Since the website began operating in 2006, 1.3 billion Twitter accounts have been created. However, the number of active monthly users in 2019 was much lower: only 330 million.
90+ Social Media Marketing Statistics to Keep in Mind in 2023
ByIvana V.
March 07,2023
Do you want more brand exposure? Make a profile on social media and share content about your products. Are you looking to create and maintain a relationship with your customers? Social media is the best way to make your brand accessible and personable. Do you want to generate more leads? Yep, you’ve guessed it - social media is the way to go.
But with so many different platforms, developing a strategy can be a little overwhelming. You might be wondering how to get going.
Well, a great starting point would be the comprehensive list of social media marketing statistics we’ve compiled. You will find both positive and negative social media statistics that will help you grasp the benefits and drawbacks of each platform. You’ll also find info on user behavior and demographics on each of the most popular social networks. We’ve also included stats that reflect good marketing practices and their plans for the future. So, let’s begin!
The Most Interesting Social Media Marketing Stats
- There were 3.5 billion active social media users worldwide in 2019 (45% of the world's population).
- 11 new people start using social media every second.
- The average American has 7.1 social media accounts.
- Facebook Business Pages now number more than 60 million.
- As of 2018, 35% of marketers use live video on social media.
- 93% of all marketers cite more exposure for their business as the number one benefit of social media marketing.
- 200 million Instagrammers visit a business profile every day.
- 75% of Instagram users take action - like visiting a website or making a purchase - after seeing an ad.
- LinkedIn generates 277% more leads than Facebook and Twitter.
- YouTube mobile ads receive viewer attention 83% of the time.
Social Media Statistics: Massive Reach
There were 3.5 billion active social media users globally in 2019.
(We Are Social)
How many people use social media? Practically half the planet is on social media. The world’s population in 2019 was 7.676 billion, and 3.5 billion of them actively used social networks.
With 99%, the United Arab Emirates had the largest social media prevalence in 2019.
(Smart Insights)
When we look at social media usage statistics by country, we see that the UAE has the largest proportion of its adult population on social media. The global average is 45%.
3.3 billion people around the world actively use social media on mobile devices.
(We Are Social)
Social media usage statistics point to the indisputable prevalence of mobile devices. Gone are the days when people sat down in front of their PCs to surf the web. Now we do it all the time, mostly using our phones mostly, but sometimes also from our tablets.
The number of active social media users grew by 9% between January 2018 and January 2019.
(We Are Social)
Social media use keeps flourishing, year after year. In the 365 days between January 2018 and January 2019, 288 million new users joined one of the many social networks out there.
Internet users are now spending, on average, 142 minutes per day on social networking and messaging platforms.
(Digital Information World)
How much time do people spend on social media? According to social media stats recently published by Digital Information World, the average time spent on social media per day is well over two hours. This gives marketers plenty of opportunities to reach their target audience on these platforms.
There are 230 million active social media users in the US.
(We Are Social)
The number of social media users in the US is pretty high if you consider the fact that the whole country’s population is 328 million people. Of those 230 million Americans who are active social media users, 220 million access the social networks of their choice via smartphones.
Every day more than 2.1 billion people check at least one of the following accounts: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger.
(Facebook)
Facebook’s social media users statistics indicate that a staggering 2.1 billion users visit at least one of these social networks/messaging platforms every day. All four are companies owned by Facebook.
The average American has 7.1 social media accounts.
(We Are Social)
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Linkedin, Pinterest, WhatsApp, Messenger... These are the most popular social media platforms according to their number of users. And the average American has an account on at least seven of them.
11 new people start using social media every second.
(Hootsuite)
The number of people on social media grows by 11 each second. What does this mean for you as a marketer trying to communicate with an audience? It means your potential social media reach grows organically by 11 users. Just swell!
44% of internet users have an ad-blocker.
(We Are Social)
This is among the less exciting but still interesting facts about social media. More than 40% of internet users turn on their ad-blocker while on social networks. It’s worth remembering that traditional marketing approaches might not work for people who have this kind of app installed on their devices.
Facebook Marketing Stats
Worldwide there were 1.59 billion daily active users on Facebook in June 2019.
(Facebook)
How many people use Facebook every day? The latest data provided by the network indicates that nearly 1.6 billion people visit the platform on a daily basis.
There are 2.41 billion monthly active users on Facebook as of June 2019.
(Facebook)
The number of people on Facebook is much greater when we include the users who access the platform less frequently. With a reach of 2.41 billion people every month, marketers can’t afford to ignore this channel.
There are 270 million fake profiles on Facebook.
(Mashable)
On the other hand, it’s worth remembering the negative facts about social media. Among the vast array of Facebook users is a disturbing number of fake profiles. On Facebook alone, there are 270 million duplicated or fraudulent profiles.
190 million Americans have a Facebook account as of July 2019.
(Statista)
Social media usage stats published by Statista show that an incredible 190 million US teenagers and adults have a Facebook account. India is the only country in the world with a larger number of Facebook users. More than 270 million Indians have a Facebook account.
76% of American adults can be reached with ads on Facebook.
(We Are Social)
This is by far the largest audience marketers can hope to get through on any social network. Marketing experts know this and most of them already advertise on Facebook.
There are more women on Facebook than men (53% vs. 47%)
(Omnicore)
Facebook user demographics data published by Omnicore suggests Facebook is a great platform for reaching both male and female audiences. However, there are slightly more women than men on this site.
The average American Facebook user is 40.5 years old.
(Chron)
Facebook users statistics show that this social media platform, which was founded by a Harvard student 15 years ago, has gained popularity among American adults of all ages. However, the average Facebook user’s age is 40.5, which might be higher than you’d expect.
94% of marketers use Facebook in their campaigns.
(Social Media Examiner)
Considering the fact that 190 million Americans use the network, it’s no surprise that so many marketers rely on Facebook to advertise their products. As many as 9.4 in 10 marketing specialists incorporate Facebook into their marketing efforts.
Just 48% of marketers feel their Facebook marketing is either “very effective” or “effective.”
