80 Social Media Statistics that Will Change Your Thinking
Digital marketing takes on many different facets, and with social media, you have a number of different options sitting in front of you. Social media platforms are growing at a rapid pace, influencing our day-to-day life. Understanding the core differences in the popularity of different social networks, as well as how people are consuming ads, and the most effective ways to connect with the audience can reshape your marketing strategy.
The following social media statistics are intended to give you a deeper understanding of not only the importance of social media but also of how it can influence your marketing. In fact, the greater the amount of time spent on evaluating social media statistics, the more successful your future marketing strategies will be.
Social Media Stats & Facts (Editors Choice)
- The average person spends about 20 minutes on Facebook.
- Instagram videos get 2x the views of its photos.
- 54% of Twitter users earn more than $50K per year.
- 78% of 18– 24-year-olds use Snapchat.
- 5 billion videos per day are watched on YouTube.
- 58% of users access WhatsApp several times per day.
- 50% of Americans with a college degree use LinkedIn.
- In 2018 there were 250 million active monthly users on Pinterest.
Facebook Statistics
1. Facebook’s ad revenue slowed from 59% in 2016 to 47% in 2018.
(Our Social Times)
People are now looking at ways to get their message across via interactions on Facebook rather than actually spending money on ads. They understand the need to create awareness through different avenues while they can still get a good ROI on their investment.
2. The average person spends about 20 minutes on Facebook—in fact, one in every six minutes spent online is spent on Facebook.
(Omnicore Agency)
With people spending so much time on Facebook, it’s clear why it’s a vital resource from a marketing point of view. Being able to find your target market on Facebook will mean you increase the chances of being seen, and people can then take that all important next step.
3. 81% of parents reported kids start using Facebook between 8 and 13 years of age.
(CNN)
Despite the concerns about the negative effects of social media, 2018 also saw an increased number of teenage Facebook users. Child advocates worry that young children might not be able to navigate the complexities of online relationships. They also state that children under 13 don’t have a fully developed understanding of privacy, which can greatly harm them.
4. In 2017, Facebook launched Messenger Kids.
(NY Post)
To address these concerns, Facebook launched a children’s version of the Messenger app designed for children under 13. The app gives parents more control over the way children use social media.
5. 51% of US teens aged 13-17 say they use Facebook, which is significantly lower compared to 2015.
(Pew Internet)
Teenage social media statistics suggest that the technology landscape for young people has evolved through the years. In 2018, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat were the leading social media platforms, leaving Facebook behind.
6. Less than 50% of 12–17-year-old American Facebook users are logging on once per month or more in 2018.
(Emarketer)
When looking at teenage social media statistics, 2018 is throwing out some unusual results, and this is one of them. If the teenage market is something you’re targeting, then being aware of what this demographic is doing with its time should directly influence your approach.
7. Facebook is estimated to generate $21.57 billion in US ad revenues by the end of 2018.
(Emarketer)
Statistics on social media show that even though ad revenue has declined, there is still a sheer amount of money being spent on Facebook. It provides marketers with a sense of what they should be attempting to do on social media and the power of using advertising on Facebook specifically.
8. Facebook ad revenue in the US is expected to outpace total print ad spending by 2019.
(Emarketer)
This stat clears all doubts as to the power of online marketing surpassing offline. The very fact that just one online platform is going to outpace the entire print ad industry demonstrates the power of social media and the necessity of having a presence there.
9. 68% of US adults report they are Facebook users.
(PewInternet)
It’s important to be aware of Facebook usage statistics for your own marketing purposes. This translates into a substantial percentage of your target market being present on the website. Are you in a position where you can ignore marketing to such a high percentage of your audience? When it comes to statistics on social media, knowing how the market is divided up is vital.
10. 60% of US internet users chose Facebook to watch videos online in 2017.
(Emarketer)
Video marketing is huge, and with more than half of the US using Facebook this way, it’s clear what you need to do with your own business’s videos. This is a massive potential market, and since it doesn’t cost you anything to post there, doing so makes sense from a financial point of view as well.
Instagram Statistics
11. 71% of 18–24-year-old Americans use Instagram.
