Social Media Platforms
How do you know where your brand belongs in the digital world? In addition to knowing who your audience is, you need to know where that audience is spending time online. Below, find some interesting statistics about our top six social channels. Better understanding each of these platforms and their participants will help you understand where you belong and possibly where you want to add paid promotion, or perhaps drop a platform entirely.
As of 2019, Facebook is the third most visited site (YouTube took over as second and Google is first). Facebook has 2.23 billion monthly active users, and 1.74 billion monthly mobile active users. Of those who use Facebook:
- 53 percent are female and 47 percent are male
- 25 percent of users are between the ages of 25 and 34 (the most popular age group)
- Only half of US teens use Facebook and only 7 percent of their users are aged 13-17
- 62 percent of seniors 65+ are on Facebook and 72 percent of seniors aged 50-64 are
Instagram’s user base is growing faster than social network usage in general in the US, with 13.1 percent growth in 2018, although growth is projected to slow in the coming years. With more than 500 million daily active users, Instagram is ahead of Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Instagram’s audience is slightly younger than Facebook’s, with 72 percent of teenagers using the platform. Other Instagram insights are:
- 68 percent of users are female
- In the US, 31 percent of women use the platform and 24 percent of men
- 71 percent of users around the world are under 35
- The most popular age range is 25-34, followed by 18-24
YouTube
YouTube is under-recognized, especially for local brands. Creating videos can seem difficult and daunting. There are brands and businesses that YouTube doesn’t make sense for, but as a growing platform, YouTube should be considered. Here are some insights into the platform to get you thinking:
- Over 90 percent of 18- to 44-year-old US internet users watch videos on YouTube and over 80 percent of 45- to 64-year-olds do
- Over 50 percent of the audience is female
- YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine and the second most trafficked site behind Google
Twitter has been slow to catch on with the general social media population. It’s counter-intuitive to the visual focus of other platforms, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t for you or your brand. Users of Twitter tend to skew more urban, educated, and of higher income. Here are some other insights to decide if you and your brand should be on Twitter:
- 40 percent of the user base is 18-29
- 27 percent of the user base is 30-49
- 19 percent of the user base is 40-64
- 8 percent of the user base is 65+
- 53 percent of users are male, 47 percent are women
Pinterest is a unique platform. Deciding whether to be on the platform depends on what your end goal is. Here are some insights to help you decide if this is the platform for you:
- 81 percent of users are female
- 40 percent of new signups are men and 60 percent are women
- Millennials use Pinterest as much as Instagram
- The median age of a user is 40, however majority of active pinners are below 40
LinkedIn isn’t for every business or brand. Advertising on LinkedIn is more expensive, and the user base is very different from other platforms. We’ve gathered other insights on the platform to help you decide if it’s right for you:
- 40 million users are students and recent college graduates
- Men and women use that platform pretty much evenly
- 51 percent of US college graduates use the platform
- 45 percent of users are in upper management
Snapchat
Has your brand even thought about Snapchat? Many haven’t, and it may not be for you. Snapchat is mainly used as a messaging platform primarily used by Generation Z. If your brand is going after a young audience, even just to generate awareness, this could be a viable platform for you. Read on for some interesting insights on the platform:
- 90 percent of users are 13-24
- 70 percent of users are female and 30 percent male
- 77 percent of college students use Snapchat daily
Still have questions about where you belong? You might need help in understanding your existing audience, potential audience and ideal customer. If that's the case, we offer an easy Phase I brand review to help you understand your perceived identity, audience and story opportunities as well as a competitor analysis, and outline of strategic recommendations.