A successful social media strategy begins with thorough research into your brand’s target audience to determine which platforms they use and the capacity in which they use them. Deepening your understanding of their user behavior allows you to invest confidently in the appropriate platforms that can support your brand’s overarching business goals. By using consumer insights, businesses can create tailored and engaging social experiences that attract new audiences and retain existing ones.
Below are 5 social media usage statistics that every marketer should know in 2023.👇
- As of January 2023, there were 246 million social media users in the US.
- Behind Google, YouTube is the 2nd most visited website in the US. Facebook is 3rd.
- Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world.
- US adult social media users spend 55.8 minutes a day on TikTok, the longest out of all platforms.
- 66% of surveyed consumers reported short-form video as the most engaging type of social media content in 2022.
Check out our platform-specific breakdown of a few key usage and demographic data points to consider as you navigate the social landscape for your brand. 👇
Due to its massive user base and increasingly sophisticated advertising capabilities, Facebook continues to be a top platform for reaching new audiences and building community. With over 266 million monthly active users within the US & Canada alone, there is a vast opportunity for businesses of all sizes to connect with target audiences.
Number of monthly active users: 266 million (US & Canada)
User time spent per day on the channel: 30.2 minutes (US)
Fast Demo Stats:
- Millennials (58.9 million people) are Facebook’s largest US audience, followed by Gen X (44.8 million people).
- Those who identify as female represent more than half of Facebook’s US user base at 53.7%.
Instagram’s highly visual nature has evolved through the years, allowing brands to showcase their persona and products in creative and engaging formats. In 2022, the platform’s vertical video capability, Instagram Reels, accounted for over 20% of the time spent on the app. In addition, over 40% of Meta advertisers use Reels ads across their apps. With a large majority of the platform’s demographics being Millennials and Gen Z, it’s an ideal channel for brands to engage a younger to mid-age audience.
Number of monthly active users: 133.5 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel: 30.6 minutes (US)
Fast Demo Stats:
- Millennials are the largest demographic on Instagram at 51.5 million US users, followed by Gen Z at 43.4 million US users.
- 55.7% of US Instagram users identify as women, and 44.3% identify as men.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, serving a wide audience of mostly Gen Z and Millennials. With a focus on short-form video entertainment, TikTok’s For You Page is full of people-centric, humorous, and trend-forward content. Due to the platform’s algorithmic structure, brands have the highest probability of reaching virality here. Additionally, the importance of visual storytelling and authenticity encourages brands to be even more creative in engaging the TikTok community.
Number of monthly active users: 150 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel:: 55.8 minutes (US)
Fast Demo Stats:
- Within the US, TikTok has the largest Gen Z audience out of all platforms at 45.7 million. Millennials are close behind, with 34.2 million US users.
- Those who identify as female make up 61% of the app’s gender demographic (that’s 62.4 million Americans!).
Twitter is widely known for its quick wit and highly informative real-time communication and discussion capabilities. Brands leverage this space through customer service, proactive community engagement, humourous content, and much more. It’s no surprise users are spending the third highest time on this app compared to other social platforms, as it’s a great tool for staying connected with an array of industries and communities.
Number of monthly active users: 55.1 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel: 34.1 minutes (US)
Fast Demo Stats:
- Millennials are the largest demographic on Twitter at 18.2 million US users, followed by Gen Z at 17.9 million US users.
- Those who identify as male represent more than half of Twitter’s US user base at 52.3%.
The largest professional social network, LinkedIn offers a wide variety of advertising options for unparalleled targeting within B2B marketing and recruitment. The platform is primarily used by professionals for education, building their personal brand, career growth, and job searching. In fact, as of May 2022, the United States held the highest regional distribution of desktop traffic to LinkedIn.com in the world.
Number of monthly active users: 72 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel: 7.65 minutes (global, desktop traffic only)
Fast Demographic Stats:
- LinkedIn is most widely used by Millennials at 27.7 million US users, followed by a large Gen X population of 21.4 million US users.
- Those who identify as male represent more than half of LinkedIn’s US user base at 54.7%.
YouTube
YouTube is the world’s largest video network and #2 search engine. Due to the ever-changing social landscape and the sudden rise of TikTok, YouTubers can now watch short-form video through YouTube Shorts in addition to long-form video on the site and app. YouTube offers brands an incredibly massive audience and diverse advertising capabilities to target niche viewers through interests, behavior, and more.
Number of monthly active users: 236.1 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel: 47.5 minutes (US)
Fast Demographic Stats:
- There is a significant user share across each generation; however, Millennials (60.3 million) and Gen Z (59.4 million) make up the majority of US users.
- Those who identify as male represent more than half of YouTube’s US user base at 51.4%.
For creative planners, Pinterest is a visual search engine that enables users to discover and learn about a wide variety of topics, including recipes, trend casting, design, weddings, travel, and more. Pinterest content has the longest shelf life of all platforms, attesting to the timeless curiosity of Pinners.
Number of monthly active users: 86.4 million (US)
User time spent per day on the channel: 5.75 minutes (global, desktop traffic only)
Fast Demographic Stats:
- Pinterest is most widely used by Millennials at 28.5 million US users, followed by Gen Z at 21.7 million US users.
- Those who identify as female represent almost 3/4ths of Pinterest’s US user base at 70.3%.
Understanding social media usage and demographic data allows brands to identify viable platforms for effective and impactful marketing. This information provides insight into how people use social media and the frequency with which they use it to then tailor overarching social strategies.
While we covered high-level platform usage and demographic data in this blog, our team of strategists keeps a strong pulse on industry-specific user behavior and more. If you’re looking to identify which platforms to invest in or simply want to learn more about your target demographics’ social usage, the Likeable team is ready. Reach out to us here, and we’ll get your brand in tip-top social shape.
Data within this article was pulled in March 2023. All sources are hyperlinked within the statistic or data point shared.
