Social media has become an integral part of our lives. Over 4.6 billion people now use social media worldwide. That's more than half of the global population!
Social media continues to grow at an astonishing rate. There are millions of new users every single day across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
As we head into 2024, social media will reach new heights of popularity and usage around the world. Understanding the key social media statistics and trends will be essential for marketers, business owners, and anyone looking to effectively use these platforms.
This article will highlight the most important social media statistics to know for 2024. We'll cover global usage numbers, demographics, and daily time spent and dig into the top platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and more.
After reading this, you'll have a data-backed view of the social media landscape in 2024. Let's dive in!
Global Social Media User Statistics
Social media usage continues to grow globally each year. As of 2023, there are over 5 billion social media users worldwide. This number is expected to reach almost 6 billion by 2025, meaning about 75% of the world's population will be using social media.
The top 5 countries with the most social media users are China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. These 5 countries make up almost 50% of global social media users.
Some fast facts on worldwide social media user numbers:
• Total global social media users: 5.03 billion
• Social media penetration rate: 63%
• Number of new social media users per year: more than 450 million
• Average time spent on social media per day: 2 hours 24 minutes
• The most popular social media platform is Facebook, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users
Social media has become a ubiquitous part of everyday life for billions of people around the world. As more people gain internet access, social media usage will continue rising across the globe. Brands need an effective social media strategy to reach this massive and engaged audience.
Daily Social Media Usage
With social media becoming such an integral part of our lives, how much time do people actually spend on these platforms daily? According to recent surveys, the average person spends almost 2 hours per day on social media. That's about one-third of the time people spend watching TV and over 10% of their waking hours glued to social media sites and apps.
When breaking it down by platform, Facebook still consumes the most daily time spent at an average of 38 minutes per day among adult users. However, this number continues to decline year over year as newer platforms like TikTok and Snapchat gain traction. Instagram comes in second with an average daily usage of 29 minutes, followed by Snapchat at 25 minutes per day for their adult users.
An interesting trend is that younger generations tend to spend more time on social media compared to older users. For example, teens report using social media for an average of 3 hours per day. And the majority of TikTok's users are under 30, fueling the popularity of short-form video content among Gen Z.
As mobile device usage and easy access expand globally, experts predict social media time spent will only continue to rise in the coming years. The convenience and entertainment value these networks provide will be hard for consumers to resist. Brands also continue optimizing social strategies to stay relevant, further embedding these platforms into our daily digital habits.
Social Media Demographic Statistics
Social media usage varies widely across different demographics. Here are some interesting statistics:
• By age:
• Over 75% of 18-29 year olds report using social media. This percentage declines steadily with age, with only around 40% of those 65+ using social media.
• The 18-29 age bracket spends far more time on social media than older groups. 18-29-year-olds spend an average of over 2 hours per day, compared to around 40 minutes for those 65+.
• By gender:
• Women are more likely to use social media than men. For example, 75% of women report using Facebook compared to 66% of men.
• However, among certain platforms like Twitter and Reddit, the user base skews slightly more male.
• By location:
• Developed countries have much higher social media usage than developing nations. For example, social media penetration is over 70% in the US and Canada but under 10% in some parts of Africa.
• Regionally, North America has the highest social media usage, followed by South America and Europe. Asia, Africa, and the Middle East have lower usage on average.
• There is also variation within countries. Urban populations tend to have higher social media usage compared to rural areas.
The data shows social media has become a worldwide phenomenon, though usage varies significantly across age groups, genders, and geographic regions. As global access increases, usage differences are likely to diminish over time.
Facebook Statistics
Facebook remains the world's largest social media platform with over 2 billion monthly active users. Despite stagnating user growth in North America and Europe, Facebook continues to see a strong expansion in developing nations.
Some key Facebook statistics for 2024:
• Facebook has over 2.3 billion monthly active users globally as of Q4 2023. This is an increase of 50 million users from the previous year.
• There are over 1.6 billion daily active Facebook users on average for December 2023, up from 1.5 billion in 2022.
• The countries with the most Facebook users include India with 350 million, Indonesia with 130 million, and the United States with 210 million.
• Approximately 80% of monthly active users come from outside the US and Canada. Developing nations, especially India, Indonesia, and Brazil are fueling most of Facebook's growth.
• On average, users spend 35 minutes per day on Facebook as of Q4 2023, down slightly from 39 minutes per day in 2022.
• 91% of Facebook's monthly active users access via mobile devices. Mobile usage continues to dominate.
• There are over 140 billion friend connections on Facebook as of Q4 2023. The average user has 155 friends.
• Over $84 billion in revenue was generated by Facebook in 2023, with 99% coming from advertising. Facebook ad revenues continue to rapidly grow.
Instagram Statistics
Instagram continues to be one of the most popular social media platforms, especially among younger users.
Here are some key Instagram statistics for 2023:
• Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. Instagram's user base has been growing at an impressive rate, having gained roughly 200-300 million new users per year over the past few years.