Social Media Examiner)
However, not all of them are happy with their Facebook marketing results. Facebook advertising statistics indicate that 9% of marketers qualify their Facebook marketing as “very effective,” 39% say it’s “effective,” while 38% are uncertain. The rest believe they are flat-out failing.
On average, Facebook users click on eight ads each month.
(Hootsuite)
Even though users see many ads while they scroll through their Facebook feed, they avoid clicking on them. The average user clicks on an ad only eight times a month. The number goes up for female users, who click on 10 paid advertisements every month. Hootsuite’s social media advertising stats suggest that men do the same only seven times a month.
The average engagement rate for Facebook live videos is 4.3%.
(HubSpot)
Social media marketing benefits can include raising brand awareness and deepening customer relations. Using video content, you can accomplish both. However, keep in mind that live video runs laps around non-live videos in terms of user engagement. According to HubSpot’s Facebook live stats, live videos have a 4.3% engagement rate compared to a meager 2.2% for regular video.
85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.
(HubSpot)
The majority of videos on Facebook are watched in mute mode according to social media marketing statistics. If you are a marketer figuring out the next move in your Facebook advertising strategy, you should definitely bear this information in mind.
80% of Facebook users react negatively when a video automatically plays with sound.
(Facebook)
In fact, eight in 10 Facebook users say they are annoyed with video content that automatically starts with audio. If your video content makes no sense without sound, include subtitles or post it on another network like YouTube or Instagram.
72% of marketers say they use Facebook ads.
(Social Media Examiner)
As many as 72% of marketing specialists regularly use paid ads on the world’s most popular social media platform. Facebook ads statistics reveal that B2C marketers use this feature more often than their counterparts in the B2B niche (76% vs. 66%).
49% of marketers say they’ve increased their Facebook ad activities in the past year.
(Social Media Examiner)
In the previous year, nearly half of marketers upped their stakes in the Facebook ads game. It doesn’t stop there; 67% say they plan on increasing their use of Facebook ads over the next 12 months.
Facebook Business Pages now number more than 60 million.
(Brandwatch)
Facebook has long outgrown its original purpose as a place for keeping up with friends and family. Nowadays, this platform is more or less a business hub, and there are more than 60 million active business pages to prove it.
97% of B2C and 91% of B2B marketers are focused on Facebook.
(Social Media Examiner)
Social media marketing on Facebook appeals slightly more to B2C marketers. Practically all marketing specialists reaching out to direct clients include it in their digital marketing strategy - an incredible 97%, to be precise. More than nine in 10 (91%) B2B marketers focus on this channel, too.
When asked “What will you invest in over the following year?” 67% of marketers responded that they would focus on Facebook ads.
(Social Media Examiner)
Facebook ads reign supreme. Most marketers plan to invest in them since they have proven to be a highly effective social media marketing method. Instagram ads are also popular with marketers - 53% plan to spend money on Instagram in the hopes of increasing brand visibility, customer engagement, or sales. Facebook Messenger ads are the third most popular planned investment (41%).
51% of marketers plan on using Messenger bots in 2019.
(Social Media Examiner)
Facebook marketing stats inform us that the majority of marketing experts plan to give Messenger bots a shot this year. This new in-app tool brings businesses closer to consumers by providing quick answers to frequently asked questions. Messenger bots are gaining traction quickly; last year only 15% of marketers used them.
70% of marketers want to learn more about Messenger bots.
(Social Media Examiner)
Before committing to implementing a new tool in their marketing strategy, marketers want to make sure they understand the technology they’ll be using. Seven in 10 would like to learn more about this product from Facebook’s array.
Instagram Marketing Statistics
Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly users.
(Instagram)
How many people use Instagram? Well, Instagram user statistics published by the social network itself reveal the mind-boggling figure of more than 1 billion users each month.
More than 500 million Instagrammers use Insta Stories every day.
(Instagram)
Cut the number of monthly users in half and you’ll get the number of Instagram users who access these short-format videos on a daily basis. More than half a billion people worldwide see an Instagram Story ad or two every day while watching their friends’ Stories. This is a marketing pool so deep and wide enough that it deserves every marketer’s attention.
44% of Americans over 13 can be reached with adverts on Instagram.
(We Are Social)
Instagram user stats that focus on the US show that marketers can reach 44% of the US population over the age of 13 on this platform. Amazing, right? Putting this into perspective, there are 120 million Americans you can target with Instagram ads.
In the five years between 2013 and 2018, the Instagram community has grown from 90 million to 1 billion monthly active users.
(HubSpot)
This makes this photo- and video-sharing app the fastest growing social media platform in the world. With the number of Instagram users increasing so rapidly, it’s only natural that marketers are flocking there, too.
73% of marketers use Instagram.
(Social Media Examiner)
According to Social Media Examiner’s 2019 Instagram stats, nearly three-quarters of US marketing experts advertise on this social media platform. At the moment, Facebook is the only platform more popular with marketers.
More than 2 million advertisers use Instagram every month.
(Sprout Social)
In other words, the second most popular social media in the US attracts more than 2 million marketing specialists every month. They report advertising on this channel increases their exposure, generates website traffic, and creates leads.
Users aged 18 to 24 are substantially more likely than those aged 25 to 29 to say they use Instagram (75% vs. 57%).
(Pew Research)
Pew Research on social media Instagram demographics shows that older teens and people in their early 20s outnumber users in their late 20s. These Instagram statistics show that three-quarters of Americans in the first age group have an Instagram account while only 57% of those in the other group report the same.
55% of people in Generation Z (aged 16 to 24) have increased their use of Instagram in the past year.
(eMarketer)
Marketing on this social media platform is essential if you want to reach a Gen Z audience. According to eMarketer, more than half of users aged 16 to 24 report that they use Instagram more frequently now than they did last year. This means your opportunities to communicate with them via this platform are greater than ever.
67% of American millennials have an Instagram account.
(Pew Research)
Apart from being among the most used social media apps for teens, Instagram is widely popular with millennials, too. Social media use statistics published by Pew Research in 2019 suggest that almost seven in 10 millennials have created an account on the photo-sharing app.
200 million Instagrammers visit a business profile every day.
(Sprout Social)
If you were wondering how many Instagram users interact with brands on a daily basis, here’s your answer: 200 million and counting. If you don’t already have a business page, get started on it ASAP.
