Social Media Statistics For Your Friends And Followers 

Damjan Jugovic Spajic

Updated: May 5, 2023

SHARE:

Social media has changed everything. In just over a decade, it transformed relationships, news outlets, businesses and the very definition of privacy.

Today, it transcends borders, ages, genders and educational backgrounds. And despite all the fake news and online abuse scandals, social media statistics reveal there is no shortage of people willing to tweet and share.

Nevertheless, few people are willing to argue that these digital hangouts are a force for good in the world. For many, the individual platforms are components of an addictive and harmful machine. But with an increasing amount of resources being allocated to reach people through social channels, the future of social media looks as bright as ever.

Key Social Media Statistics

• Nearly half of the world’s population is active on social media.

• 54% of social media users use social media platforms to browse for products.

• There are 500 million daily Stories users.

• An average user spends an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes on social networking.

• 90% of businesses choose social media to improve their brand image.

• YouTube reported 1.9 billion monthly active users.

• There are 246.7 million social media users in the US.

• Asia Pacific region accounts for 52.2% of global social media users.

• 80% of every generation uses social media at least once per day.

• In 2019, 65% of men said they are frequent social media users, and 78% of women stated the same.

• The rate of young adults with suicidal thoughts increased 47% from 2008 to 2017.

State of Social Media – Digital Around the World

The old Facebook News Feed evolved from a place where college students shared details about their latest antics and adventures to an advertising platform with enormous potential. The history of social media tells similar success stories about other platforms including Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, which have seen their user base and profitability soar in recent years.

An overview of social media statistics in 2019 reveals that nearly half of the global population uses these social networking platforms. However, a growing number of people in dozens of countries are familiarizing themselves with the toxic nature of social media.

45% of the world population in 2019 used social media at least once a month.

(Statista)

Despite all the controversy surrounding privacy issues and the widespread dissemination of fake news, the world is still in love with the social media animal.   Statistics about social media show that 45% of the world’s population is now using these platforms. Social media is continually flourishing with a whopping 3.5 billion users in 2019.

Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes on the platforms.

(GlobalWebIndex)

A substantial number of people in the world are now on social media. Digital consumers are spending an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes each day posting pictures, hitting Like buttons, or sharing their interests. That’s about half the time they spend watching television, which doesn’t include streaming services like Netflix.

However, data compiled by Global Web Index in 31 countries between 2012 to 2018 shows that the world might be approaching saturation in social media consumption.

Time spent on social media: Statistics from Global Web Index revealed that in 11 of the 31 states, time spent on social networks has either stagnated or decreased. The UK, Germany, and Japan are among the countries that witnessed a decline, while in Sweden, Australia, and South Korea, time spent on social media plateaued. Growing awareness about the negative impacts from time spent looking at screens likely contributed to these trends.

Three in 10 US adults say they are “almost constantly” online.

(Pew Research Center)

With the widespread use of devices such as smartphones and tablets, a substantial number of people in the US find themselves online more than they would like.

Statistics about social media use show that 28% of American adults are online almost constantly – up from 21% in 2015. 81% of US adults say they go online every day, and 50% are online more than once a day.

Around seven in 10 Americans use Facebook.

(Pew Research Center)

Social media demographics explored by the Pew Research Center revealed that 69% of American adults engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves on Facebook.

Social media growth statistics show that US adults spend time across multiple social media platforms. 73% of US adults say they use YouTube on a daily basis and about three-quarters visit the Facebook app at least once a day.

Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users, and 500 million use the platform daily.

(Instagram)

As of June 2019, this platform hit the 1 billion milestone. Instagram demographics stats show just how many people visit the site daily. As many as 500 million users touch up on Instagram posts at least once a month.

In comparison, social media statistics for businesses show that the platform had 130 million monthly active users in June 2013. Since then, Instagram has grown tenfold.

With this number of monthly active users, Instagram was crowned the second most engaged social media network in 2018.

92% of Americans aged 12 and above are aware of Twitter.

(Statista)

Social media facts and statistics reveal that most Americans have at least heard of Twitter even if they never used it.

In the last couple of years, Twitter’s user growth has been evening out. This is mainly because the platform became focused on improving the user experience.

The company has been dealing with negative social media statistics and decided to start purging third-party apps and spam accounts, alot sooner than its competitors.

In the fall of 2019, Twitter announced that it was working on detecting and removing abusive messages from the popular social media platform.

Snapchat has 210 million daily active users worldwide, and 97.55 million are in the US.

(Statista)

Growth of social media statistics reveal that the Snapchat community has grown to 210 million daily active users since its launch in 2011.