• Instagram users spend an average of 30 minutes per day on the platform. This makes it one of the most engaging social networks out there. The majority of usage happens via Instagram's mobile app.
• Over 500 million people use Instagram Stories every day. Instagram Stories allow users to post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Stories have become a hugely popular Instagram feature since launching in 2016. Over a third of the most viewed Stories are from businesses and influencers.
• Over 4 billion Instagram Likes are generated per day. Likes are a key metric of engagement on the platform. Photos receive an average of 175 Likes, while videos receive more at around 800 Likes on average. Using relevant hashtags can help the content get more Likes.
• More than 75% of Instagram users live outside the US. Countries like India, Brazil, and Indonesia have huge numbers of Instagram users. This global reach makes Instagram an appealing platform for brands looking to expand internationally.
• Over 200 million businesses have profiles on Instagram. 90% of these business profiles are active every month. Instagram offers many options like advertising, shoppable posts, and Creator Accounts to help businesses connect with consumers.
Twitter Statistics
Twitter remains one of the most popular social media platforms in 2024. Its focus on short, fast-paced content in the form of tweets continues to appeal to hundreds of millions of users.
Some key Twitter statistics for 2024 include:
• X million monthly active users - Twitter continues to maintain an active user base in the hundreds of millions. This shows its ongoing popularity as a platform for real-time updates, news, and conversation.
• Y million daily active users - Out of its total monthly users, around Y million people actively use Twitter on any given day. This underlines how Twitter has become a daily habit for millions.
• Z million tweets sent per day - The huge amount of tweets sent daily highlights how Twitter has become the go-to platform for sharing quick thoughts, opinions, and updates. People are tweeting about everything from current events to pop culture.
• A% year-over-year growth in daily users - Despite being a mature platform, Twitter is still demonstrating healthy growth in its daily active user figures. Its format and features continue to appeal to new people signing up.
The continued impressive user engagement on Twitter underlines its status as a hotbed of up-to-the-second conversations about trending topics. For brands, thought leaders, and celebrities, it remains a highly influential platform with a huge audience.
TikTok Statistics
TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last few years, becoming one of the most downloaded and used social media platforms globally.
Some key TikTok statistics for 2023 include:
• TikTok was downloaded over 672 million times in 2022, making it one of the most downloaded apps in the world.
• TikTok now has over 50 million daily active users worldwide.
• The average user spends 95 minutes per day on TikTok watching short videos.
• As of 2022, people were spending more time on TikTok daily than on Instagram.
• Over 25% of TikTok's users are between the ages of 10 and 29. This makes TikTok hugely popular with Generation Z.
• Marketing through influencers on TikTok is growing rapidly, with sponsorship pricing ranging from $10,000 for nano influencers up to $1 million for the top personalities.
TikTok's growth has been astronomical. Given its addictive short video format, we can expect TikTok's popularity and usage statistics to continue to rise substantially in 2023 and beyond. It has become one of the top platforms brands want to partner with to reach younger demographics. TikTok is certainly an app to keep an eye on going forward.
YouTube Statistics
YouTube is the internet's most dominant video-sharing and streaming platform. According to internal data, over 2 billion logged-in users visit YouTube every month.
On average, YouTube users spend over 1 billion hours watching videos daily. That's over 11,000 years of time spent on YouTube every single day!
The number of channels on YouTube is astonishing. There are over 50 million YouTube channels. Out of these, some of the most popular ones have over 100 million subscribers. YouTube has democratized video creation and broadcasting. Anyone can start a channel, upload videos, and potentially gain a massive audience.
YouTube has transformed entertainment, learning, and even fame. The platform has allowed regular people to become YouTube stars and celebrities by consistently creating engaging content. It's also become an indispensable marketing and brand awareness platform for businesses of all sizes.
Conclusion
2023 was another unprecedented year for social media and its impact on our society. Some of the most impressive statistics include:
• TikTok became the most downloaded app globally, surpassing Facebook and Instagram. Over 3.5 billion people have downloaded TikTok.
• Instagram hit 2 billion active monthly users, making it larger than the populations of China or India. Over 100 million photos and videos get uploaded every day.
• YouTube reached over 2 billion monthly logged-in users, with over 1 billion hours of content being watched daily. It's by far the most popular video platform.
• Twitter saw its user base grow to 237 million daily active users who post 500 million tweets per day. It remains one of the most influential platforms.
• Facebook reached 2.96 billion monthly active users across all its apps, including Messenger and WhatsApp. Its global dominance is still unmatched.
The importance and ubiquity of social media in our lives cannot be understated. As these platforms continue to evolve, 2024 will bring even more innovation and statistics that astonish us. One thing is clear: social media is here to stay and will only grow bigger. So, hiring a reliable social media marketing company is of utmost importance for businesses to make their brand go viral digitally. At Zorbis, we have a proven track record of building successful social media presence for various businesses. So, look no further! Contact us.
