Since its inception back in 1996, social media has attracted more and more users. As per the latest updates, the world’s population is 7.8 billion, and more than half of them, that is, 4.5 billion people across the globe, are using social media.
Moreover, the platform has performed tremendously in the last decade. From a user base of 970 million in 2010 to the number crossing 4.5 billion in July 2021, it almost tripled its user base.
However, the striking year after year adoption of new social media users is slowing down. It now ultimately depends on the number of individuals having smartphones with internet access, mostly in developing regions.
As we advance with the trend, the growth of social media in the upcoming years is expected to plateau. In addition, experts forecast that the annual growth rate between 2022 and 2025 will be 3.9%.
Key Statistics
- More than half of the population are on social media.
- Southeast Asia holds a 13.4% share of social media users.
- Almost everyone in the United Arab Emirates uses social media platforms.
- The social media user market of the US is ruled by Gen Z and the Millennials.
- Facebook has a user base of 2.89 billion.
- People spend around 3.39 minutes per section on Twitter, and it’s usage is large for influencers and businesses alike.
- The “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji has been used over 2 billion times on the Twitter.
- There are 1.393 billion active Instagram users.
- Instagram sponsored content increased by 133% from February 2018 to February 2019.
- YouTube has 2.3 billion worldwide users as of 2021.
Social Media Usage Statistics By Region
1. More than Half of The Population Are on Social Media
Since the time social media came into existence, it has somehow managed to infiltrate over half of the people across the world.
Based on social media demographics, the user base has continuously been increasing, and in the last decade, it has taken a considerable peak.
Surveys show that there were 970 million active users of social media platforms in 2010, and as of July 2021, the numbers increased to 4.48 billion, which is 56.6% of the world’s population.
2. Eastern Asia Has Over One Billion Active Social Media Users
Eastern Asia comes on the top for having the largest social media users globally. As of 2020, there are roughly 1.07 billion users of the platform in the eastern part of Asia, 29.6% of the total.
To no surprise, usage statistics held that China is the most populous country worldwide and shares most social media users globally.
Talking about active social media users, the Southeast Asian region occupies second place with over 13.4% share.
Statistics show that more than 60% of the total population in the region is active on various social media platforms, which is a remarkable rise from 55% a year ago.
Among the various countries in the region, Indonesia is the home to the highest active social media users with 150 million users, followed by the Philippines with 76 million users of the social networking platforms.
4. As of 2020, Both Central Africa and Central Asia Has the Lowest Number of Social Media Users
With only 12.38 million active social media users in Central Africa, the region comes last in the list of social media users.
Moreover, the users of social networking platforms in Central Asia are limited to only 13.93 million people,, according to social media networking statistics.
5. Number of Social Media Users Increased by Over 9% During April 2019 and January 2020
From the data available, the number of people having access to social media increased by 9.2% between 2019 and 2020.
While observing the number of social media users growing by region, Asia had the fastest activation of new active social media users at over 16.98%.
Social media usage statistics have shown that Africa has 13.92% growth, and South America with over 8% growth.
On the contrary, Europe has the most negligible social networking user base growth at 4.32%.
Social Media Usage Statistics By Country
6. The World Currently Has a Social Media Penetration Rate of 49%
Usage statistics are a fascinating collection of data, and a surprisingly large number of social media platforms are being used globally, with growth being continuous.
The social media penetration rate is the rate that is calculated by the number of active social media users versus the total population in that place.
Currently, the average social networking penetration rate is only 49%. However, compared with the population aged over 13, the average penetration rate increases to 63%.
7. Almost Everyone in The United Arab Emirates Uses Social Media Platforms
As per the data published by Statista, UAE is the most active country, with 99% of its population actively using social networking platforms.
Based on social media usage stats, each individual spends 2.57 hours daily on social media on average.
The most popular social networking platform in the UAE is YouTube, with 87.4%, followed by Facebook with 79% share. Furthermore, 69.60% of social media users are male, while 30.40% are female.
8. Both USA and UK Has Over 65% Active Social Media User Base
Regardless of the age restriction, it is found that as of 2020 statistics, 70% of the total population in the United States of America are active social media users, and the United Kingdom has 66% regular social networking users.