80% of Instagram users follow a business on this social network.
(Sprout Social)
Using social media for business is a great way to interact with customers. They view it positively and want to engage. In fact, eight in 10 Instagram users follow at least one business on the network according to statistics on social media usage.
75% of Instagram users take action after seeing an ad.
(Hootsuite)
Not only do users gladly follow businesses on Instagram, but they often feel inspired to take action after seeing their ads. The fact that 75% of Instagrammers have been inspired to visit a brand’s website or make a purchase after seeing an ad makes it one of the best social media marketing platforms. If you market yourself cleverly, your efforts are very likely to pay off.
A quarter of all ads on Instagram are videos.
(HubSpot)
Unless you’ve been actively avoiding all social media marketing news, you’ll know that video is all the rage nowadays. Younger generations of consumers prefer it over textual content. If you’re in doubt whether to choose video, images, or carousel ads, go with video.
85% of millennials have purchased a product after watching a video about it.
(Business Wire)
If you’re planning on using social media for marketing, you should definitely keep this stat in mind. Video runs laps around all other content when it comes to product presentation. It is also a very powerful tool for evoking emotional responses and forging a brand identity.
60% of Instagram Stories are watched with the sound turned on.
(Jumper Media)
Unlike Facebook users who consume video content silently, Instagrammers view video with the sound on. Well, at least 60% of them do; the rest watch it on mute. Jumper Media’s social media studies remind marketers to cater to both needs.
One-third of brands on Instagram post 11-20 times a month.
(HubSpot)
In this day and age, having no social media presence is equivalent to not having a business at all. However, you shouldn’t overdo it on social media, either. The most common posting frequency for brands on Instagram is between 11 and 20 times per month. Heck, if it works for Dior, maybe you should give it a go.
Instagram’s ad revenue is projected to bring in nearly a quarter of Facebook’s total ad revenue by the end of 2019.
(Sprout Social)
As we have mentioned in the Facebook stats above, Instagram is owned by Facebook. All the revenue generated through Instagram ads is presented as a part of Facebook profits. As this platform’s social media growth continues, so does its share of Facebook’s overall revenue. By the end of 2020, it's projected that Instagram’s ad revenue will make up 30% of Facebook’s total ad revenue.
The volume of brand-sponsored influencer content on Instagram is projected to amount to 6.12 million posts in 2020.
(Statista)
The rise of social media has brought with it influencers - people whose opinions and world views influence other users to make decisions. They are a marketer’s best friend, as their recommendations can go a long way with modern consumers. And luckily for marketers, there are many influencers on the fastest growing social media platform. Statista’s Instagram statistics project that next year there will be more than 6 million influencer posts sponsored by brands.
Twitter Marketing Stats
1.3 billion Twitter accounts have been created since the network was launched in 2006.
(Brandwatch)
The network has gained a lot of users since it was founded 13 years ago. However, Twitter usage statistics point to the fact that many of those users haven’t exactly got hooked on it. As many as 44% of those who had made an account left before ever sending a Tweet, according to Brandwatch’s Twitter statistics.
330 million people use Twitter monthly in 2019.
(Statista)
So, how many people use Twitter? The latest data published by Statista suggests there are 330 million people who are active on the network every month. That number has slightly declined from 2018, when it reached a record high of 336 million.
47.05 million Americans can be reached with ads via Twitter.
(We Are Social)
For its comprehensive annual report, We Are Social gathered data about all major social media platforms’ total reachable advertising audience. Twitter shared that a little over 47 million Americans can be reached with adverts on the network. This figure is not as astonishing as the number of total Facebook users, but it’s still a sizeable audience.
Men make up 56% of the ad audience on Twitter.
(We Are Social)
Social media statistics reveal that men make up a larger portion of Twitter demographics than women. Indeed, 56% of the audience marketers can reach on this social media is male, while 44% is female.
On average, Twitter users have 707 followers.
(Brandwatch)
As Twitter followers statistics revealed by Brandwatch show, the average Twitter user has 707 followers. However, they are not all active, since a large number of Twitter users have never fully engaged with the network.
59% of marketers use Twitter.
(Social Media Examiner)
Twitter is the third-most popular social media with marketers, as it was last year. But its popularity has declined a bit. According to social media marketing stats presented in Social Media Examiner’s annual report, in 2018, 62% of marketing specialists said they used Twitter.
The media industry has the highest average number of posts per day on Twitter: 10.73 tweets.
(Digital Marketing Community)
Even though Twitter hasn’t become popular with billions of people worldwide, it has established itself as an important source of information in the US. Media outlets use Twitter to keep users up-to-date with current events. Despite having the highest post rate, the media has the lowest engagement rate: just 0.009%.
The average engagement rate on Twitter is 0.048%.
(Digital Marketing Community)
Let’s put the previous stat into perspective. According to social networking stats, the average Twitter engagement rate across industries is 0.048%. That’s more than five times the engagement rate the media industry gets.
With 0.08%, the alcohol industry ranks as the industry with the highest average engagement rate per post on Twitter.
(Digital Marketing Community)
It turns out people love alcohol so much that even tweeting about it is enough to get great engagement. The average number of posts in this industry is much lower than the media industry. In fact, it’s only 0.46 posts per day. The next two best-performing industries on Twitter are higher education and the hotel industry, with engagement rates of 0.079% and 0.071% respectively.
87% of B2B marketers use Twitter.
(Omnicore)
Omnicore’s social media advertising statistics show that Twitter is the second-most important social media platform for B2B marketers, behind only LinkedIn. The same source reveals that 13% of B2B leads are generated on Twitter, making it a pretty efficient marketing channel.
Tweets with photos get 150% more retweets than simply text-based tweets.
(HubSpot)
If you’re going to post something on Twitter with the aim of promoting your business, make sure to include an image. Twitter usage statistics suggest you’ll reach a broader audience that way, since people love retweeting posts with images.
LinkedIn Marketing Statistics
LinkedIn has more than 645 million users worldwide.
(LinkedIn)
LinkedIn statistics show that the network has gained quite a following since it first started in 2002. Today, it attracts 645 million professionals and companies from all corners of the globe.
