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Top Social Media Statistics: Insights for Small Businesses

In today's digital age, the influence of social media is undeniable. From connecting people across the globe to shaping cultural trends, social media has become an integral part of our lives. 

In this post we will cover several of the statistics that highlight the importance for small businesses and marketers to understand current trends and user behaviors to effectively engage their audience and grow their brands.

General Social Media Statistics

Global Social Media Users

In 2023, it is estimated that approximately 4.9 billion people are using social media worldwide. This number signifies the significant impact and widespread adoption of social media platforms across the globe. (Source: Forbes)

Meta (Facebook) Dominance

Meta formerly known as Facebook remains one of the most dominant social media platforms for marketers. According to Hootsuite, their platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp) are active among 70% of global internet users. 

Overall Social Media Usage

Over 4.74 billion people across the world use social media, accounting for more than 75% of the world's population aged 13 and above. Additionally, over 93% of internet users globally are active on social media, indicating the pervasive nature of these platforms in people's lives (Source: Hootsuite)

Social Media Usage in the United States

Data Reportal says that the United States had around 246 million social media users in January 2023, representing approximately 72.5% of the total population. This significant user base underscores the importance of social media marketing for businesses in the US.

Social Media by Generation

It is important to recognize the diverse usage patterns and behaviors of each generation on social media. Take for example Gen Z prefers visual content whereas Baby Boomers' are increasing adoption of social platforms. Small businesses need to understand the generational differences so you can tailor your marketing strategies and content to better connect with your target audience.

Generation Z (Gen Z):

  • Age Range: Born between 1997 and 2012.
  • Key Social Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat.
  • Behavioral Trends: Gen Z's attitude towards social media is different from older generations. They tend to trust individuals they follow on social media more than traditional media sources. They are also known for their high usage of visual content platforms like TikTok and Snapchat.

Millennials:

  • Age Range: Born between ~1981 and 1996.
  • Key Social Platforms: Millennials are active on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
  • Economic Impact: Millennials are projected to inherit over $68 trillion from Baby Boomer and early Gen X parents by 2030, potentially making them the wealthiest generation in U.S. history.

Generation X (Gen X):

  • Age Range: Born between 1965 and ~1980.
  • Key Social Platforms: Gen X shares a preference for more established platforms, especially Facebook.
  • Social Media Usage: Gen X usage is not as high as Millennials and Gen Z but has been steadily increasing over the years. They use social media to connect with friends, family, and brands.

Baby Boomers:

  1. Age Range: Born between 1946 and 1964.
  2. Key Social Platforms: Baby Boomers primarily use Facebook for social media engagement.
  3. Social Media Usage: While Baby Boomers were initially slower to adopt social media, their usage has been increasing, and 37% of them have increased their social media usage over the past year.

Statistics About Each of the Top Social Media Platforms:

Facebook

  1. Facebook has about 2.95 billion global monthly active users. (Source: Zippia)
  2. Facebook is the second-most-used global app in terms of total usage. (Source: HootSuite)
  3. Over 60% of internet users worldwide are active on Facebook. (Source: Neal Schaffer)
  4. 78% of American consumers have discovered products on Facebook. (Source: Zippia)
  5. 54.9% of Facebook users follow or research brands and products on the platform. (Source: HootSuite)
  6. Facebook posts with images receive more engagement than those without images. (Source: Oberlo)
  7. The average engagement rate across all industries is 0.13%. (Source: Oktopost)
  8. 75% of high-income earners use Facebook. (Source: SocialPilot
  9. 60% of consumers message businesses on Facebook for customer service and 69% of marketers provide customer service through the platform. (Source: Sprout Social )
  10. 2.04 billion users log in to Facebook every day. That means 68.2% of Facebook’s monthly active users are its daily users. (Source: DemandSage)
  11. Facebook videos receive 135% more organic engagement than photos. (Source: Durée & Company)
  12. Facebook ranks as the 7th most valuable brand worldwide, valued at $101.2 billion. (Source: HootSuite)
  13. Facebook.com secures the third-most visits globally after Google and YouTube. (Source: HootSuite)
  14. Americans spend about 33 minutes daily on Facebook, showing high engagement levels. (Source: Sprout Social)
  15. Facebook's ad revenue reached $113 billion in 2022, with additional fees contributing to $2 billion. (Source: Sprout Social)
  16. Facebook attracts diverse demographics, making it essential for businesses to engage on the platform. (Source: Neal Schaffer)