(PewInternet)
Instagram works on an image-based concept, and any marketer knows that images get more interaction. If you’re targeting the younger market, then knowing how to work Instagram and getting the correct images shared and liked should be a core part of your online strategy. Also, finding key millennials and social media stats can change your entire approach.
12. When Instagram introduced video, 5 million videos were uploaded in the first 24 hours.
(AdWeek)
Video marketing is a huge business, and when you already generate a vast number of visitors to your website, as Instagram does, not taking advantage of an amazing platform for your videos is marketing suicide. Yes, millions of videos are on there, but they are popular and increase engagement. This is one example of how Instagram usage statistics can play a role in your overall marketing.
13. Instagram videos get 2x the views of its photos.
(AdWeek)
What this clearly shows is that if you want to use social media for video marketing, then Instagram is the place to be. However, you still need to build your following, or you’ll be lost without a trace—so this engagement figure is not as clear as it should be. Also, moving pictures beat static pictures, which in turn beat plain text.
14. 32% of all American internet users have an Instagram account.
(PewInternet)
It may be lagging behind Facebook, but Instagram still represents a large market. Also, the demographics of who uses Instagram are different than Facebook, so the market also changes as a direct result. Be aware of this difference to avoid being caught out, since social media usage varies from platform to platform.
15. 80% of Instagram users are outside of the US.
(WordStream)
Social media is global, but even if you aren’t concerned about the market outside the US, it still means a reasonable percentage is going to be your target market. However, the same kind of statistic can be applied to many social media websites, so it may not be as important as you perhaps think. Remember, social media marketing statistics can be global as well as local, so looking at these statistics worldwide may be useful for some companies.
16. Instagram usage stats indicate that female internet users are more likely to use Instagram than men, at 38% vs. 26%.
(WordStream)
This kind of statistic helps to break down the demographics, which is always important when it comes to knowing how to create your marketing strategy. What’s clear from this is that Instagram is the place to be if women are your target market. Even being aware of social networking statistics such as these can change how and where you market.
17. Users receive 50% of their total comments within 10 hours of an Instagram post.
(Sprout Social)
Very few marketing approaches are able to generate this kind of response so quickly. However, it also shows that you need to be constant with your posts if you wish to keep that engagement high, since it tends to die down quite considerably after that period of time. Just posting once and then leaving your account alone serves no purpose.
18. Posts by influencers on Instagram generate significantly more engagement than posts by brands.
(AdvertiseMint)
One of the widely know social media facts is the one that people trust influencers more than brands as they see influencers as being more objective and honest. A brand only wants to promote itself, so an audience may be skeptical. Align your brand with an influencer, and your engagement rates will skyrocket.
Twitter Statistics
19. 45% of 18–24-year-old Americans are Twitter users.
(PewInternet)
Twitter is another valuable resource, and as this stat shows, it will be particularly useful if you’re targeting this demographic. They love the fact that Twitter is short and to the point; but be sure to include hashtags, images, and links to make yourself more attractive and interactive. Knowing the demographics with any Twitter usage statistics should help shape your marketing.
20. 24% of all male internet users use Twitter, and 21% of all female internet users use it.
(Social Pilot)
In other words, a substantial percentage of all internet users can be found on Twitter. It should be a key part of your strategy to build your following by targeting your market and gaining more influence on the platform. By doing so, you will increase brand awareness like never before. Correctly identifying social media user statistics such as these will allow you to narrow your approach even further.
21. 54% of Twitter users earn more than $50K per year.
(Metro Magazine)
If more than half of Twitter users earn at least that per year, then they have the money to spend on the brands or companies they feel drawn to. Building your brand on this platform is important, but you need to constantly engage with users in the hope of converting them into paying clients.
22. 77% of Twitter users appreciate a brand more when their tweet is responded to.
(Disruptive Advertising)
Such social media stats prove that people love brands that they can actually interact with. This form of personalization makes it clear that you care about your potential customers and will take the time to respond to them. This further increases the chances of them then actually spending money with you.
23. Twitter can handle 18 quintillion user accounts!
(Social Pilot)
The potential sheer size of Twitter is shown in this simple stat. It also means their hardware can handle a lot, so make full use of that space with your marketing approach.