However, when only individuals over the age of 13 years are considered, the percentage share of active social media users in the USA increases to 83%, and that of the UK grows to 79%.
9. The Social Media Penetration Rate in Canada and Australia Is 67% and 71%, Respectively
Based on 2020 statistics, around 67% and 71% of the total population in Canada and Australia, respectively, are active social media users.
In contrast, when isolating the data to the desirable uses aged above 13 years, the average penetration rate of social media uses in Canada is 77% and in Australia is 85%.
United States Social Media Statistics
10. Out of 100, 72 People in America Uses Social Media
According to the reports, as of 2020, the number of users in the United States reaches 240 million, 72.3% of the total American population.
Among the internet users aged 16 to 64 in the US, the most popular social media platform is YouTube, with 81.9% users, followed by Facebook with 73.4% active social media users.
11. Social Media in The US Is More Popular Among Women
Statistics reveal that the female population in the United States is more inclined toward social media than the male population.
Social media usage showed that 78% of the women in America use social media; on the other side, 66% of the men are on social media.
However, there is a significant difference in their likes, while men in the US like Twitter and YouTube more, Pinterest and Snapchat are more prevalent in America’s women.
12. Social Media Is More Popular Among the Hispanic
Based on race, 80% of the entire Hispanic community in the United States are on social media, which is the most.
Out of 100 white people in America, 69 of them regularly use social media. Similarly, talking about the black community of the US, the percentage of social media users is around 77%.
13. The Social Media User Market of The US Is Ruled by Gen Z and The Millennials
Social media is more prevalent among young adults in the United States.
As per the various gen z social media usage studies during 2020, 84% of the people falling in the age group of 18 to 29 years are actively using multiple social media platforms.
Simultaneously, 81% of the people aged between 30 and 49, and 73% of the people in the US aged between 50 and 60 are active social media users.
However, social media is not that popular among older people in America; only 45% use any social media platform.
14. America Currently Has a Social Media Growth Rate of 4.3%
As of 2020, 70% of the entire US population is on social media, with an active growth rate of 3.1% from 2019 to 2020.
Social media usage trends show that only 5% of the entire population in the US used to be active on any social media platform back in 2015.
However, with the advance of technology and increasing popularity of this platform, it managed to have a user base of 50% in 2011, that is, just in 6 years.
The current growth rate of social media in the US is 4.3% between 2020 and 2021; in other words, America has gained a social media user base of 10 million people over just one year.
15. TikTok Is the New Favorite Among US Social Media Users
Although YouTube is the most popular social media platform in the United States, followed by Facebook, TikTok is not far behind.
Over the recent years, TikTok has had a considerable growth rate.
Since the start of 2018, the app has witnessed a growth percentage of over 787.86%, a considerable margin. It has grown from 11.2 to 100 million users within that period.
Facebook Usage Statistics
16. Facebook Has a User Base of 2.89 Billion
As of the second quarter of 2021, Facebook has roughly over 2.89 billion active users, making it the most significant social networking platform worldwide.
Although Facebook can be accessed using browsers too, be it on mobile or desktop, almost every platform user accesses it using the app exclusively made for mobiles.
17. As of 2020, the Engagement Rate of A Facebook Post Is 0.27%
In a study conducted in 2020, the average engagement rate per Facebook post throughout all the industries is 0.27%.
However, when all the industries are compared, it is proven that politics beat out other categories with an engagement rate of 0.90% per Facebook post.
Moreover, reports reveal that the engagement on Facebook is highest on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
18. Total Advertising Revenue of Facebook Is Around 20.7 Billion US Dollar
Facebook reveals that in the fourth quarter of 2020, the total ad revenue earned was about 20.7 billion dollars.
As a result of the pandemic outbreak, it compels the retailers to shift their focus to online mode, making them spend more on Facebook ads. Thus, it recorded a growth of 25% over one year.
19. Over 1.4 Billion People Use Facebook Groups Each Month
With a restriction in in-person gathering, people manage to find ways to stay connected via Facebook groups.