Instagram

  1. Instagram has over 2.35 billion monthly active Instagram users. (Source: DemandSage )
  2. It stands as the 9th most-Googled search term, highlighting its popularity and reach. (Source: Hootsuite)
  3. It is the 5th most visited website globally, further solidifying its prominence. (Source: Neal Schaffer)
  4. 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services. (Source: The Social Shepherd)
  5. Remarkably, only 0.1% of Instagram users solely use Instagram, showcasing its integration into broader social media engagement. (Source: Hootsuite)
  6. Instagram Stories have 500 million daily active users. (Source: The Small Business Blog)
  7. 63% of Instagram users log in at least once a day. (Source: Techjury)
  8. 90% of Instagram users follow a business account. (Source: The Social Shepherd)
  9. Instagram users publish content frequently, contributing to its dynamic nature. (Source: SocialPilot)
  10. Instagram's total ad revenue is expected to reach $50.6 billion in 2023. (Source: Oberlo)
  11. Posts with at least one hashtag on Instagram receive 12.6% more engagement. (Source: Gitnux Blog
  12. Instagram ranks as the 8th most visited website globally with 4.25 billion monthly visits, emphasizing its broad online presence. (Source: Hootsuite)
  13. In 2022, Instagram generated $43.2 billion in ad revenue, indicating its profitability for marketing campaigns. (Source: Neal Schaffer)
  14. Instagram appeals to a broad demographic, with around 70% of users aged under 34 years. And the 25-34 age group constitutes the largest demographic on Instagram, making up 31.7% of its user base. (Source: SocialPilot)
  15. Around 87% of Instagram users reside outside the U.S., highlighting its global appeal. (Source: SocialPilot)

YouTube

  1. YouTube has over 2.70 billion monthly active users 2023. (Source: Demand Sage )
  2. YouTube is  the second-most popular social network after Facebook. (Source: YouTube)
  3. YouTube serves as the second-most popular search engine globally, right after Google. (Source: Oberlo)
  4. Almost 5 billion videos are watched on Youtube every single day. (Source: GlobalMediaInsight)
  5. 70% of YouTube users watch videos to help with a problem they're facing. (Source: Think with Google)
  6. YouTube is the second most visited site after Google. (Source: Exploding Topics )
  7. India leads in the number of YouTube users, followed by the United States and Brazil. (Source: SproutSocial)
  8. YouTube represents 24.46 percent of the total volume of social traffic referrals to e-commerce websites. (Source: Statista )
  9. In Q2 of 2021, mobile devices accounted for 63 percent of YouTube viewing time worldwide. (Source: Statista )
  10. YouTube has 5.07 million number of YouTube downloads from the Apple App Store worldwide as of Q2 2023. (Source: Statista
  11. 62% of businesses use YouTube as a channel to post video content. (Source: Oberlo)
  12. In 2022, YouTube generated a remarkable $29.2 billion in ad revenue, contributing significantly to Google's overall earnings. (Source: Blogging Wizard)
  13. YouTube's total ad revenue is expected to reach $30.4 billion in 2023. (Source: MarketingProfs)
  14. YouTube garners more than 500 hours of video uploads per minute, providing an extensive array of content. (Source: Oberlo)
  15. YouTube contributes to the economy, with YouTube creators adding more than $25 billion to the United States GDP in a single year. (Source: Blogging Wizard)
  16. YouTube ads generated more than 10% of Google's total revenue, highlighting its substantial financial impact. (Source: Blogging Wizard)
  17. YouTube offers a wide array of content, from entertainment to educational videos, appealing to various interests and preferences. (Source: Oberlo)
  18. A treasure trove for businesses targeting different regions: YouTube's localization efforts extend its reach far and wide. (Source: Oberlo)

LinkedIn

  1. LinkedIn has over 310 million monthly active users as of 2023. (Source: Demand Sage )
  2. Around 80% of B2B leads generated on social media come from LinkedIn. (Source: LinkedIn )
  3. The average engagement rate on LinkedIn is 0.14%. (Source: 4)
  4. LinkedIn’s video views rate stands at an average of 20.58%. (Source: Socialinsider )
  5. 48% of LinkedIn users are monthly users, over 16% login every day. (Source: LinkedIn)
  6. LinkedIn reached 180 million senior-level influencers. And, a LinkedIn audience has twice the buying power of the average online audience. (Source: Sprout Social)
  7. 93% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for organic content distribution. (Source: Sprout Social)
  8. 96% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content marketing. (Source: LinkedIn)
  9. Out of the 352 Fortune 500 CEOs on social media, 97% of them are on LinkedIn. (Source: Influential Executive)
  10. The platform's total ad revenue is expected to reach $5.06 billion in 2023. (Source: Statista )