24. 78% of people who complain to a brand via Twitter expect a response within an hour.
(Social Pilot)
Taking these social media user statistics into consideration, it’s obvious that you need to be prepared to be interactive when you are on Twitter, or people will be quick to vent their anger in a Tweet. If you’re a small business, then have your Twitter account linked to your mobile device so you can respond ASAP—doing so will reflect well on your company.
25. Tweets with images receive 18% more clicks than tweets without images.
(Social Pilot)
This shows that images are key no matter the platform. Using any method to increase engagement is going to boost your brand, but don’t post an image every single time, or people may get fed up with or bored by the account.
26. It will cost nearly $200K to promote a trend on Twitter for 24 hours.
(Social Pilot)
This may sound like a substantial amount of money, but it’s important to remember the level of engagement and brand awareness that comes with it. You’re looking at being seen by millions of people—in that respect, it seems like a bargain.
Snapchat Statistics
27. 78% of 18– 24-year-olds use Snapchat.
(PewInternet)
The use of Snapchat is certainly something that has seen a significant increase in the last couple of years. Once again, it is aimed primarily at the younger adult market, so if that’s who you’re aiming for, then you simply cannot afford to ignore Snapchat as a potential avenue to explore. Understanding social media usage statistics by age is important for anybody wishing to target a specific market.
28. According to the Snapchat usage stats, 77% of users indicate that they also use Instagram.
(PewInternet)
A large percentage of people are on more than one social media platform, which provides you with the opportunity to market to them more than once. However, it does mean that there is a need for brand continuity across the board, or everything will look rather disjointed.
29. 71% of 18– 24-year-olds visit Snapchat multiple times per day.
(PewInternet)
Because people visit it so often, your posts and brand have a greater chance of being seen on Snapchat. Also, you can continue to market yourself over and over again, and more people will see you as a result. Part of social media growth comes from people visiting these platforms regularly.
30. Women primarily watch beauty videos on Snapchat.
(Disruptive Advertising)
Being aware of the key videos watched on any platform can alter your marketing strategy. It allows you to optimize your marketing and know who to target, where, and when.
31. More than 10 billion videos are viewed per day on Snapchat.
(Disruptive Advertising)
The difficulty with social media statistics such as this one is that it is forever changing. The one thing that you can take from it is that this area is seeing amazing growth, and you cannot ignore it from a marketing perspective.
32. 63% of all Snapchat users indicate they visit the platform on a daily basis.
(PewInternet)
If two out of every three users visit each day, then the chances of you having to sit and wait for your marketing message to be seen is low. Make use of this frequency to tailor your message and allow people to not only find you but also interact with you.
YouTube Statistics
33. 74% of US internet users chose YouTube or Vimeo to watch videos online in 2017.
(Emarketer)
If you’re planning on getting a video out there to promote anything, then getting it on both YouTube and Vimeo should be the first thing you do. The exposure, as well as the SEO boost, is then matched by people being able to interact with you. Also, you can then link your other social media accounts to the one profile.
34. 5 billion videos per day are watched on YouTube.
(Disruptive Advertising)
The very fact that over 5 billion videos are watched on a daily basis means that there’s real potential, even though you have to build your following and optimize your strategy in order to be seen.
35. 94% of American 18– 24-year-olds use YouTube.
(PewInternet)
This age range uses YouTube in order to find videos of everything. There are also influencers on there who have a huge pull over people, but you need to learn how to optimize your channel to allow people to find you.
36. YouTube has over one billion users for 2018.
(YouTube)
Per the latest Google statistics, YouTube has YouTube has 1.9 billion active users monthly. This means that your target market is going to be on there in some format. Of course, you have no option but to join in if you haven’t already done so.
37. 88 countries use YouTube in 76 languages.
(YouTube)
YouTube is truly international. Your market might not be, but just the brand exposure that you can receive by being a part of YouTube will make it worth your while.
38. 75% of adults turn to YouTube for nostalgia rather than tutorials or current events.
(Disruptive Advertising)
Understanding what people use YouTube for allows you to decide on the videos that you need to put there. If there’s no market, then there’s no point, which is why understanding these social media statistics is key.