In the age of timelines, Snapchat pioneered the development of brief Stories through filters and interactive lenses.

The Instagram and Facebook apps quickly followed suit by introducing this format, taking the world by storm. You could say Snap had Stories before it was cool.

YouTube has 1.9 billion monthly active users.

(YouTube)

According to social media growth statistics, YouTube is one of the most popular platforms in the world. In the last decade, YouTube channel stats showed explosive growth that opened avenues for brands and content creators who are able to earn a living by making interesting videos. The platform was founded in an office garage in 2005, making its progress all the more astonishing to watch.

Around 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Social media statistics on YouTube usage show that one billion hours of video are watched by over 30 million daily active YouTube users.

LinkedIn has over 660 million active users in more than 200 countries.

(LinkedIn)

This is where over 660 million people create online resumes, list their current or previous job roles, and subsequently find jobs.

This social network for professionals allows businesses to create profiles and list current vacancies.

Statistics on social media show that LinkedIn nearly tripled its growth rate in the five years after going public in 2011.

Social Media Demographics

Social media demographics and how many people use social media can be understood by delving into social media statistics worldwide. Millennials and Gen Xers dominate social media platforms while more than half of the world’s users are based in the Asia Pacific region.

Social media facts show that favorite platforms vary in accordance with a number of different factors, including age, income, place of residence and gender.

We broke down the social media demographics statistics into three sections: country of residence, age group and gender.

India has 351.4 million social media users.

(Statista)

India currently has a total population of over 1.37 billion people, which constitutes 17.1% of the global population. Social media statistics reveal that over 350 million of the country’s residents frequently visit the most popular social media sites.

Increased availability of internet connections and rapid modernisation are directly linked to the growth of social media users.

Stats about social media in India reveal that Facebook and YouTube are the most popular social networks. Amazon and Flipkart are the most popular online shopping platforms, and TikTok is the most downloaded app.

Social media statistics show that the US has around 249.7 million social media users.

(Statista)

Social media changed the way we form relationships, the way we access information and the way we organize to demand political change.

How many Americans use social media? Social media user statistics reveal that about three quarters of the population in the US use the platforms to interact with the world around them.

The UK and France have the highest number of active monthly social media users on the European continent.

(Statista)

The rise of social media transcends continents. Whether we use social media for business, news, marketing or to find our soulmate, this technology is a defining feature of our daily lives.

Social media news statistics show that Europeans prefer to stay updated on current affairs with the help of social media news feeds. As such, the number of social media users in Europe is significant. 40% of residents from Spain, Denmark and Sweden say they use social media as their primary news source.

Nearly 49% of the Russian population or 70 million people are active social media users.

(Linkfluence)

Russian social media users are some of the most engaged in the world. However, the Russian market is not as accommodating as the one in Europe. Statistics on social media use in Russia show that VKontakte and OdnoKlassnik dominate the country’s social media market.

Approximately 49% of the population in Russia are frequent social media users. The social media penetration rate is not as high as in the US, but Russians salute the shift towards all digital. The percentage of people who use social media in Russia rose significantly in the period from January 2018 to January 2019, mainly due to the increase in internet access in rural parts of the country.

Russian social media usage statistics reveal that users spend an average of 2 hours and 16 minutes per day on social media platforms. That’s 12 minutes longer than an average American spends on the platforms.

The Asia Pacific region accounts for 52.2% of global social media users.

(GO-Globe)

In the Asia Pacific region, homegrown social media platforms dominate local markets. However, Western social media giants like Facebook still get their piece of the pie.

According to social media use statistics, the estimated social networking penetration is 25% in this corner of the globe. These figures are especially imperative because half of the world’s social media users are based in the Asia Pacific region.

This is exactly why this region has become critical to Facebook’s user growth since it boasts over 426 million monthly active users.

Australia reports over 18 million active social media users.

(We Are Social)

How many people use social media today in Australia? Of the 24.93 million people living on this continent, 72% are active social media users.

Social media user statistics in Australia show an increase of 5.9% in 2019, bringing the total number to 18 million active users. Social media stats for Australians say that they choose to spend 1 hour and 31 minutes on social media apps, slightly shorter than Europeans or Americans.

Over 80% of social media users from every age group in the US log in at least once per day.

(The Manifest)

Social media is ingrained in the lives of every generation, and social network statistics show that users are becoming more selective and spending time across multiple platforms.

The social media landscape is much more diverse than just Facebook and Instagram. Social media statistics worldwide reveal that platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest or LinkedIn are visited almost as much as Facebook and Instagram.