LinkedIn ads reach more than 163 million Americans.
(LinkedIn)
Marketers can reach more than 163 million US users via this platform. Regardless of the fact that it has a large audience, LinkedIn is the best social media for business promotion since its users are already focused on business. There is no clutter, no baby pictures, no passive aggressive rants from your aunt. Users are more likely to notice and remember your business on LinkedIn than anywhere else.
48% of LinkedIn users are women.
(We Are Social)
Social media marketing statistics shared by We Are Social suggest that when marketers post on LinkedIn, men are more likely to see their message. That’s because this social media’s demographics are skewed towards men by a few percentage points.
There are more than 30 million companies represented on LinkedIn.
(LinkedIn)
Marketing specialists, especially those from the B2B niche, love this social network. How could they not when there are 30 million companies on it? It’s a great social media for small businesses looking to increase their exposure. It also does wonders for well-established companies who want to communicate their brand values or nurture customer relations.
46% of B2C and 80% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn.
(Social Media Examiner)
Wits so many businesses on LinkedIn, the platform truly is among the best business social media sites a B2B marketer could wish for. As many as eight in 10 B2B marketing specialists know this and use it. Almost half of their B2C colleagues also advertise their products and services directly to consumers on the platform.
71% of B2B marketers are interested in learning more about LinkedIn.
(Social Media Examiner)
Since social media impact on business is undeniable, it’s no wonder business owners and marketers want to improve their network-specific skills. LinkedIn is the platform that piques the interest of most B2B and half of B2C marketing specialists (71% B2B vs. 50% B2C).
LinkedIn generates 277% more leads than Facebook and Twitter.
(HubSpot)
This is one of those social media statistics for business you should take note of if you want to boost your sales. HubSpot analyzed more than 5,000 businesses that use one of these three networks to generate leads. The results were astonishing. LinkedIn dominated the visitor-to-lead conversion rate with an impressive 2.74%. Facebook and Twitter were far behind with rates below 1%.
YouTube Marketing Statistics
82% of Americans report using YouTube, making it the most popular social media platform in the US.
(We Are Social)
Which social media platform has the largest user base in the US? Well, statistics about social media indicate that this video-sharing platform captures Americans’ attention like no other social network. Indeed, YouTube has won over 82% of Americans of all ages. When it comes to the demographics of social media users on YouTube, it’s worth noting that women make up 54% and men 46%.
Globally, 83% of internet users turn to YouTube as their main source of video content.
(Hubspot)
When in search of a funny video or a how-to tutorial, people go to YouTube. They also turn to it when they want to learn about a product, see an honest review, or watch a new commercial. Naturally, you as a marketer care more about the latter. HubSpot’s social networking statistics show that Facebook is catching up with YouTube. It’s the second-most popular platform for watching video content online - 67% of Americans watch videos on it regularly.
More than 1.9 billion logged-in users visit YouTube each month.
(YouTube)
The number of YouTube monthly active users is just below 2 billion. That’s the number of people who access the platform while logged in with their YouTube account. Keep in mind, though, that the number of YouTube users who watch videos without logging in is far greater.
YouTube has an impressive 51% penetration rate among American internet users aged 75 years and above.
(Statista)
YouTube user statistics show that the video-sharing platform beats all other social networks when it comes to winning over older internet users. These social media usage statistics by age also show that as many as 96% of internet users aged 18 to 24 access YouTube regularly. In other words, YouTube has the highest user penetration rate across all age groups.
59% of Gen Z respondents say they use their YouTube app a lot more than they did last year.
(eMarketer)
Teenage social media statistics reveal that members of Gen Z report increased use of the YouTube app compared to the previous year. If you are a marketer or business owner targeting this age group, you ought to know you’ll find them on YouTube.
YouTube mobile ads receive viewer attention 83% of the time.
(Ipsos)
Not only will you find Generation Z users on YouTube; you’re likely to catch their attention. This is true of other generations as well. YouTube mobile ads are highly effective for engaging users - 83% of the time users focus on the message.
The number of small and medium-sized businesses advertising on YouTube has doubled since 2016.
(Hootsuite)
The importance of social media marketing is becoming evident to more and more SMBs. And what better place to reach an audience than YouTube? It has huge numbers of active users and the ads it shows on it successfully grab people’s attention. It’s every marketer’s dream.
70% of YouTube views take place on a mobile device.
(Hootsuite)
Hootsuite’s YouTube view statistics once again confirm the dominance of mobile devices. YouTube, like the other most used social media platforms, gets more use on mobile phones and tablets than on PCs and laptops. The proliferation of stable internet and our fast-paced modern lifestyle allow it, and users enjoy it. The lesson for marketers? Optimize your ads to fit mobile devices.
In November 2018, YouTube doubled the number of pre-roll ads it shows.
(Hootsuite)
This is one of those YouTube statistics that will have business owners and marketing specialists grinning. The company’s decision to increase the number of ads allows for more advertising space, which you can use to promote your business.
How-to videos shown in virtual reality (VR) have a 36% higher recall by viewers compared to the same videos watched on YouTube.
(HubSpot)
Even though people love using social media now and spend a lot of time on it, this might change soon. VR has the potential to be the next great thing both for marketing and social interaction, so we recommend keeping an eye on the latest advances.
Snapchat Marketing Stats
Snapchat had 203 million daily active users in 2019.
(Snapchat)
How many people use Snapchat? Social media statistics worldwide indicate there are approximately 203 million users who access this social network each day.
93.25 million people can be reached with Snapchat ads in the US.
(We Are Social)
According to We Are Social’s 2019 Digital Report, the advertising reach of Snapchat is a little under 95 million users. That’s 34% of Americans over the age of 13. However, the same report shows that the advertising audience of Snapchat is diminishing quarter-by-quarter.
56% of Snapchat users are female.
(We Are Social)
Stats on this social media platform show that it’s more popular among women and teenage girls than men and teenage boys. If you sell products aimed at this target audience, make sure you take advantage of Snapchat.
41% of US teens say Snapchat is their preferred social network.
(Statista)
Four in 10 American teenagers say they enjoy Snapchat more than any other platform. This makes it the most popular social media for teens. The same survey shows Instagram holds second position (35%), while Twitter and Facebook share a distant third place (6%).