Pinterest

  1. Pinterest has over 450 million monthly active users as of 2023. (Source: Sprout Social )
  2. 89% of Pinterest users use the platform for inspiration on what to buy. (Source: SocialPilot )
  3. 91% of Pinterest users log in at least once per month, whereas 68% visit weekly. (Source: Blogging Wizard)

TikTok

  1. TikTok has over 1.1 billion monthly active users as of 2023. (Source: Demand Sage)
  2. 55% of TikTok users say they discover new TikTok trends, products, or services via the app. (Source: Meltwater)
  3. 37.36% of US mobile internet users access TikTok at least once a month and 18.68% of all Americans with mobile internet login to TikTok every single day. (Source: SearchLogistics)
  4. TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform in terms of advertising spending. (Source: Demand Sage )
  5. TikTok's ad revenues are set to hit $13.2 billion in 2023. (Source: Oberlo)
  6. 25% of TikTok users are between 10 and 19, 22.4% are between 20 and 29, 21.7% are between 30 and 39, 20.3% are between 40 and 49. (Source: The Social Shepherd)
  7. 55% of TikTok users have made a purchase after seeing a seeing a brand on TikTok. (Source: Sprout Social )
  8. TikTok is available in over 160 countries making it one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. (Source: Tech Target)
  9. In comparison to other major social media platforms, TikTok ranks sixth in monthly active users, trailing behind Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram. (Source: Hootsuite )
  10. TikTok has embraced user-generated content and content creators, making it a go-to platform for brands to connect with their target audience. (Source: SocialPilot)

SnapChat

  1. Snapchat has evolved from a disappearing pictures app to a multimedia instant messaging platform with over 350 million daily active users. (Source: The Tech Report )
  2. The platform's unique feature of self-destructive content has allowed brands to create memorable and engaging content to resonate with their audience. (Source: Es de Latino News)
  3. Snapchat's AR features have been a significant factor in its popularity, providing users with fun and interactive experiences. (Source: Es de Latino News)
  4. Snapchat's content creation tools have contributed to its popularity among content creators and users who prefer more authentic and engaging content. (Source: Es de Latino News)

Threads

  1. Threads is a social media platform launched by Meta (formerly Facebook) to compete with Twitter, and it amassed a user base of 100 million within a week of its launch. (Source: Tech Target)
  2. The app's user engagement and activity levels have shown significant fluctuations since its peak, with a notable decline in usage. (Source: Slate)
  3. Despite its initial success, Threads has faced challenges in maintaining its user base and competing with other social media platforms like TikTok. (Source: Slate)
  4. As a relatively new entrant in the social media landscape, Threads has the potential for growth and adaptation to meet evolving user demands and preferences. (Source: Tech Target)

Conclusion

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of the digital era, one thing remains certain: the pervasive impact of social media. Its ability to bridge distances, fuel trends, and reshape our culture is undeniable. But what does this mean for businesses, particularly small enterprises striving to make their mark in this dynamic realm? The statistics we've explored here underscore a crucial reality: social media isn't just a tool; it's a portal to success.

So, whether you're a small business striving to establish your presence or a marketer aiming to refine your strategies, the statistics and trends we've explored serve as your compass. They illuminate the path forward, offering a blueprint to unlock the true potential of social media. As you move forward, remember that behind every statistic lies an opportunity, and behind every trend lies the potential for growth.

If you're ready to harness the full potential of social media for your business, let's connect and explore how these insights can be translated into tailored strategies that propel your brand to new heights. Contact me today, and together, we'll embark on a journey of social media success that's as unique as your business itself.

Image of the author - Hannah Kilpatrick

Written By: Hannah Kilpatrick |  Monday, September 25, 2023

Hannah Kilpatrick Cube Creative DesignHannah Kilpatrick graduated from Western Carolina University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a Minor in Marketing and a Concentration in Public Relations. She has been around social media since its creation. (Meaning, she was in the first grade when Facebook became available to the general public.) As our very own professional Gen-Z, Hannah is a whiz when it comes to social media creation and paid advertising.