Gen Xers and Millennials can be found on the social media map more frequently than Baby Boomers, but that is not always the case. Facebook’s popularity has been declining among younger users, while Baby Boomers have just started enjoying the benefits of the platform.

No matter what the platform of choice is, social media statistics by age show that Americans from every generation are logging in at least once a day.

86% of millennials are frequent social media users.

(Marketing Charts)

No generation can compete with millennials when it comes to the latest technological advances, and no age group has broader access to smartphone devices.

8 out of 10 American adults have a smartphone. While 96% of the population have a cell phone, only 84% of those are smartphones. This device is used for checking bank balances, enjoying a video, reading the news or communicating with loved ones. Social media platforms are increasingly targeting millennials and social media statistics show that their resources are being channeled in the right direction.

76% of Gen Xers claimed to be regular social media users in 2019, up from 64% in 2012.

(Marketing Charts)

Social media platform statistics show that the number of Gen Xers on social media has risen in the last few years, and that every 3 in 4 Gen Xers spends time on the digital hangouts.

Facts about social media traditionally showed that these platforms only attract a younger audience. However, this trend is changing.

According to social media stats, the number of baby boomers and silents using social networking sites is growing more rapidly than among the younger generations.

The percentage of boomers on social media rose from 40% in 2012 to 59% in 2019.

(Marketing Charts)

There are roughly 80 million baby boomers in the US and they are contributing to the rise in the online population.

A study conducted by Google in 2018 looked into statistics about social media usage and found that baby boomers spend more time online than they do watching TV.

This generation is either still employed or retired, so a large chunk can be found on LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. In fact, baby boomers spend an average of one hour and 48 minutes browsing through social media platforms, according to the latest statistics of social media users.

Silents are the slowest generation in social media adoption.

(Marketing Charts)

The Silent Generation refers to those aged between 74 to 91 in 2020. According to statistics of social media use, 28% of silents are social media users. That number stood at only 15% in 2012.

Even though they lag behind other generations, there is no doubt that the initial adoption rate of smartphone ownership rose: 40% of silents have a smartphone device.

An estimated 65% of men are frequent social media users, compared to 78% of women.

(Statista)

Men are from Mars, women are from Venus, right? This old saying holds water when it comes to usage of social media between genders. Even though it sounds cliche, gender differences in the usage of social media are evident.

For instance, social media statistics reveal that men use social media to find news, information to build influence or for business reasons. Women are the ones who use their expressive abilities and form support groups where they express their feelings and support for the ones who need it most.

Women are not biologically wired for social networking, but they have proven they are able to take advantage of social networks and help others by founding a number of support groups and charities.

Even though they use it in different ways, social media users statistics show that both men and women have a significant presence on social media.

Women also eclipse men when it comes to Facebook and Instagram usage.

(Khoros)

Many online users cannot imagine a world without Facebook and Instagram. Both of the platforms have over a billion users worldwide and more than half of those are women.

Statistics on social media show that women make up 51% of Instagram users and 54% of Facebook users.

The Twitter community is 53% male and 47% female.

(Khoros)

Who is on Twitter? The answer varies by region, but globally, men are more present on the platform.

Statistics of social media use tell us that Twitter has always been more popular among the male population.

However, the gender disparity within the Twitter community is less noticeable among younger users.

More than 50% of users on the YouTube platform are female.

(Khoros)

If YouTube were a country, it would be one of the largest with two billion residents.

Statistics on social media usage show that the percentage of women on this platform grew gradually in the last few years.

This is one of the few social media platforms where the age demographics are evenly split.

Snapchat has the most evident gender gap with 70% of its users being female and only 30% male.

(Khoros)

The strength of this app is its appeal to younger audiences, and that should come as no surprise because this social media app defined that generation.

The differences in the distribution of Snapchat users by gender is apparent, and statistics on social media usage reveal that this platform is dominated by females.

Social Media Addiction Statistics – User Behavior

Anxiety, loneliness and fear of missing out. You could count these as the main impacts social media has on the mental health of its users. These implications have attracted a significant amount of attention in the last decade. This is mainly because of revelations that addiction to social media can at times be lethal.

Social media and mental health statistics show that many users internalise harmful beliefs about themselves due to being “unpopular” or “unfunny” on social media. The failure to gain instant gratification forces users to perpetually refresh their social media feeds and further deepen their addiction.

We’ve compiled the most important social media addiction statistics and the negative impact of this toxic trend over the last year.

Only 17% of adolescents did not use social media.

