It’s tough to conceive of an effective digital marketing strategy that doesn’t include a robust social media presence. Simply put, social media is too big and too prominent to ignore. Globally, there are now 4.55 billion active social media users, representing an increase of nine percent over the previous calendar year. In other words, hundreds of millions of people are signing up for social media accounts each year.

But saying that your business should be active on social media isn’t the same as saying that your business needs a presence on each and every platform. Indeed, it’s prudent to do your research, consider the pros and cons of different platforms, and make an informed decision about where your investment will yield the greatest outcomes.

How Many People Use Social Media Each Month?

One place to begin is with a quick inquiry into just how many people use social media each month… and which social networks they gravitate toward.

Here in the US, about 84 percent of the population uses at least one social platform. Globally, the top seven social networks all exceed a billion monthly active users.

Here’s a quick roundup of those top seven social channels, along with the approximate number of monthly users. (This data is accurate as of 2021.)

1. Facebook – 2.89 billion
2. YouTube – 2.29 billion
3. WhatsApp – 2.00 billion
4. Instagram – 1.39 billion
5. Facebook Messenger – 1.30 billion
6. WeChat (Weixin) – 1.25 billion
7. TikTok (Douyin) – 1 billion

If you wanted to round out to a full top 10, you’d also need to include LinkedIn (800 million users monthly), QQ (591 million), and Sina Weibo (566 million). It may also be worth noting that SnapChat is ranked at #12 (538 million), and Twitter is at #14 (463 million).

Now, what if you only wanted to see stats from the United States? Here are the top 10 most popular social platforms in the US, along with the percentage of adults who use these platforms:

1. YouTube – 81%
2. Facebook – 69%
3. Instagram – 40%
4. Pinterest – 31%
5. LinkedIn – 28%
6. Snapchat – 25%
7. Twitter – 23%
8. WhatsApp – 23%
9. TikTok – 21%
10. Reddit – 18%

Curiously, the community-centered app Nextdoor just misses the cut, snagging about 13 percent of the adult population in the U.S.

Where Do Different Social Platforms Shine?

These numbers tell a story, but it’s not the full story. As you seek to determine which platforms make the most sense for your business, you’ll need to know not just raw usage numbers, but also some of the specific areas in which each platform excels.

Here are a few platform-specific facts and figures that may inform your decision-making.

Facebook

Close to 70 percent of U.S. adults have used Facebook at least once in the past year, making it a pretty difficult platform to ignore.

Globally, Facebook is popular among younger demographics; over 50 percent of its users are between 18 and 34. But Facebook is also incredibly popular with businesses. Indeed, more than 200 billion businesses are active on this social network.

This last stat can perhaps be explained by Facebook’s highly effective ad platform. The average Facebook user clicks on 12 ads every single month!

YouTube

Behind Google, YouTube is both the second most popular website and the second most popular search engine in the world. Some additional stats worth noting:

• In the United States, 62 percent of YouTube users visit the site on a daily basis.
• On a monthly basis, there are over 2 billion logged-in users.
• These users watch an incredible billion hours of video every single day.
• YouTube’s ad network reaches more than 2.29 billion users across the world.

Instagram

Instagram currently has more than one billion users around the world. And there are 200 million businesses that connect with their customers on this popular platform.

Instagram claims that nine out of 10 users follow at least one brand; and that 87 percent have taken action when they see a product that they like.

LinkedIn

This professional network boasts more than 800 million users, spanning more than 200 countries.

One salient statistic: LinkedIn is actually the #1 lead generator for B2B companies.

TikTok

TikTok is undeniably part of the marketing mix, particularly for businesses that are hoping to attract a younger demographic. Note that TikTok has a billion monthly active users, 60 percent of whom are in the 18-34 demographic.

SnapChat

Speaking of youth, SnapChat has over half a billion users now, which is nothing to sneeze at… and over half of them are between the ages of 13 and 24. Also worth noting: The average SnapChat user spends half an hour on the platform each day.

Where Should Your Business Be Active?

Social media is clearly a big part of our everyday lives… and as such, businesses must be strategic about how they engage with these different platforms. As you consider the best social media strategy for your business, we’d love to advise in whatever way we can. Reach out to the enCOMPASS team any time you’d like to talk.