Young adults aged 18 to 24 are far more likely than adults aged 25 to 29 to say they use Snapchat (73% vs. 47%).
(Pew Research)
The multimedia messaging app is most popular with Gen Zers. Millennials follow as the second demographic with the most users. Millennials and social media statistics published by Pew Research reveal that only 47% of adults aged 25 to 29 have a Snapchat account. On the other hand, the number of Snapchat users in the 18 to 24 age group is much higher: 73%.
56% of users from Generation Z say they’re using Snapchat more this year than they did last year.
(eMarketer)
Existing Snapchat users report increasing the time they spend on this network. As many as 56% of Gen Z Snapchatters say they are more active on the app this year than they were in 2018.
Only 8% of marketers say they use Snapchat.
(Social Media Examiner)
With such a slew of social networks, entrepreneurs and marketers have a hard time producing content for all of them. According to social media marketing stats, Snapchat doesn’t make the cut for most marketers. In fact, only 8% of them say they advertise on Snapchat. This means the competition isn’t fierce. If your target audience consists of teens and young adults, Snapchat is a marketing channel worth exploring.
Consumers, Marketers, and Social Media Video
Watching videos on mobile devices has increased by almost 10 million daily viewing minutes over the past two years.
(HubSpot)
Social media video statistics reveal that between the billions of daily social media users, millions of minutes of video content get devoured. People love watching videos on social platforms, so that’s what marketers should deliver.
As of 2018, 35% of marketers use live video on social media.
(Social Media Examiner)
Some marketing experts have already taken the hint and included this type of content in their social media strategy. A little over a third are already using the next big thing in social media marketing: live video.
64% of consumers say they’ve been influenced to make a purchase by a video they saw on social media.
(Smart Insights)
The power of social media marketing is perfectly encapsulated in this one stat. Not only can video entertain; it can also turn followers into paying customers. More than two-thirds of US consumers say they’ve bought a product after seeing a video on social media.
93% of marketers cite more exposure for their business as the number one benefit of social media marketing.
(Social Media Examiner)
Increased traffic was the second-most common benefit, reported by 87% of those in charge of marketing. These top two benefits have remained virtually unchanged for four years. Generating leads (74%), improving sales (72%), and creating loyal customers (71%) round up the social media advertising effectiveness top five list.
43% of companies with online stores report seeing significant traffic from social media.
(Marketing Sherpa)
Ever wondered how businesses use social media for marketing? Well, online stores use it to advertise their products on the largest social media platforms. And they get great results, too. In fact, 43% of online retailers that use this form of marketing say it is responsible for significant website traffic.
54% of consumers want to see more video content from their favorite brands or businesses.
(HubSpot)
HubSpot’s social media advertising statistics send a clear message to marketers. Consumers are interested in getting to know the brands they support, and they want to do it through video content.
61% of consumers want to learn something from the videos they see on social media.
(Hubspot)
Shoppers have another demand from videos they see on social networks. If you can make your marketing videos more educational by conveying a lesson consumers will find valuable, you’ll win their attention.
77% of marketers plan on using more video content in their future activities.
(Social Media Examiner)
Social media marketing stats prove that when consumers speak, smart marketers listen. The majority of marketing experts plan to increase the amount of video content they deliver on social media.
43% of B2C marketers say pre-produced video is the most successful type of content.
(Content Marketing Institute)
Almost half of marketers who address clients directly consider pre-produced video the best type of content they can share on social media. It evokes emotions, raises brand awareness, sparks conversations, and boosts engagement.
Achieve Nearly All Your Marketing Goals in One Place
Social media is no longer a place where young people waste time glued to their devices. Indeed, it evolved into a powerful business tool a long time ago.
Regardless of who your products are designed for or whether you have a B2C or a B2B business, there is bound to be a social network where you can communicate with your customers and leads.
If your target audience is millennial women, there’s no better place to reach them than on Instagram. If you sell services to teenagers, they’ll be most responsive to your message on Snapchat. Looking to engage with a more mature audience? Then Facebook is your best bet. LinkedIn is a B2B marketer's dream.
Like we’ve said, there is an ideal channel for each audience. As a marketer or a business owner, you must adapt to your audience’s changing demands.
FAQ
How many people use social media?
You might be surprised to learn just how many people have social media accounts. According to the 2019 Digital Report by We Are Social, there are 4.4 billion internet users in the world. That’s 57% of the global population. Of those with internet access, an astonishing 3.5 billion people use social networks.
What percent of teens use social media?
As many as 81% of US teenagers use social networks. This isn’t alarming on its own, but when we look at the time spent on social media by age we come across some worrisome information. According to social media addiction statistics shared by the Washington Post, some teens are spending up to nine hours a day on social media. For tweens, those between the ages of 8 and 12, the average is nearly six hours per day.
How many people get news from social media?
Pew Research social networking statistics show that some 68% of Americans get their news from various social media platforms at least occasionally (often: 20%, sometimes: 27%, hardly ever: 21%). However, they don’t put too much trust in that news. Of those who read the news on social media, 57% consider what they see to be inaccurate.
What percentage of the world’s population has an active Facebook account?
We have seen a huge increase in both the global population and the number of Facebook users by year. Yet focusing on the current numbers – 7.7 billion people inhabiting the planet and 2.41 billion active Facebook users each month – we come to the following conclusion. In 2019, 31% of the world’s population had an active Facebook account.
When are people most active on Facebook?
Fun facts about social media shared by Mashable inform us that people are most active on Facebook at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. The biggest spike in user activity occurs at 3:00 p.m. ET on weekdays.
When did Instagram start?
The photo-sharing app was launched on October 6, 2010.
How many people have Instagram?
At the moment, more than 1 billion people worldwide have an Instagram account and use it at least once a month.
How many people are on Twitter?
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves creating and sharing content on different social media platforms in order to achieve marketing goals. Content needs to be curated so as to fit the format users of a particular network expect.
Can social media marketing really help my business?
