9 Most Important Social Media Statistics in 2022

Do you remember those first tentative forays into social media? MySpace, Facebook (early days), Tumblr, and platforms akin to these social media hubs were incredible places to connect with friends, share engaging content, and even express your creativity. 

Over the last decade, those tight-knit communities have evolved into the most powerful digital marketing ecosystem in history. If you’re not taking advantage of the reach and features offered by social media use, you’re likely missing an opportunity to reach your intended audience. 

But don’t have to take our word for it—there’s concrete evidence we’re going to bring into the fold. To that end, this guide will walk you through the key social media statistics you should know before developing your digital marketing strategy. 

#1 Social Media Usage

Social media usage is ubiquitous worldwide. To showcase the scale in which active users are involved in social media engagement across these platforms, review the social media usage statistics below:¹

• As of 2020, there were 3.6 billion social media users around the world
• By 2025, the number of active users is projected to increase to 4.4 billion
• People spend an average of 144 minutes per day across their social media accounts
• The majority of social media use is via a mobile device

As internet infrastructure strengthens its foothold globally, digital access is only going to continue to rise (in simpler words: those that would otherwise not be able to have social media accounts will gain the accessibility, further increasing internet user count). 

#2: Facebook (Meta)

Facebook (now a function of Meta), is still one of the most widely used social media platforms, particularly among adults. Furthermore, Facebook is also the most popular social platform for marketing which is why it is important to learn how to create successful Facebook video ads². 

Nearly 93 percent of marketers create  Facebook ads for their promotional needs. Facebook ads can effectively be created through the use of Facebook video ad metrics such as Facebook video impressions. 

The popularity of the site for advertising is the result of its wide use. The approximate number of daily Facebook users is 1.93 billion people, 71 percent of whom reside in the United States.³ These daily Facebook users trend older than users of other social media platforms.

#3: Instagram

In contrast to Facebook’s older user profile, Instagram attracts younger users. The majority of Instagramusers are below the age of 35. The ability to share more interactive digital content is believed to be the main attraction for young people. To put this information into perspective, some Instagram statistics you should know include but are not limited to:⁴

• Instagram crossed the 1 billion user threshold in 2020
• By 2023, that number is expected to increase to nearly 1.2 billion
• Instagram was one of the biggest purchasing decision influences in women under 25
• Young women and men tend to use Instagram equally

While Facebook is an effective avenue for targeting older customers, according to Instagram statistics, it is a far better choice for younger consumers.

#4: TikTok

Competing with Instagram for the younger demographic is TikTok. As of 2020, there were 78.7 TikTok users in the United States.⁵ Of these users, the age ranges break down as follows:

• 25% are between the ages of 10 to 19
• 22.5% are 20 to 29
• 21.7% are between 30 to 39
• 20.3% are 40 to 49
• 11% are 50 and older

This means nearly half of TikTok users in the U.S. are under the age of 30. Once more, if your target demographic is a younger audience, know that TikTok is an emerging marketing hub that could be the perfect social platform for your content. 

#5: Twitter

Twitter use is more wide-ranging than that of Instagram and TikTok. Some important Twitter statistics to be aware of are:

• In the US, 42% of daily Twitter users are between 18 to 29 years old.⁶ 
• 27% of users between 30 to 49 years old. 
• Only 25% of Twitter users are over the age of 50.

Most people use Twitter for News consumption or for Interactive live-tweeting during popular events

That’s not to say that Twitter isn’t a valuable marketing tool, as you can still leverage paid, promotional tweets that can reach a targeted audience.

#6: YouTube

YouTube trails only Facebook as the most used social media platform in the world. It’s the world’s biggest online video platform with a little bit of something for everyone. Need to complete a home repair project? Check YouTube. Want to hear a specific song you haven’t heard in a long time? Queue it up on YouTube.

The wide range of content on YouTube attracts users from everywhere. To gauge the participation and engagement on YouTube, let’s review the YouTube statistics:⁷

• As of 2021, there were about 2.24 billion YouTube users
• About 240 million of these users are in the United States
• In 2021, YouTube generated $28.84 billion U.S. dollars in global advertising revenue
• More than half (53.9%) of YouTube users are men

The price to advertise on YouTube is typically higher than on other platforms. However, the wide variety of content may help you reach a bigger audience.