39. One billion hours of videos are watched on YouTube daily.
(YouTube)
This is just a phenomenal fact to try to comprehend. One billion hours per day is crazy, but it further strengthens the idea that YouTube is a place you need to be part of. Once again, optimize and build your following, and brand awareness will then follow.
40. There are 300,000 paying YouTube TV subscribers.
(Disruptive Advertising)
This is an area growing in number, and it shows that people are willing to part with their cash when they get something of value in return. You may not want to be part of YouTube TV, but keep this fact on online money spending in mind.
WhatsApp Statistics
41. 49% of Hispanics report that they are WhatsApp users.
(PewInternet)
As so many Hispanics use WhatsApp, it provides you with an opportunity to alter your marketing via WhatsApp so it includes Spanish. According to recent social media stats, this form of instant interaction with a brand can be a powerful tool, so learn as much as you can about these users to get the best possible results.
42. Of the reported WhatsApp users, only 14% are white and 21% are black.
(PewInternet)
Social media stats that allow you to build a better picture of how a potential resource works are useful. This means your marketing can be far more effective than ever before, which will ultimately result in a better response than you could have hoped for.
43. 58% of users access WhatsApp several times per day.
(Statista)
Accessing something multiple times a day provides you with the opportunity to make contact with your intended market on several occasions and in different ways. Understanding this should form part of your overall strategy, and you need to implement it accordingly to get the best possible results.
44. 44% of US users accessed WhatsApp several times a day in 2017.
(Statista)
This social media stat is yet another example of the multiple-access stat that further enhances the idea that you need to be able to take advantage of this and make yourself constantly visible. Failing to do that means you will be missing out on a wonderful opportunity.
45. On February 19, Facebook announced its acquisition of WhatsApp for $19 billion, its largest acquisition to date.
(CNet)
While the figure is less important, what’s key is that the two companies are linked together. Interaction between social media accounts is important for improving brand awareness and continuity. If the likes of Facebook does it, then you should perhaps think about it as well.
46. WhatsApp announced in 2017 that users were sending 55 billion messages, 4.5 billion photos and one billion videos per day.
(9 to 5 Mac)
Just spend a moment trying to comprehend the sheer scale of WhatsApp. This level of activity means any marketer has to conjure up a reasonable strategy for taking advantage of it to the best of their ability.
47. The number of WhatsApp users in the US is predicted to grow to 25.6 million in 2021.
(Statista)
As the number of users expands, it will be important for brands to build their base so it grows at the same rate. Waiting until WhatsApp hits those numbers means you’re missing out on a substantial part of your market.
Linkedin Statistics
48. 50% of Americans with a college degree use LinkedIn.
(PewInternet)
LinkedIn is the key social media platform for companies. This number should help you adjust your marketing approach to fit in with LinkedIn’s demographic.
49. Only 9% of Americans with a high school diploma or less use LinkedIn.
(PewInternet)
This is further proof of the way in which LinkedIn is being used and who its users are. You need to be aware of these kinds of social media stats to determine if marketing on the platform will be worth your while or not.
50. Social media statistics worldwide: the countries with the most LinkedIn users are the United States, India, China, Brazil, and the UK.
(Linkedin)
Even though it is global, it makes sense to be aware of these kinds of demographics to help you tailor your strategy. You can then determine your budget and time spent on each area, resulting in a better ROI.
Pinterest Statistics
51. 41% of women say they use Pinterest, compared to 16% of men.
(PewInternet)
This stat immediately demonstrates Pinterest’s main demographic. Smart marketers should take into consideration such social media statistics and start building the right images to grab the attention of their desired market as quickly as possible.
52. According to social media statistics, in 2018 there were 250 million active monthly users on Pinterest.
(Marketing Land)
The social media platform reported over 175 billion pins, which is up by 75% from last year. The growing user base is likely to help Pinterest in its effort to attract more brands and advertisers.
53. Pinterest users conduct more than 600 million visual searches per month.
(AdWeek)
A year after Pinterest introduced Lens, Instant Ideas, and Shop the Look, the social networking stats have shown that people are twice more likely to use visual searches than ever before.