Facebook usage statistics revealed that over 1.4 billion people use Facebook groups every month.
Due to the recent increase in the popularity of Facebook groups, the platform is introducing new features to enhance users’ experiences.
20. India Has the Largest Number of Facebook Users
Among the various countries worldwide, India tops the list of Facebook user base with over 310 million users as of 2020.
Second on the list is the United States, with 190 million Facebook users, which is not even close to India. Indonesia follows it with 140 million users and Brazil with 127 million active users.
21. 36% of The People in The US Use Facebook to Get Daily News
53% of Americans use various social media platforms to gather daily news. Moreover, 36% of them use Facebook to fetch multiple news.
However, those who avoid using social media as a news source believe it inaccurate. They are not wholly wrong.
To ensure that all the news shared over Facebook is accurate, Facebook recently has enforced some brand new fact-checking policies.
Twitter Usage Statistics
22. There Are Over 192 Million Twitter Users
As of the latest figures, Twitter has 192 million active users daily, with a growth rate of 27% within one year.
When all the countries across the world are compared, it is found that 28.6% of the overall Twitter users reside in the United States, with 55 million users.
Whereas there are more than 157 worldwide daily active Twitter users. No doubt, Twitter ranks among the most popular social media platforms worldwide.
23. Adults Dominate the Twitter Market
While Snapchat and Instagram are popular among the younger population, Twitter has snapped up the adults.
Approximately 63% of the total active Twitter users are between 35 and 65. Therefore, it is pretty clear that Twitter is more appealing to a mature audience.
24. Twitter Is More Popular Among Men
As per the database, Twitter is more prevalent among men than women globally. As of 2019, 66% of Twitter users worldwide are male, whereas only 34% are female.
In order words, for every two male Twitter users, there is only one female user. Moreover, the scenario is the same in the case of the US Twitter audience, with 56% male users and 44% female users.
However, another interesting statistic about the Twitter audience base is that when conducting its campaigns, it is seen that females interact more with various brands on the platform than males do.
25. People Spend Around 3.39 Minutes per Section on Twitter
The platform’s popularity as a medium for communicating breaking news has been increasing day by day. No doubt, it’s one of the main reasons people use Twitter.
Journalists constitute almost a quarter of all verified accounts on the platform. Twitter features bite-sized news in tweets, which is quick and easy to consume.
As per some reports published in 2019, Twitter users’ average time on the platform is around 3.39 minutes per session. And this is the reason behind the short period spent per session on Twitter.
26. As of The First Quarter of 2019, Twitter Was Downloaded 11.7 Million Times on The App Store
Reports reveal around 11.7 million downloads of the Twitter app from the App Store during the first three months of 2019. It registers a growth of 3.6% over one year.
Moreover, since its inception in 2015, it was the highest number of app store downloads each quarter. Although the high increase in Twitter’s download rate, the app fails to establish itself in the list of top ten most-downloaded iOS apps. It ranks 16th.
Similarly, the app isn’t performing well on the Google Play store. It does not even come in the top 20 most-downloaded Android apps.
27. The “Face with Tears of Joy” Emoji Has Been Used Over 2-Billion Times on Twitter
There are currently 3,000+ emojis in the Unicode Standard. The “Face With Tears of Joy” emoji is one of the most popular emojis throughout every social media platform, and Twitter is no exception.
As per the 2019 reports of Emojitracker, the “Face With Tears of Joy” emoji has been used over 2 billion times on Twitter.
The emoji is used to show something pleasing or super duper funny. And Twitter statistics show that out of four emojis tweeted, three are positive.
No wonder the number of positive emojis tweeted increases by the end of the week.
Statistics reveal that 77.7% of the emojis shared on Fridays and Saturdays show a positive mode, whereas 75.8% of the emojis used on any other day are happy.
Instagram Usage Statistics
28. There Are 1.393 Billion Active Instagram Users
As of 2022, Instagram has a worldwide user base of 1.393 billion, a considerable achievement.
Experts had earlier estimated to hit a billion users in 2025. However, to my surprise, it hit the milestone in 2021. Additionally, Instagram registered a 22.9% increase in active users in 2020.