(Telegraph)

Social media addiction statistics and many studies on the topic have found a link between social media use and shaken adolescent health, especially for the teenegars who spend more than three hours a day on social media.

6,000 children aged 12 to 15 whose social media usage was around three hours a day were chosen to participate in a study. Anxiety, depression, aggression and loneliness were some of the reported side effects.

9 in 10 young females say they are unhappy with the way they look.

(Centre for Mental Health)

Girls, it seems, spend a lot more time on social media apps. There is rapidly accumulating evidence that women exhibit a range of mental health problems due to unreasonable expectations on photo sharing platforms.

The constant circulation of easily manipulated images affects the self image of 9 out of 10 young females, according to the latest social media body image statistics. They feel as if they are not able to meet those unrealistic standards, which more often than not, leads them straight to eating disorders, loneliness, and depression.

Social media addiction affects 5% of adolescents, and has been described as potentially more addictive than alcohol and cigarette consumption.

(Centre for Mental Health)

“Social media addiction” has been identified as being potentially more harmful than alcohol and cigarette addiction.

It seems that the urge to check the social media feed is not that different from a strong urge to light a cigarette. This is linked with the need for instant gratification, which adolescents seem to crave most.

Social media and depression statistics show that the dangerous side of social media addiction surfaces when instant gratification shaped in the form of likes and comments is not received. Young adults turn to self-reflection which can result in serious mental health issues. Adolescents have the tendency to form “unpopular” and “unfunny” or “unattractive” beliefs about themselves.

Social media bullying statistics show that 33.8% of young people have been bullied online, and 16.9% state they had been cyberbullied within the previous 30 days.

(Cyberbullying Research Center)

People have always found it comforting to put other people down, but the creation of online communities has opened the door to cyberbullying.

This form of bullying is a real problem in today’s society. Social media cyber bullying statistics show that 33.8% of young people have been bullied online, and 16.9% endured it in the previous month.

Stats on social media reveal that the younger population has completely embraced online interactivity, and many would hide the consequences of bullying. Unfortunately, those consequences often amount to so much more than just “feeling bad”.

The rate of young adults with suicidal thoughts increased 47% from 2008 to 2017.

(NBC News)

Social media statistics show that percentage of young American adults who experienced some type of mental health disorders has risen dramatically in the last decade.

The American Psychological Association found the generation born in 1995 or later is the group that increasingly reports worrying psychological symptoms after spending time on  most popular social media sites.

Statistics of deaths caused by social media revealed that substantial increase in clinical depression or suicidal thoughts among young adults has been noticed. The rate of young adults with suicidal thoughts increased 47% from 2008 to 2017.

It is becoming apparent that the attention of devoted psychological professionals is needed more than ever before.

A study involving 91,000 middle-aged people found that 6% of those checking their Facebook late at night were 6% more likely to suffer from depression.

(The Week)

While some studies emphasize that prolonged social media usage can risk user’s mental health, some suggest that it can also provide significant benefits. These social media sites could be a fun and healthy activity only if used in a balanced manner.

But as we’ve seen in social media statistics, many are constantly online.

In analyzing data on 91,000 middle-aged people, researchers found a link between excessive mobile phone use at night and poor sleep hygiene. Social media platforms can be the source of numerous dangers and social media statistics disclose that people who are checking Facebook late at night are 6% more likely to suffer from depression. 11% of them were more likely to have bipolar disorder, and the same individuals rated their own happiness 9% lower than those who avoided using social media before going to bed.

A study found a link between Instagram use and self-objectification among young women in the US and Australia.

(PubMed)

Social media effects on body image statistics are still being developed, and most of the studies on the topic are correlational.

However, some of the latest social media and eating disorders statistics revealed that higher Instagram use was associated with a greater tendency towards orthorexia, eating behaviors and nervosa symptoms. The healthy eating community on Instagram has a high prevalence of orthorexia symptoms, and it has been concluded that the “influence” of social media celebrities may also have clinical implications for spectrum of eating disorders.

Only 1 in 10 cyber bullying victims will inform a parent or friend of their abuse.

(National Crime Prevention Council)

Social media can be detrimental to teens who are spending most of their time on these platforms. The communities they form on social media are not that different from the ones in real life. Unfortunately, this allowed them to take bullying from school hallways into cyberspace.

Social media bullying statistics show that nearly 43% of teens have been victims of cyberbullying in the last year, and 10% of students were victimized because one of their classmates posted unflattering pictures of them online.

Unfortunately, 81% of teenagers said they think their classmates engage in cyberbullying because they find it funny. This surely contributes to social media and self-esteem statistics which is a step in the wrong direction for our youth.