54. Pinterest is #1 for mobile social media, with 64% of referral traffic being driven by smartphones and tablets.
(Omnicore Agency)
Being aware of how people use their mobile devices when it comes to social media makes your marketing strategy easier to comprehend. It also means your main website needs to be mobile compatible, or people will be left disappointed when they’re unable to fully access it.
Social Media Usage Statistics
55. 95% of Chinese people aged 16+ use WeChat.
(Our Social Times)
It’s useful to be aware of social media user statistics in different countries. Just because one site is the leader in one area does not automatically mean it’s the same everywhere else. Find your market, and then see what’s number one in it—social media usage statistics by country should be an important part of your research.
56. Facts about social media: only 7% of B2B marketers rate their ability to measure their social media activity as “very strong.”
(Our Social Times)
Some B2B marketers have mastered the art of using social media for this very reason. They’re aware of the need to be active online in order to increase awareness. However, there is always room for improvement when it comes to your social media–focused strategies.
57. 58% of B2B brands fail to measure their social media activity.
(Our Social Times)
This failure is something that should never happen, and it shows why studying social media business stats is so important. If you’re using social media for marketing purposes, you need to know how well something is doing before deciding if you should tailor your approach. You could easily miss out on some of your market by not measuring this activity.
58. 89% of people on smartphones are using apps, while only 11% are using standard websites.
(Disruptive Advertising)
The need to have an app is now very apparent, especially when more people access the internet via their mobile devices than laptops or desktops. Providing them with an app makes you more visible and useful to your intended market.
59. People access 69% of their media on their smartphones.
(Disruptive Advertising)
Social media facts and statistics show that smartphones cannot be ignored by any marketer, no matter where you stand in the business world. Thanks to improvements in technology, viewing media is no longer an issue, so your media has to be readily accessible on all devices if you want to increase interest in your brand.
60. Young, single females are most likely to become addicted to social media.
(Science Direct)
Social media addiction statistics, based on the survey’s findings, show that young, single females are most likely to show addictive social media behavior. The survey also found out that such behavior was also closely related to low self-esteem and narcissistic personality traits.
61. 40% of all mobile users are searching for local businesses or interests.
(Impact BND)
With such a high percentage of people using their mobile for this purpose, it strengthens the notion that local businesses need to be proactive in being visible on these devices. People can search for a business or activity and then physically go there when they make their decision. Missing out on this kind of traffic is not an option.
62. 3.5 billion of the world’s population are on some type of social media.
(Status Brew)
This is one of the truly amazing social media statistics which show the scope and power of social media. It also means a healthy percentage of your intended market will be on at least one of the platforms, and it’s up to you to find them.
63. 80% of social media content is accessed via mobile device.
(Omnicore Agency)
Everything is going mobile now, and accessing social media is no different. You must make sure that all of your marketing is accessible via mobile devices, or it will reflect poorly on your brand in general.
64. There are around 2.6 billion mobile social media users globally, with one million new active mobile social users added daily.
(We Are Social)
Once you consider how many people are on social media, it’s clear that social media is not dead—in fact, it’s growing daily. Even though your target market will not all be all of that one million people, some of them will be perfect for you.
65. It’s estimated that there will be 3.02 billion social media users worldwide by 2021.
(Statista)
Statistics on social media show that you cannot ignore it. Social media is here to stay and should be an integral part of your marketing strategy, so be sure to take part in a number of different platforms.
66. 88% of 18– 29-year-olds indicate that they use some form of social media.
(PewInternet)
If this is your market, using social media will be the easiest way to find them. Locate them, get in touch with them, market yourself, and see your brand awareness increase. This stat is also generally the same no matter where you are in the world—even with social media statistics, UK markets will have the same general outcome.
67. Social media and messaging accounts for roughly one in every three minutes of the time users spend on the internet.
(Global Web Index)
People are addicted to social media. You cannot do anything other than be a part of it from a business and marketing point of view. People may take their time finding what they’re looking for and trawl over your posts and interactions, so being professional at all times will work in your benefit.
Social Media Business Stats
68. Over two billion messages are exchanged between brands and users each month.
(Geo Marketing)
Brands have caught on to the concept of interacting with users and customers to such an extent that a huge number of messages are exchanged on a daily basis. This is meaningful customer service, and you need to be prepared to do all of this if you want people to take your brand seriously.