If you’ve carefully read our stats and facts about social media, you’ll understand the answer is yes. Business owners need to adapt to consumers’ habits. People spend more than two and a half hours each day on social networks. What this means for businesses is that their TV ads might no longer be as effective as they once were. If they want to get the word out about their products or services, they must reach out to consumers on a channel they now frequent.
How do small businesses start social media marketing?
Like any other business endeavor, social media marketing starts with a plan. Setting clear goals and outlining a plan of action will help you stay on track and will keep you motivated. Since this is too broad a subject to cover in just a few lines, we suggest you take a look at this comprehensive guide on Hootsuite. It gives detailed tips and explanations on how small businesses tackle social media marketing.
How important is social media marketing for small businesses?
The importance of social media for small companies is undeniable. It’s how you grow from a small business into a well-established brand. Social networks give businesses a chance to connect with existing customers and an opportunity to grow that customer base. Word of mouth has nowadays been replaced by a like and share on social media platforms.
Sources
We Are Social
We Are Social
Digital Information World
Facebook
Hootsuite
Facebook
Mashable
We Are Social
Chron
Social Media Examiner
HubSpot
Facebook
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner
Instagram
We Are Social
Social Media Examiner
Pew Research
Pew Research
Sprout Social
HubSpot
Jumper Media
Sprout Social
Brandwatch
We Are Social
Brandwatch
Digital Marketing Community
Digital Marketing Community
HubSpot
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Social Media Examiner
We Are Social
YouTube
eMarketer
Hootsuite
Hootsuite
Snapchat
We Are Social
Pew Research
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner
HubSpot
Social Media Examiner
Smart Insights
We Are Social
We Are Social
We Are Social
We Are Social
Facebook
Statista
Omnicore
Social Media Examiner
Hootsuite
HubSpot
Social Media Examiner
Brandwatch
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner
Instagram
HubSpot
Sprout Social
eMarketer
Sprout Social
Hootsuite
Business Wire
HubSpot
Statista
Statista
We Are Social
Social Media Examiner
Digital Marketing Community
Omnicore
LinkedIn
We Are Social
Social Media Examiner
HubSpot
Hubspot
Statista
Ipsos
Hootsuite
HubSpot
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Statista
eMarketer
HubSpot
Smart Insights
Marketing Sherpa
Hubspot
Content Marketing Institute
About the author
Ivana is a staff writer at SmallBizGenius. Her interests during office hours include writing about small businesses, start-ups, and retail. When the weekend comes, you can find her hiking in nature, hanging off of a cliff or dancing salsa.
More From Our Blog
Modern-day interfaces need to be fully optimized with consumers in mind, and understanding industry trends can help you figure out how to improve your business.
By Julija A. ·
March 07,2023
While influencer marketing isn’t exactly a modern invention, it has certainly reached new heights over the past decade. Back in the day, movie stars, athletes, and musicians could earn a pretty penny by promoting products and services. At the time, this was the most effective way to reach and influence a broad audience. But not anymore. Nowadays, the focus has shifted to “normal people” who the audience can relate to. Influencer marketing statistics show us exactly how much this trend affects our society and what we can expect in the future.
It might not surprise you to hear that influencer recommendations today mean a lot more to young people than celebrity blogs and endorsements. While celebrities often appear fake, influencers come across as more relatable, honest, and authentic. Because of that, many younger internet users rely on these individuals to help them decide what’s cool, what’s reliable, and what’s worth buying.
Influencer Marketing Stats (Editor’s Choice)
In 2018, companies who used influencer marketing got a 520% return on investment.
49% of users rely on influencer recommendations for their purchases.
In June 2018, Instagram reached one billion active users.
Micro-influencers with fewer than 100k followers are responsible for the majority of posts on the platform.
66% of influencers on the web focus on fashion, beauty, or lifestyle.
The primary concern for 42% of marketers is dealing with fake followers (bots).
Marketer and Influencer Stats
Analysts predict the influencer marketing industry will be worth $9.7 billion in 2020.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
Marketers know that in order for their brand to reach its full potential on social media, they need to employ influencers. Year on year, the growth of this industry has been around 50%. In 2019, the industry was estimated to be worth $6.5 billion. And it will only continue to grow.
In 2019, nearly 90% of marketers ran multiple campaigns.
(Linqia)
The success of influencer marketing has driven up the number of campaigns marketers use today. One campaign is simply not enough to both drive brand awareness and generate sales, so the majority of companies will run multiple, sometimes simultaneous, campaigns. Among surveyed marketers, 24% of them ran more than five campaigns in 2019, with 16% of them maintaining an always-on campaign.
91% of marketers believe in the effectiveness of influencer marketing.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
Influencer marketing stats from late 2019 show that, unsurprisingly, marketers put a lot of trust in their influencer campaigns. This is comparable to the number of respondents that planned to invest in influencer marketing during 2020, especially with how good ROI has been in the past several years.
When they pick influencers, 29.2% of marketers look at engagement rate as the main factor.
(SocialPubli)
Other figures show that 23% of marketers look at content quality, 21.2% focus on reach, while only 14.2% consider audience size. If we’re to trust these influencer marketing statistics, only 12.4% worry about how much the influencer costs. This suggests that the ROI is so good that most marketers don’t even think about the price.
77% of marketers believe micro-influencers will play a large part in the future of digital marketing.
(Linqia)
Considering that the majority of posts on Instagram are created by micro-influencers, it makes sense that they will continue to play a role in the future of marketing. Based on some influencer marketing facts, marketers predict that AI and live video will also be significant trends in the future.
Nano influencers are being requested more often than celebrities.
(Linqia)
A nano influencer doesn’t have a huge following - usually under 5,000 followers. But in the eyes of many marketing companies, they offer a better ROI than using a big-name celebrity.
Among the surveyed marketers, 25% want to work with nano influencers, compared to 22% who still prefer working with celebrities to promote their products. Celebrity influence is slowly dwindling because it’s too commercial. What people really want is a genuine connection, and nano influencers offer exactly the kind of authenticity that makes it possible.
Companies using influencer marketing saw a 578% return on investment in 2019.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
This study used data from 2,000 companies. Compared to data from 2018, when the ROI was at 520%, this is quite a significant growth. This shows that marketers are getting a better understanding of employing these types of campaigns.
