From how we get our news to how we interact with others, there’s no doubt that social media platforms have grown exponentially and are here to stay. With platforms constantly obtaining millions of new users every day, a social media marketing strategy for your business should not be ignored. Some key social media statistics to consider:
- 80 million small businesses around the world are using Facebook pages
- The average post on Instagram contains about 10 hashtags
- 57% of LinkedIn users are men, 43% of users are women
Social media platforms push us into an incredible digital age where products and connections are just a click away. Comprehending social media marketing statistics will help optimize your brand to reach new audiences and close new leads.
Below, we outline why understanding statistics for social media is important for your business and provide the top 5 statistics for each popular social media platform you need to know.
Why are social media statistics important for your business?
Social media is important for any business’s marketing strategy, for one simple reason: It’s where people spend their time online! Did you know that the average person spends about 3 hours on social media? That’s 1/8 of someone’s day spent scrolling through feeds and platforms and your opportunity as a small business to make the most of that interaction time.
Download our free Social Media Checklist to help optimize your social strategy!
Understanding the statistics behind each social media platform will not only help you better understand the app, it also helps narrow our demographics to users who might be interested in your brand. Creating social media accounts for your business helps build brand trust, creates an impact of positive customer experience, and allows users to research your products on social media.
Social Media Statistics (By Platform)
Each social media platform offers unique statistics and portrays ways to expand your growth and reach.
Looking at the daily usage of time spent on social media per each generation is a crucial factor for your social media marketing strategy. Millennials (people born between 1981 to 1996), Gen X (people born between 1965 to 1980), and Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 to 1964) are the top generations using social media. According to one study, 90.4% of Millennials, 77.5% of Generation X, and 48.2% of Baby Boomers are active social media users.
These demographics are important for understanding your audience and where your products and services are needed per each generation. Maybe you’re a boutique who appeals to Millennials and Generation X, or you’re a retirement insurance company seeking to grow your reach within the Baby Boomer community.
Looking at the top social media platforms, we can assess which statistics you can use and apply to your social media marketing strategy. Let’s take a look at the following:
Developed in 2004, Facebook has become one of the most popular social media networking platforms in the world and has 2.6 billion active users. With Facebook being the biggest social networking application globally and user-wise, it’s crucial to optimize your reach by creating a Facebook account. Here are the top Facebook statistics you should know for your business:
1.) Users 65 and older are the fast growing group on Facebook. (Source)
2.) Fewer teens are using Facebook now more than in previous years. (Source)
3.) Facebook has more than 80 million small businesses around the world using Facebook pages. (Source)
Related: For information on how to create a Facebook page for your business, read this blog post.
4.) 7 out of 10 Americans claim that they use Facebook. (Source)
5.) 96% of active Facebook users prefer to use mobile devices over desktop. (Source)
Created in 2006, Twitter has become a popular microblogging and social media site where users can “Tweet” messages. There are about 300 million users on Twitter. Here are the top Twitter statistics to consider for your business:
1.) Twitter has 145 million daily active users. (Source)
2.) 20% of these daily users are Americans. (Source)
3.) Americans make up the largest percentage of Twitter’s user base, followed by Japan and the United Kingdom. (Source)
4.) 44% of U.S. 18 to 24-year-olds use Twitter. (Source)
5.) American Twitter users are more likely to be Democrats. (Source)
Launched in 2010, Instagram has accumulated over 850 million users within the past 10 years. A free social media app, Instagram focuses on aesthetically pleasing photos and videos. Here are the top Instagram statistics your business should be aware of:
1.) There are 1 billion monthly active users. (Source)
2.) The average post on Instagram contains about 10 hashtags. (Source)
3.) 71% of U.S. businesses use Instagram. (Source)
4.) Instagram users spend about 53 minutes daily on the app. (Source)
5.) Daily active Instagram Story users increased from 150 million in 2017 to 500 million in 2019. (Source)
Related: For creative Instagram Story ideas, read our blog post here.
Operating since 2003, LinkedIn is mainly used for professional networking, including employers posting jobs and job seekers posting their resumes. LinkedIn has accumulated over 760 million users. Here are the top statistics your business should be aware of when using LinkedIn:
1.) 30 million companies are on LinkedIn. (Source)
2.) 57% of users are men, 43% of users are women. (Source)
3.) 51% of Americans with a college education use LinkedIn. (Source)
4.) 70% of LinkedIn users are outside the U.S. (Source)
5.) An ad on LinkedIn can reach 12% of the world’s population. (Source)
Founded in 2009, Pinterest allows users to share images and videos as “pinboards” for ideas and discovery. There are currently over 442 active users on the social media site. Here are the top Pinterest statistics your business should consider:
1.) 71% of Pinterest users are female. (Source)
2.) 94% of social media marketers are using Pinterest. (Source)
3.) Germany is the largest Pinterest user base outside the U.S. (Source)
4.) The median age of a Pinterest user is 40, however the majority of active Pinterest users are below 40. (Source)
5.) The most popular category on Pinterest is Food and Drink, followed by Home Décor. (Source)
TikTok
The newest social media app is taking the world by storm. Launched in 2016, TikTok has curated over 500 million users by showcasing short comedic and educational videos. Here are the top TikTok statistics your business should know:
1.) 41% of TikTok users are between the age of 16 and 24. (Source)
2.) TikToker users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. (Source)
3.) TikTok’s total revenue to date is $247.6 million. (Source)
4.) 56% of TikTok users are male, 44% are female. (Source)
5.) 90% of TikTok users visit the app more than once per day. (Source)
Recapping social media statistics for your business
Understanding the statistics behind each social media platform will better aid in your goals to boost your leads and sales. Demographics and time spent on social media will help save you time and narrow down your targeted audience.
Does your social strategy need a boost? Partnering with marketing specialists can help! At Pepperland, we specialize in inbound marketing, which can help your business grow exponentially through our expertise and resources. Contact us today to find out how we can help achieve your goals.