#7: WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the most popular mobile messaging app in the world.⁸ To that end, there are more than 2 billion global users, most of which live outside of the United States. Over the last five years, the app has been increasing in popularity around the globe. In the United States, there are nearly 75 million users, including:

• 19% ages 15 to 25
• 27% ages 26 to 35
• 20% ages 36 to 45
• 17% ages 46 to 55
• 13% age 56 and older

While not necessarily a bonafide social media platform, In 2018, the company launched WhatsApp for Businesses. This app is designed to be used by a small business and allows them to connect with their customers.

#8: Advertising on Social Media

Now that you’re familiar with some of the demographics related to popular social media outlets (which should help you identify what platforms within the social network  are most relevant to your business), let’s dig into how companies, with the help of an internet marketing service, use these platforms for advertising. 

For starters, what are the benefits of advertising on social media? A few include:

• Businesses have direct access to consumers 
• It’s often a cost-effective channel 
• There are bigger opportunities for customer interaction
• It allows businesses to build brand loyalty

So how do companies market on social media? The numbers below indicate the following trends relevant for both social media management and  social media marketing in the United States:⁹

• Instagram and Facebook ads are the most popular choices for marketing
• 92% of companies use some form of social media marketing
• Over 90% of marketing experts expect to increase the use of Instagram for advertising
• Businesses in the United States spent over 56.7 billion dollars on social media ads in 2021
• The amount of money spent on social media ads is expected to exceed 80 billion by 2025

The greatest takeaway? Marketers recognize the importance of reaching customers on social media and are willing to allocate resources to do so. 

Social Media and Conversion Rates

So, is investing in your social media site  worth it? Let’s look at conversion rates for the answer. In short, conversion rates outline the percentage of people who clicked on an advertisement and performed the intended action (purchased a product, subscribed to a list, etc.). 

As you might imagine, conversion rates vary widely. 

One estimate places the conversion rate for successful social media marketing between 2% and 5%.¹⁰ This means if your marketing campaign is effective, you might land somewhere between 2 to 5 out of every 100 customers you reach to take the desired action.

#9: Following Consumer Behaviors

Although every customer you reach might not purchase your product or service, that doesn’t mean social media neglects to influence their buying behavior. 

In fact, 54% of social media consumers claim that they use social media as a factor in purchasing decisions.¹¹ Consumers often use social networks  to:

• Research product information
• Read reviews
• Seek out recommendations

This demonstrates the importance of knowing which platform(s)your target audience is frequenting. Once you know where to find them, it’s to meet them where they’re at. 

Ramp Up Your Social Strategy with Power Digital

The social media usage statistics above demonstrate that if you know your audience, you know where to reach them. It also highlights that social media both converts and influences purchase motivation. 

Beyond the statistics we’ve outlined above, social media represents an opportunity to have open, honest, and engaging conversations with your customer base. 

Here at Power, we know how effective social media marketing campaigns are when executed with diligence, meticulousness, and creativity. If you’re interested in partnering with a digital marketing agency that speaks every social media language, you’re in the right place. 

We’ll be the social media backbone, your brand will be the microphone. Ready to get started? 

Sources: 

1. Statista. Number of Social Media Users Worldwide from 2017 to 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/
2. Statista. Leading Social Media Platforms Used By Marketers. https://www.statista.com/statistics/259379/social-media-platforms-used-by-marketers-worldwide/
3. Statista. Facebook Audience Reach. https://www.statista.com/statistics/346167/facebook-global-dau/
4. Statista. Instagram: Number of Global Users. https://www.statista.com/statistics/183585/instagram-number-of-global-users/
5. Statista. TikTok User Demographics in the United States. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1095186/tiktok-us-users-age/
6. Statista. Share of U.S. Internet Users Who Use Twitter by Age Group. https://www.statista.com/statistics/265647/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-twitter-by-age-group/
7. Statista. YouTube-Statistics and Facts. https://www.statista.com/topics/2019/youtube/#dossierKeyfigures
8. Statista. WhatsApp-Statistics and Facts. https://www.statista.com/topics/2018/whatsapp/
9. Statistia. Social Media Marketing in the U.S. https://www.statista.com/topics/8791/social-media-marketing-in-the-us/
10. Futurpreneur. What’s a Good Conversion Rate for My Social Media Marketing? https://www.futurpreneur.ca/en/2017/whats-a-good-conversion-rate/
11. Oberlo. Social Media Marketing Statistics. https://www.oberlo.com/blog/social-media-marketing-statistics