The rapid growth of social media is shaping our contemporary world, creating a global network of interconnections and communications.
Usage statistics for these social media platforms reveal fascinating trends that highlight the diversity of users, their demographic preferences, and how these platforms influence our online behavior.
In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at the trends and figures impacting the social media landscape on a global scale.
1-More than half of the world’s population now uses social media
With over half the world’s population active on social networks, these statistics demonstrate the interconnectedness of today’s world.
This underlines the growing importance of online platforms as tools for communicating and disseminating ideas across geographical and cultural boundaries.
2-In 2022, the number of social media users increased by 4.2%
The 4.2% growth in social media users in 2022 highlights the continued interest in these platforms. Despite the apparent saturation of the market, this modest but significant growth reflects the continued adoption of social media, demonstrating its important role in modern digital life.
3-More than 75% of people over 13 years old around the world use social networks.
More than 75% of the world’s population aged over 13 uses social media, a statistic that reveals the ubiquitous nature of these platforms in contemporary society.
It also highlights how these digital spaces have become important places for conversation, entertainment and relationship building, illustrating changing communication habits in the digital age.
4-The number of social media users increased by more than 13% these last years
The total number of social media users increased by 13% between July 2019 and March 2021, likely in response to the global pandemic, with 376 million new users added during this period.
5-Between 2019 and 2020, social media led the Asian region with a growth of 16.98%, followed by Africa and South America
Social media growth varied by region between 2019 and 2020. Growth was strongest in Asia at +16.98%, illustrating its driving role in the expansion of digital platforms. Africa (+13.92%), South America (+8%), North America (+6.96%) and Europe (+4.32%) follow this trend, showing the disparity in growth between different regions.
6-Nigeria, Brazil and South Africa are the countries which pass the more time on social media
Data shows that Nigeria, Brazil and South Africa are the countries that spend the most time on social media, highlighting the intensive use of these platforms in these countries.
This statistic reveals the strong online presence and intensive use of social media in these regions, demonstrating the considerable cultural and social impact of social media in these countries.
7-Japan, South Korea and Austria are the countries that spend the least time on social media.
Data shows that Japan, South Korea and Austria spend the least time on social media, highlighting a trend in these countries to pay less attention to these platforms.
This suggests that social media use is less frequent or widespread in these regions, perhaps due to cultural, social or generational factors specific to these countries.
8-The average user spends approximately 2 hours and 28 minutes per day on social media
The average time spent on social media is slightly lower in the United States (2 hours and 7 minutes), the United Kingdom (1 hour and 49 minutes), and Canada (1 hour and 46 minutes).
The Philippines, however, stands out, with an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes spent posting on these platforms each day.
9-72,5% of the total population of the United States actively use social media, a total of 246 million people.
This statistic shows that 72.5% of the total US population, or 246 million people, actively uses social media, highlighting the scale of the use of these platforms in the country.
It reveals the growing importance of social media as a means of communication and social connection, illustrating its significant impact on Americans’ daily lives and how they interact with the digital world.
10-99% of users social media users use a mobile connection to access platforms
Almost all (99%) users access social media platforms via mobile connections, highlighting the dominance of mobile devices in the social media ecosystem.
This statistic highlights the adaptability of social networks to mobile technology and confirms the importance of mobility for social interaction and online content consumption.
11-In the United States, the majority of social media users, 54%, are women.
The distribution of social media users in the United States is 54% female and 46% male, compared to the global average of 45.6% female and 54.4% male, indicating a slight difference in the demographics of social media users in the country.
This statistic highlights that, compared to global trends, women are slightly overrepresented among social media users in the United States.
12-Facebook is the leading social network with 2.9 billion monthly active users.
With 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook dominates the social media space, followed by YouTube (2.3 billion), WhatsApp (2 billion), FB Messenger (1.3 billion) and WeChat (1.2 billion). This statistic highlights the diversity and importance of digital communication platforms, highlighting the prevalence of online social interactions on these global platforms.
13-Individuals aged 55 to 64 are the group that uses social media the least.
The 55 to 64 age group is the least active on social networks, especially men. This observation highlights possible generational differences in the adoption of new communication technologies, suggesting that this particular age group has a lower propensity to actively use social media.
14-Women aged 16 to 24 are those who spend the most time to social media, with a daily average of 3 hours and 10 minutes.
Women aged 16 to 24 are the most active on social media, spending an average of 3 hours and 10 minutes per day on these platforms.
This data highlights the importance of social media in the daily lives and social interactions of these young women, highlighting their extensive use of these platforms for a variety of needs, from entertainment to communication.
15-People mainly use social media to maintain contact with friends and family, to keep busy in their free time and to check the news.
The desire to stay in touch with loved ones, to use free time in a pleasant way and to stay informed about current events are the main drivers of social media use. As a result, these platforms become central hubs for social interaction, entertainment and access to information.
16-93.33% of internet users are engaged on social media, while among mobile internet users, 85% are active on these networks.
While 93.33% of internet users use social media, the percentage of active mobile internet users on these platforms is slightly lower at 85%. This disparity suggests that although most mobile Internet users use social media, some users do not actively or frequently interact with these platforms through mobile devices.
Conclusion
Although the steady growth in user numbers speaks to the ubiquity of these platforms, regional differences highlight the diversity in how social media is adopted and integrated in different parts of the world.
Every statistic, from women’s social media preferences to differences in usage between generations, tells a unique story.
As these platforms continue to evolve, these numbers show that social media is not just a communication tool, but a major player in redefining how we interact, share and understand the world around us.