69. 40% of users would prefer to spend more money on companies and businesses that are engaging on social media.
(Infusionsoft)
More digital marketing stats show that engaging with people is free, but it can easily increase your turnover and profit. People view companies that engage on social media as taking a genuine interest in their customers. Making them feel important will always relax their purse strings.
70. 71% of consumers who have had a good social media service experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others.
(Mar Tech Series)
Such social media marketing stats emphasize how powerful source word-of-mouth advertising is; however, that can work in either a positive or negative way. When almost three out of every four people who have a positive experience via social media will recommend a brand, that’s marketing you cannot put a price on.
71. 81% of marketers found that increased traffic occurred with as little as six hours per week invested in social media marketing.
(Jigsaw Recruitment)
This is one of the ultimate social media statistics for business to consider in 2019. You do not need to spend countless hours on there, but maintaining visibility and being active even in short spells on a daily basis will increase traffic.
72. 86% of women will check social media before deciding to make a purchase.
(Omnicore Agency)
Women value what they see on social media whether it comments about a service, product, or brand in general. It can be a wonderful source for research that has a profound impact on how money is spent. Keeping your social media in check will lead to an increase in your turnover as a result.
73. 96% of users that discuss brands online don’t follow those brands’ owned profiles.
(Brand Watch)
Just because you aren’t happy about your number of followers or likes, that doesn’t have to mean that nobody is aware of you. Often it is the unseen that proves to be the most fruitful, and this is one of the social media stats that proves just that. Just being on there and being accessible makes a huge difference.
74. 89% of social media messages to brands go ignored.
(Sprout Social)
This statistic is a disaster for brands since those people will just go elsewhere, and the word of mouth about you won’t be as positive. Considering how well it’ll reflect on you in the future, it should be a simple thing to answer these messages.
75. The average brand response time on social is 10 hours.
(Sprout Social)
Response time is important, and you should try making it as short as possible. The longer people wait, the more frustrated they’ll become with your brand, and that’s never going to work well with your marketing strategy or how people view you.
76. 48% of Americans have interacted with companies on at least one social media network.
(Slide Share)
Since almost half of Americans have interacted in this way, the earlier social media statistic regarding failed replies is even more shocking. You need to be prepared to interact with each and every customer, which will result in a positive experience for them, and they are then more likely to recommend you.
77. 64% of online shoppers say that a video on social media helped them decide on a product to buy.
(Disruptive Advertising)
Video content rules. People pay more attention to video content than written, and this applies even to social media. Social media marketing statistics show that this plays a role in buying decisions for two out of every three online shoppers, so if you’re marketing a product online, then you better get a video onto social media.
78. 41% of Americans say it’s important that the companies they engage with have a strong social media presence.
(Slide Share)
People now want companies to be easy to get in touch with. They spend all this time on social media—they don’t want to then navigate elsewhere just to learn more about your brand or even contact you. A strong social media presence is now more important than having your website in order.
79. 59% of Americans who have a social media account agree that customer service via social media has made it easier to get problems resolved.
(Slide Share)
People consider contacting companies via social media to be almost like using a hotline for resolving their problems. It feels more personal and that they’re more likely to get a response. This will then also increase confidence in your brand in general.
80. 91% of retail brands use two or more social media channels.
(AdWeek)
Your target market is everywhere on social media, so limiting yourself to just one platform makes no sense. People expect to find you on pretty much every outlet, so don’t disappoint them by missing out on something just because you don’t personally like it. Do as your market expects, and they will reward you.
In Conclusion
What these social media statistics have shown is that pretty much everybody is there, so as a business you can’t do anything other than build your presence. Just remember you have to identify who your demographic is and where they are most likely to hang out, since finding them may not be as easy as you expect. Things are getting busier than ever before, and you can’t afford to miss out.
Last but not least, make sure to always interact with your customers. Not only will they be more likely to recommend you to others, but they will love you even more than they already do. Perhaps of all the different social media user statistics we’ve mentioned, that’s the key takeaway.
Sources:
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