Another disturbing fact is that 80% of the youth said that they did not have parental rules about the time they spend online, or they find a way around it. As a consequence, only 1 in 10 cyber bullying victims will inform a parent about their abuse.

Brands and Social Media

Brand consistency across all social media platforms is a challenge for every company. As we all know, a brand is more than a logo or a cover photo. A brand image is a way your product makes customers feel, and it can be further enhanced by ensuring that each customer interaction with the brand is consistent.

Social media marketing statistics reveal that most consumers in the world today, consider social media branding a big part of their shopping experience. Many companies around the world understood this message loud and clear, so you can see many brands trying to show off their company’s personality to the rest of the world. Some got it right, some have more to learn.

The following Social media marketing statistics should help you understand the examples of a successful social media strategy.

54% of social browsers use social media to research products.

(GlobalWebIndex)

There are many opportunities for businesses who are crafty at social media marketing. Every social media platform measures activity in a different way, and as a result there is a range of social media marketing approaches.

Brands are riding the wave of social media marketing by providing the best social media customer service, advising about incentives and recommendations on their products that keeps the social browsers engaged on their brand.

Half the consumers follow brands online to stay in the loop about new product and service launch updates.

(Sprout Social)

For marketers and their social media advertising statistics, converting followers into paying customers is the main goal. Creating social strategies that fit their niche and their customers can be a challenge, and before creating any, marketers should know more about the reasons their customers follow their brand on social media.

Social media statistics on users show that 50% of them are there to learn about new products and services, and 40% wish to stay up to date on company news.

90% of businesses choose social media platforms to improve their brand image and communication with its customers.

(Smart Insights)

When it comes to social media goals, 90% of social marketers say brand awareness is their number one priority. They also wish to drive sales and generate more leads through social marketing, but to meet those goals they need to improve their communication with the customers.

In fact, social media statistics for businesses reveal that 63% of customers expect exceptional customer service via social media platforms, and nearly all brands complied with their wishes. 24.7% of customers prefer live chat support, 19.4% prefer email and only 16.1% of customers wish to know about the brand using a toll-free phone service.

Instagram is the most engaging platform with an average engagement rate per post of 2.26%, as opposed to Facebook’s 0.21% and Twitter’s 0.06%.

(Planable)

In social media marketing, everyone has a favorite platform. Many experts have a clear idea about which platform brings more engagement in social media statistics, but that doesn’t mean they are always right.

But what is the engagement rate exactly? This is a formula that measures the amount of interaction social content earns relative to reach or other audience figures. Or in other words, reactions, comments, and shares on social media platforms.

Social media statistics worldwide reveal that Instagram is the most engaging social media today.

71% of consumers who’ve had a good social media experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others.

(Ambassador)

A good product is no longer enough to make the sales and keep the customers around. For recommendations, advice on products, or further assistance, customers used to turn to emails or toll-free phone services.

Now, social media platform statistics show that 33% of consumers would rather contact a company through social media than by telephone or email. Organizations are slowly adapting to this change, and many have realized that turning users into advocates is the best form of marketing.

The data speaks for itself. 92% of consumers in the UK have looked for another brand due to poor customer service, and social media user statistics say that 71% of them who have a positive experience with customer support representatives are likely to recommend the brand to others. Moreover, one of the interesting social media facts is that 21% of users who received good customer assistance on social media wanted to spend more on the brand.

NBA and National Geographic have the highest user engagement with 1.55B and 1.37B cross-platforms total actions respectively.

(Statista)

So, which brands managed to keep their customers interested and remain on top of social media statistics?

Although fashion dominates social media, there are some exceptions to the rule. The brands who create their content strategy by constantly engaging their social media users with inspirational videos, fresh posts, and a narrative relevant to their line of work manage to beat Huda Cosmetics and Zara.

Social media advertising statistics reveal that NBA and National Geographic are two brands that present the highest user engagement rates cross-platforms through shares, hashtags, and other means.

A Better Internet is Waiting for Us

Many of us would want to get away from social media, but the truth is we can’t imagine a world without it. We enjoy the anonymous communication. And although  shocking statistics about social media should have taught us that this sort of communication can degenerate quickly, tough talk about reforming these digital platforms is simply unrealistic.

Users get hooked quickly to the shares, the likes and the attention. Meanwhile, others are made to feel inadequate by the social media machine, giving way to loneliness, anxiety and other more serious psychological issues.

But social media statistics underscore the unmatched global reach of these social networking sites and their undeniable appeal to a wide range of businesses.