During the past year, 5% of brands spent more than $500,000 each on influencer campaigns.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
The majority of marketers will not spend more than $50,000 a year hiring influencers. In fact, 43% spend less than $10,000 annually. Of course, the bigger the influencer, the higher the price goes, so a small portion of big brands will gladly spend much more than others for hiring the mega stars of social media.
In 2019, 57% of marketers said that they would increase their influencer marketing budget in the following year.
(Linqia)
Most experienced marketers know these ad campaigns work, so they’re willing to invest more and more in them each year. Even though influencer marketing ROI is lower now than it was a few years ago, we can expect things to pick up again.
Only 5% of marketers plan on spending half or more of their budget on influencer marketing.
(Linqia)
Traditional marketing is still the dominant form of advertising, even in 2022. While the trend of employing influencers is on the rise, with 43% of marketers planning to spend between 11% and 25% of their budget for influencer campaigns. Still, one-third of surveyed marketers don’t want to dedicate more than 10% of their budgets on paying influencers.
Repurposing influencer ads is the strategy of 89% of marketers.
(Linqia)
Once the content is produced and posted online, it’s out there forever. So, a logical step for marketers is to repurpose what they’ve already paid for. Companies will re-post paid content as either promoted posts across other social media channels or use it for organic growth, depending on what kind of content was produced in the first place.
According to Influencer Marketing Hub, 39% of influencer marketers use conversions as a primary measure of success.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
Trends are also changing in the way the success of influencer marketing campaigns is measured. Previously, marketers used site engagement metrics, but in 2019 that trend was overtaken by calculating conversions. It makes sense, too. It’s one thing for a potential customer to just click the link, learning something about the brand, but it’s a whole other situation if they actually end up making a purchase.
71% of marketers keep up with the latest FTC regulations and know how to implement them.
(Linqia)
FTC guidelines are there to protect consumers and sanction influencers who don’t follow the rules. That’s why it’s important that marketers familiarize themselves with all the latest changes and modifications. All these regulations are clearly defined for each social platform, so there is zero room for error or misunderstanding.
On the other hand, only 14% of influencers are fully FTC compliant.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
Even with many efforts by social media platforms to ensure ads are marked as ads, the majority of influencers still don’t mark their posts by the FTC standards. Analysts fear that this may lead to more drastic measures by the authorities, potentially leading to another “adpocalypse.” On the other hand, the situation is improving ever so slightly, since in 2018 this number was sitting at just 11%.
The primary concern for 42% of marketers is dealing with bots that might follow the brand influencer.
(Marketing Charts)
There are two main problems with an influencer having too many fake followers or bots. First off, having too many of these automatic fans might result in problems with the FTC, which could lead to account suspension. In addition, from a marketer’s point of view, there’s no point in paying for a campaign that mainly reaches fake users.
Social Influencer Marketing
64% of influencers say they would never accept a huge amount of money if it would cost them their followers.
(Hashoff)
This data shows most digital influencers nowadays value their fanbase more than money. The respect they get from their followers seems to be invaluable. That, in turn, makes them more desirable on their chosen platforms.
45% of influencers are contacted at least four times a month with campaign proposals.
(Influence.co)
It’s interesting to note that while almost half of influencers get at least four offers a month, there’s a good chance those offers won’t be accepted. In fact, 44% of influencers say they only accept one in four offers they receive. This suggests that demand for marketing influencers actually outweighs supply right now.
49% of influencers are paid a flat fee per picture, while 11% are paid based on performance.
(Influence.co)
Almost half of all influencers are paid per picture, which means that they don’t have to worry about audience engagement or any other metrics. Their only job is to post the picture and carry on with their normal work. It’s understandable why that business model is a lot more attractive to influencers than other alternatives, which could prove to be far less reliable.
66% of influencer networks focus on fashion, beauty, or lifestyle.
(Influence.co)
This information suggests that beauty and image trump all other concerns. Naturally, influencers are ready to help us ease our insecurities. The 66% share shows what kinds of products and services people are most likely to shop for online.
12% of influencers say that most of the time they have no control over the copy used in their promotions.
(Influence.co)
Among these influencer marketing statistics, one worrying snippet shows that 12% of influencers don’t even write their own posts. This flies in the face of the authenticity and honesty influencers are supposed to represent.
For 63% of campaigns, influencers don’t even use contracts.
(Influence.co)
Despite the fact that marketers spend billions of dollars on influencer campaigns, 63% of influencers still don’t use contracts to protect themselves or their work. This is a poor practice that is set to change as regulations get more and more rigid.
Instagram Influencers Marketing
Instagram has 1 billion active users.
(Hootsuite)
There’s no doubt that Instagram is one of today’s biggest social media platforms. In 2018, there were 1 billion registered users, a 1,000% increase since 2013. By the end of 2019, the monthly active user number has also reached 1 billion, solidifying Instagram as the platform your brand needs to utilize.
500 million Instagram users watch Stories every day.
(Hootsuite)
Even though they’re not originally Instagram’s invention, Stories have become hugely popular on the platform. These are photo or video posts available in a separate feed that automatically disappear 24 hours after being posted. Ability to link Stories to a website has increased their popularity among both marketers and influencers.
90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand on the platform.
(Instagram)
Another unsurprising fact is that fans will stay fans wherever they go. Instagram is no different. In fact, a vast majority of users end up following brand accounts, so that already creates a loyal fan base to which a company can promote its products.
Female influencers produced 84% of sponsored Instagram posts in 2019.
(Statista)
For years, beauty and fashion have been on the forefront of advertising on Instagram. Since these industries mostly have female consumers, it comes as no surprise that influencers are predominantly female.
The number of sponsored Instagram posts is projected to reach 6.1 million in 2020.
(Statista)
Looking at the Instagram influencer marketing statistics throughout the past several years, a trend can be seen regarding the number of sponsored posts. It is constantly on the rise, although not at the 100% rate we’ve seen from 2016 to 2017. In 2019, there were 4.95 million sponsored posts on Instagram, and in 2020 this number is expected to rise by more than a million.
A study from April 2018 found out that more than half of influencers use Instagram Stories as their preferred outreach method.
