Top 10 Social Media Statistics Every Marketer Should Know

Social media is where more than half the people in the world hang out online. It’s also super important for businesses to talk to customers, get them excited, and convince them to buy stuff.

From groups on Facebook, to fun videos on TikTok, to cool pictures on Instagram and Pinterest – there’s something for everyone. Almost every type of person uses social media to learn about things they like and share content with friends.

Let’s look at some big numbers about social media and check out the new trends that are changing how we use these platforms.

1. More people are using social media than ever before

Social media has spread like wildfire across the world, and the numbers show just how popular it is.

According to We Are Social’s 2025 Global Overview Report, there are now over five billion people using social media around the world. That’s a lot! Back in 2018, there were only 415 million users – which means social media has grown by more than 10 times in just a few years!

As new apps keep popping up and young people who grew up with technology keep talking and getting information online, we might see even more people join social media in the future.

2. YouTube is everyone’s favorite social media app

Studies from Statista show that no matter how old you are – whether you’re a teenager or a grandparent – YouTube is the most popular social media platform.

Let’s break it down by age:

• Ages 18 to 29: YouTube (93%), Instagram (76%), Facebook (68%), Snapchat (65%)
• Ages 30 to 49: YouTube (94%), Facebook (78%), Instagram (66%), Pinterest (43%)
• Ages 50 to 64: YouTube (86%), Facebook (70%), Instagram (36%), LinkedIn (30%)
• Ages 65+: YouTube (65%), Facebook (59%), Pinterest (22%), Instagram (19%)

People of all ages love watching videos because they’re easy to understand, fun to watch, and teach them new things. Music videos, funny clips, live streams, sports highlights, and how-to videos are the kinds of content people watch most.

3. People want stuff that matters on social media

When you’re on social media, one of the most important things is to give your followers something worthwhile. If your posts are boring or just trying to sell things all the time, people might stop following you.

According to Hootsuite’s Social Media Consumer Report, here are the main reasons people unfollow brands:

• Sharing click-bait and posts that are empty or misleading
• Posting content that’s too political or touchy. In fact, 64% of consumers will stop buying from a brand that shares very strong political messages they don’t agree with (Edelman)
• Not talking back to your audience and ignoring comments, messages or questions

Remember, social media is all about being social! You need to share useful stuff, avoid pushing your personal opinions too much, and chat with your followers if you want your social media to grow.

4. More marketers are using AI to create social media content

As we’ve seen, social media use is growing – and so is the use of AI in social media.

About 42% of marketers now use AI tools to help write social media posts, and 14% of small-to-medium businesses say they use AI for their social media marketing, according to Statista.

When used the right way, AI tools can make creating social media content faster and help more people see your posts. But there’s something important you should know…

5. People worry about fake AI content on social media

While AI is quickly becoming part of our online world, it’s worth noting that 70% of social media users are worried about AI-generated “deep fakes” that could be harmful or misleading, according to Statista.

More and more marketers are using AI to help create content (and for good reasons), but it’s super important to use these AI tools responsibly.

Remember that AI can help your social media strategy and content creation in good ways. But if you use AI, make sure your content is correct, real, and still has a human touch to it.

6. X (formerly Twitter) still keeps people engaged

Since Elon Musk bought Twitter and changed its name to ‘X’, the platform has had a lot of drama, including many big companies pulling their ads.

But even though X might be losing followers, the numbers show that people who use it are still very active. Here are some facts from Sprout Social to prove it:

• Almost half of active social media users have an X account
• People spend about 364 billion total seconds on X and watch 8.3 billion videos every day
• 59% of X users go to the platform to keep up with the latest news

So X could still be worth including in your social media plans.

7. TikTok is huge with young adults and teens

TikTok has become super popular in recent years. Even with talk about banning it in the U.S., the video app gets 2.65 billion visits each month, according to Semrush. Plus, Android phone users around the world spend about 35 hours per month watching TikTok videos!

Of these very active monthly users, 35.3% are 25 to 34 years old (the biggest age group on TikTok), followed by people aged 18 to 24 (30.7%).

The same study also shows that Gen Z (teens and young adults) use TikTok like a search engine to find information and discover products. These facts are definitely worth thinking about when planning your next TikTok marketing campaign.

8. Instagram continues to be a powerhouse

Facebook might still be one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, but many others are trying to take its place. Luckily for Facebook, its biggest competition isn’t really a threat since Facebook already owns it!

Currently, Instagram has over 1.74 billion active monthly users according to Datareportal. The platform is really popular with Millennials and Gen Z, with younger users saying they prefer Instagram for customer service.

Plus, 69% of social media users say they see the most interesting brand content on Instagram, and 44% wish brands would use Instagram more often, reported Sprout Social.

Instagram’s shopping features have also made it easier than ever for businesses to sell products directly through the app. Many fashion brands, makeup companies, and small businesses now make a big chunk of their sales through Instagram.

9. Facebook is still the biggest… for now

While Facebook has some strong competition, it’s not going away anytime soon.

How much time and effort you put into Facebook will depend on your brand’s specific numbers and strategy, but these stats from Statista suggest it’s still worth focusing on:

• 96% of social media users still have a Facebook profile
• Facebook remains the world’s biggest social media platform with around 3.065 billion monthly active users
• Facebook is the most-used platform by marketers around the world (86%)

While it might not be your top platform as a social media marketer, these numbers definitely suggest that you shouldn’t give up on Facebook anytime soon.

Facebook Groups have become especially important for building communities. Many brands now focus on creating active groups where fans can talk to each other, rather than just posting on their main pages.

10. Video content is still king

Thanks to Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, video is still one of the most popular forms of marketing on social media today, especially short videos.

According to a report by Wyzowl, 89% of consumers say they’d like to see more videos from brands, while 52% of consumers are more likely to share videos than any other type of content. So keeping your visual content fresh will boost your social media strategy across all platforms.

Live video has also grown in popularity, with more brands using it to host Q&A sessions, product launches, and behind-the-scenes looks at their business. These real-time videos help create a stronger connection with followers who appreciate the authenticity.

Become a Social Media Master

Social media gives marketers chances to connect with all kinds of people around the world. But using social media well takes skill. The digital growth compass covers everything you need to know to do well on all social networks. You’ll learn about researching on social media, creating good content, and planning strategies for platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, X and WhatsApp. Sign up today to get started!