Statistics reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic plays a significant role in the massive success of Instagram, as it drove various users to sign up for the same.
29. 71% of The Active Instagram Users Are Young Adults
Statistics of 2019 show that 71% of the total monthly active Instagram users are under 35. Instagram is most popular among users between 25 to 34 years, followed by users between 18 and 24 years.
However, on the contrary, only 13% of the user base of Instagram is over the age of 65 years.
30. As of 2018, Over 500 Million Instagram Accounts Post Stories Every Single Day
In August 2016, Instagram launched a new story feature. This feature allows the users to upload photos or videos that will disappear after one day.
Since then, Instagram users have started sharing much more on Instagram. As per the data of 2018, more than 500 million active Instagram accounts share stories on Instagram daily.
Additionally, one of the three most viewed Instagram stories is from business accounts. Before introducing the IG stories feature, people used to share their important moments, not daily.
However, Instagram changes the game with the story feature. People now share their day-to-day moments on Instagram via stories. The quality is also great for business accounts as it increases their visibility on the platform.
31. Instagram Helps More than Half of The Users to Decide Whether to Shop for A Product or Service
We already know how Instagram has a significant impact on brands. And it is not wrong if I say Instagram helps 80% of its users to decide whether to shop for a product or service.
Reports published in 2019 show that many users make a purchase decision depending on something they saw while scrolling through the app.
Moreover, influencer marketing also plays a vital role in influencing various purchase decisions of the users. Due to this reason different business houses are on Instagram to increase their sales.
32. Instagram Sponsored Content Increased by 133% from February 2018 to February 2019
The fashion of influencers publishing sponsored content on their Instagram account continues to expand without any sign of reduction.
The number of influencers on Instagram publishing sponsored content (that is, using ad hashtags) increases by 133% over one year, from February 2018 to February 2019.
Around 25,000 Instagram accounts post content with the ad hashtag in the first three months of 2019.
Additionally, more than one-fourth of the influencers with more than one million followers shared sponsored content on Instagram.
However, less than 20% of Instagram influencers with less than a million followers use ad hashtags in their posts.
YouTube Usage Statistics
33. YouTube Has 2.3 Billion Worldwide Users as Of 2021
As per the latest statistics of YouTube, it has over 2.3 billion active users worldwide as of 2021. It is the second-most popular social media platform.
Talking about the user base, Facebook is the only platform that suppresses YouTube. However, these are the number of users who have logged into YouTube at least once a month.
Thanks to the autoplay feature of WhatsApp, the users can view YouTube videos without actually using their Google accounts, making its reach even higher.
As the active user base of YouTube is over 2 billion, it is an excellent platform for marketing various products and services.
34. YouTube Is the Second-Most Used Search Engine
Talking about search engines, YouTube holds the place for second-most popular search engines right after Google.
When compared with Yahoo, Ask.com, Microsoft Bing, and AQL combined, the number of searches per month is more on YouTube.
Moreover, along with the incredible number of YouTube users per month, on average, viewers watch more than one billion hours of YouTube videos each day, generating billions of views daily.
Due to the mobile-friendly nature of the app, it is gaining more advantages day by day.
As per the reports published recently, many companies in the United States use YouTube for marketing more than other platforms.
35. Users from Over 100 Countries Uses YouTube
According to the 2021’s reports of YouTube, users from over 100 countries use the video-sharing platform. It thus consequently adapt itself to different languages all over the world.
Therefore, it is available in 80 different languages, thus increasing its engagement and usage.
The languages range from the most widely spoken Spanish, Mandarin, and English to less spoken ones like Khmer, Laotian, and Azerbaijani.
As a matter of fact, most of the YouTube videos aren’t even published in English; only 28% are in English.
However, despite the fewer percentage, it receives around four times more views than YouTube videos in other languages.
Conclusion
Social media is a platform that enables its users to create and share both photo and video content and to participate in other social networking activities.
Based on the social media usage statistics mentioned above, it is clear that social media greatly impacts our daily lives.
Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms with active users, followed by YouTube with over 2 billion monthly users.
However, TikTok is another social media platform that enables its users to share short videos is also gaining immense popularity these days.