(eMarketer)
Instagram Stories were introduced in August 2016 and gave users a chance to create posts that only last for 24 hours. It is a great customer acquisition method because it allows influencers to reach people who don’t already follow them.
25% of all sponsored posts on Instagram are fashion-related, while food takes second place.
(Business Insider)
We’ve already mentioned how the influencer marketing industry revolves around beauty tips and lifestyle instructions, so it makes sense that fashion represents a quarter of all Instagram sponsored posts.
Micro-influencers with fewer than 100,000 followers are responsible for the majority of posts on Instagram.
(Socialbakers)
Nearly a third of all profiles on Instagram belong to so-called micro-influencers, who can have anywhere from 2,000 to 100,000 followers. The interesting thing about influencer culture is the fact that there’s room for everyone. In fact, top Instagram influencers with over a million followers only make up 1% of all accounts on the platform.
97% of marketers plan on using Instagram for their influencer campaigns in 2020.
(Linqia)
Instagram has finally overtaken Facebook as the most popular influencer platform. Not only are Instagram posts sitting at the top spot, but Stories are also making their way up - 83% of marketers are planning to pour their budgets into promoting their products with Stories produced by influencers. The reason? Vertical video. For 55% of marketers, vertical video will play a key role in 2020 campaigns.
YouTube Influencer Stats
10 brands spent $1 million each on sponsoring YouTube videos.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
“This video is sponsored by…” You know the drill. Sponsored video segments, basically ads that are embedded into the video, are turning to be quite an investment for certain brands. These famous words were most commonly spoken for SkillShare, Squarespace, Nord VPN, Blue Chew, and DLive.
Brands spent more than $90 million on YouTube influencers during Q1 2020.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
During the first quarter of 2020, more than 1,300 brands were spending money on sponsored content on YouTube. In total, there were 5,680 videos produced, amassing 704 million views.
On average, advertisers spent $16,011 on each sponsored YouTube video.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
While sponsorships with top YouTube influencers don’t come cheap, the growth of micro and macro influencers lead to a wide variety of pricing tiers. Looking at the numbers during Q1 2020, we can see what amount of money on average is needed for each influencer campaign on the platform. In the future, analysts predict that YouTubers at or below 100,000 subscribers could be the biggest driving force for marketing campaigns.
Epic Games was the biggest spender in the first half of 2020 with a campaign worth $10.6 million.
(Influencer Marketing Hub)
The gaming powerhouse Epic Games, the owners of Fortnite and Epic Games Store, had a way bigger marketing budget for YouTube than anyone else. Sitting in second place is Bang Energy with $7.7 million, while SkillShare comes in third with $3 million in sponsored content expenses. Gaming is huge on YouTube and, with the world’s most popular game under its belt, Epic knew the value of promoting on this platform.
Four in 10 millennial consumers feel that their favorite YouTube influencer understands them better than friends or family.
(ThinkWithGoogle)
While these statistics might appear worrying, they certainly fit with the whole concept of influencers. Marketing to teens nowadays boils down to promoting normal, down-to-earth, relatable figures who understand what young people are interested in. That’s why millennial influencers are so effective. Because of that, teens, millennials, and other younger demographics feel a strong connection to them.
Half of YouTube’s top 10 earning stars are gamers.
(Forbes)
Industry statistics reveal that some of the most influential YouTubers on the platform are gamers. This reflects the continuous growth of the gaming industry, which is expanding rapidly. In an effort to compete with websites like Twitch, YouTube has also introduced streaming, which has further helped gaming channels gain prominence.
18% of users are influenced by YouTube when it comes to their purchases.
(Shane Barker)
YouTube is one of the biggest and most popular online platforms for product reviews. There are thousands of channels specializing in unboxing videos and hands-on reviews, all of which give potential customers a better feel for the product than written reviews. Influencers who create reviews often make deals with YouTube influencer marketing, in which they get free products, or even cash, in exchange for their reviews.
YouTube has the best engagement rate, ranging from 4% to 6.7%.
(CreatorIQ)
YouTube is a platform designed to drive engagement. Either by involving viewers in the discussion or by them sharing and liking videos, the drive to engage with content is inherently higher than on any other platform. Data from 2016 to 2019 demonstrates that Twitter has the lowest engagement rate, with 0.17% or lower depending on the audience size.
User Statistics You Should Know
49% of users rely on influencer recommendations for purchases.
(ION)
Online bloggers are so influential that almost half of users on the web rely on their recommendations when deciding to make a purchase. This shows that influencers are at least as important as all those hard-working marketers out there.
Influencer marketing statistics show that young people (ages 18-34) are more likely to buy a product endorsed by an influencer than one endorsed by a celebrity.
(Marketing Charts)
About 10 years ago, the go-to stars for product promotion were actors, musicians, sportspeople, and other celebrities. Nowadays, it’s all about influencers who seem a lot more trustworthy and relatable. Indeed, 22% of young people trust influencers’ choices, compared to just 9% who trust celebrities.
94% of users think authenticity and transparency are essential.
(Marketing Charts)
Authenticity and transparency are two of the most important traits in celebrity influencers. If they want to keep their followers, these social gurus need to be original, cultivate their own voice, and make sure that their behavior is completely transparent. This is the best way to earn their audience’s trust and respect.
19% of consumers rely on Facebook influencers when they purchase products.
(Shane Barker)
Statistics show that 19% of users turn to Facebook influencers for advice regarding product purchases. Although the platform is now less popular than its sister network, Instagram, it is still the preferred platform for thousands of influencer marketing companies.
What About Twitter?
You’ve probably noticed that we’ve mentioned pretty much every major social media platform except for Twitter. So, who are Twitter’s biggest influencers? What are some of the most interesting Twitter followers statistics?
Unfortunately, a lot of Twitter statistics revolve around the company’s own reports and estimates. Twitter seems to be desperately looking for a way into the world of real influencer marketing, even though the platform is inherently restricted by its 280-character limit for tweets.
By Dragomir Simovic ·
March 07,2023
To paint a better picture of the current landscape and identify growing trends within the industry, we pored through an array of reputable advertising studies.
By Goran Dautovic ·
December 15,2022
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