changing social media trends. From our experts in all things trending on social, here are must-know social media statistics to keep your brand in the loop!

How Different Demographics Use Various Social Media Platforms

The social media landscape has some interesting statistics that shed a lot of light on user behavior. Taking a deep dive into how buyer personas with different demographics use these various social media platforms is crucial to your social media marketing strategy. Your brand can use this information to determine what types of content your customers (or potential customers) engage with and which platforms you should leverage to target these audience(s).

But before we can get into targeting potential customers on social, let’s take a look at some stats that can provide some intel about user behavior on social media.

General Usage

• The average adult spends 95 minutes on social media every day.
• The age group with the highest social media usage is 18-29 years old.

Facebook

• Still the most-used platform worldwide.
• Responsible for ¼ of digital ad spending.
• ⅓ of adults regularly get their news from Facebook.
• The largest demographic group is between 25-35 years old; 18.8% of these users are male and 12.8% are female.
• 43% of users are female and 57% are male.
• 69% of U.S. adults use Facebook.

Instagram

• Has over 2 billion users worldwide.
• 48.4% of all users are female and 51.8% are male.
• 31.2% of users are between 25-34 years old; 17.9% are male and 13.1% are female.
• 73% of teenagers in the U.S. believe Instagram is the best platform for brands.

Twitter

• The largest demographic group is between the ages of 18-29 years old, and they make up 42% of Twitter’s total users.
• 70.4% of users are male and 29.6% are female.
• ⅓ of users have a college education and make over $75,000 annually.
• 27% of users live in an urban setting with 18% living in rural areas.

LinkedIn

• The largest demographic group is between the ages of 25-34 years old.
• 48% of users are female and 52% are male.
• Over 77% of users live outside the U.S.
• 20.4% of LinkedIn users are millennials.
• The average annual income of users is just over $46,000.

Pinterest

• The largest demographic group is between the ages of 50-64 years old.
• 77.1% of users are female and 14.5% are male.
• Over 50% of users live outside the U.S.
• 46% of female adults in the U.S. use Pinterest.
• 30% of users live in suburban settings.
• 80% of users are searching for purchasing inspiration.
• 28% of all social media users are active on Pinterest.

TikTok

• TikTok is now the fastest-growing social platform with a 105% growth rate in the U.S.
• The largest demographic group of users is between the ages of 10-19, and they constitute 25% of total users.
• 61% of all users are female and 39% are male.
• 40% of Gen Z users say they’re influenced by the products they see advertised on TikTok.

The Most Popular Social Media Sites and How Often They’re Used

Facebook users continue to be the most active on social media (2.912 billion monthly active users), with Youtube (2.6 billion monthly users), WhatsApp (over 2 billion monthly users), and Instagram (1.393 billion monthly users) not too far behind.

However, many Facebook users are active on other platforms, as well. While a majority of Americans primarily use Facebook and Youtube, the average user engages with over six platforms. Though Facebook may be the jumping-off point for many social media users, they will likely be active on other platforms, as well. This is great news for brands because it gives them several opportunities and platforms to market to and reach their audience. The secret is to consult a digital marketing agency that knows how to interpret demographic information and leverage these social media platforms to target your customers with organic and paid ads.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most popular social media platforms ranked and their monthly active users (MUAs):

1. Facebook (2.9 billion MUAs)
2. Youtube (2.6 billion MUAs)
3. WhatsApp (2 billion MUAs)
4. Instagram (1.393 billion MUAs)
5. Facebook Messenger (1.3 billion MUAs)
6. TikTok (1 billion MUAs)
7. Snapchat (538 million MUAs)
8. Pinterest (444 million MUAs)
9. Twitter (436 million MUAs)
10. LinkedIn (250 million MUAs)

Messaging Apps and How They Fit Into the Social Media Equation

Social media sites are no longer the only way for people to connect with each other and with brands. Now that 6.64 billion people own a smartphone, apps are a very popular alternative to communicating through social media. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Slack are some of the more popular and prevalent messaging applications.

So, why are messaging apps becoming popular? Well, for starters, they’re simple and easy to use. More often than not, messaging apps can be used to communicate internationally without pesky chargers or wireless data consumption. Messaging apps have many unique features, as well, such as anonymous posting, post-expiration windows, or even the ability to delete a text after it has been viewed.

How Can Brands Leverage Social Media Usage to Target Audiences?

With billions of people active on social media, brands can benefit exponentially from these numbers. Between creating and streamlining both organic content and paid content, businesses have limitless opportunities to reach new audiences, build a following, promote their products, and boost sales. So, what is the first step in building your brand on social media? Consulting with Zero Gravity Marketing’s social media experts!

For a comprehensive social media marketing plan that will show high returns on your investments, trust the ZGM team. To learn more about our services, contact us.