Social Media Statistics 2026: Insights to Win Big

In 2004, a Harvard student launched a platform that would go on to redefine how humans connect. Fast forward today, social media isn’t just a way to stay in touch; it’s where people shop, learn, protest, play, and even find love. From early-morning scrolls to late-night reels, platforms have woven themselves into the fabric of everyday life.

But how big is this digital web we’ve spun? Who’s using it, how often, and why? Let’s break down the latest social media statistics to understand how the world continues to shape and be shaped by these powerful platforms.

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5.17 billion people globally now use social media, representing 68.7% of the world’s population.
The average daily time spent on social media is 2 hours and 21 minutes per user.
Facebook remains the most-used platform with 3.07 billion monthly active users.
TikTok leads in engagement, with users spending an average of 55 minutes per day on the app.
In the US, 52% of adults reported using Facebook daily.
YouTube Shorts has surpassed 200 billion daily views.
Gen Z users dominate Instagram and TikTok, while Facebook still holds strong with Millennials and Gen X.

89.7% of marketers use AI several times weekly for analytics, content ideation, and trend forecasting.
The social media analytics tools market is expected to reach $14.6 billion by 2033, growing at 12.1% CAGR from 2026.
71.1% of teams report time savings from AI-powered predictive analytics and real-time dashboards.
59.5% of marketers leverage AI for analytics and reporting in social listening platforms.
85% of B2B marketers cite LinkedIn as the highest ROI channel with advanced analytics segmentation.
72.3% of online audiences use social media for brand research via enhanced sentiment tools.
Sprout Social is used by 45% of small-business and 37% of mid-market teams for listening insights.
AI-driven personalization in analytics boosts engagement by 30% for predictive targeting.
5.17 billion global social media users enable deeper data for cross-platform benchmarking.

Facebook leads globally with 3.07 billion monthly active users.
WhatsApp follows closely with 3 billion monthly active users.
Instagram has 3 billion monthly active users.
YouTube ranks high with 2.58 billion monthly active users.
TikTok reaches 1.99 billion monthly active users.
WeChat records 1.4 billion monthly active users.
Telegram serves 1 billion monthly active users.
Snapchat stands at 932 million monthly active users.
X (Twitter) has 557 million monthly active users.
Weibo closes with 588 million monthly active users.

Most Popular Social Media Platforms By Monthly Active Users

User Demographics by Age and Gender

35.3% of TikTok users are aged 25-34, the largest age group globally.
31.7% of Instagram users are aged 18-24, the primary demographic.
31.1% of Facebook users are Millennials aged 25-34.
70% of Pinterest users are women globally.
67% of Snapchat users are aged 13-24 worldwide.
56.9% of LinkedIn users are male globally.
55.7% of TikTok users are male, 44.3% female.
93% of US adults aged 18-29 use YouTube daily.
51% of Facebook users are Millennials aged 25-45.
42% of Pinterest users are Gen Z globally.

The global social commerce market is projected to reach $1.66 trillion.
TikTok Shop’s US ecommerce sales are at $23.41 billion.
43.8% of TikTok users make purchases on the platform.
60.9% of US social shoppers buy via Facebook.
37.3% of social shoppers purchase on Instagram.
70% of Pinterest users plan or research purchases.
Live commerce accounts for 17% of US social sales.
41% of Shopify traffic comes from social platforms.
130 million Instagram users tap product tags monthly.

71% of users access social media to stay connected with friends and family.
61% use social media for entertainment and inspiration.
50.2% cite keeping in touch with friends and family as the primary reason.
45% use social media for information and news consumption.
39.7% use social media to fill spare time.
37% rely on social media for product discovery and research.
35.4% read news stories on social media.
30.3% find content like articles and videos on social media.
28.9% use social media to see what’s being talked about.
21.5% use social media for work-related networking and research.

Top Reasons People Use Social Media Worldwide

China leads with 1.1 billion social media users.
India has 491 million social media users.
United States reports 253 million social media users.
Brazil users spend 3 hours 44 minutes daily on social media.
South Korea boasts 94.7% social media penetration rate.
Indonesia averages 3 hours 10 minutes of daily social media usage.
Nigeria users average 3 hours 49 minutes daily on social media.
Japan’s penetration rate is at 79.23% with 97 million users.
Canada’s daily usage is 3 hours 54 minutes per user.
Vietnam has 76.2 million social media users.

Global average daily time spent is 2 hours 21 minutes.
Philippines users average 3 hours 32 minutes daily.
United States average is 2 hours 13 minutes per day.
TikTok users spend 55 minutes daily worldwide.
YouTube’s average daily time is 49 minutes.
Instagram users average 38 minutes per day.
Facebook usage averages 33 minutes daily.
LinkedIn active users average 7 minutes per day.
Pinterest users average 11 minutes per session.
X (Twitter) users average 28 minutes daily.

Engagement Rates Across Platforms

TikTok averages 5.3% engagement rate per post.
Instagram Reels deliver 35% higher engagement than videos.
Facebook averages 0.06% engagement rate.
X (Twitter) averages 0.04% engagement rate.
LinkedIn multi-image posts hit 6.6% engagement.
YouTube small creators average 4.1% engagement.

Average Social Media Engagement Rates By Platform

Pinterest product-tagged pins see 20% higher interaction.
Reddit niche posts generate 3x more engagement.
Snapchat users open the app 40+ times daily.
The average across platforms is 1.8%.

TikTok posts generate an average 5.3% engagement rate for brands.
Instagram Reels deliver 35% higher engagement than standard videos.
YouTube creators with under 500K subscribers average 4.1% engagement.
Facebook’s average engagement rate is 0.06%.
X (Twitter) averages 0.04% engagement rate, the lowest among majors.
Instagram engagement rate is between 1.4%-2.8% across industries.
TikTok outperforms with 5.75% engagement rate on Reels-like content.
Brands replying within 24 hours see 47% higher future engagement.

Mobile vs Desktop Usage Patterns

98.5% of Facebook traffic is from mobile devices.
Global social media access 96.2% via smartphones.
73.06% Facebook market share on mobile and tablets.
US social media traffic 82% from mobile apps.
40.49% Facebook share on desktop devices.
Tablets account for 3% of social media browsing globally.
India’s social media usage is nearly 99% mobile.
European mobile usage is at 52%, and desktop 45%.
59.6% global web traffic is from mobile devices.
North America has a mobile dominance at 62% of internet time.

81% of users worry about data privacy on social media.
68% of consumers are concerned about data collection volume.
62% of US adults feel watched by social media algorithms.
80% wish to know more about personal data usage online.
63% believe companies lack transparency on data use.
19% growth in Telegram and Signal active users for privacy.
73% of Gen Z are more cautious about social media posts.

Social Media Privacy And Data Sharing Concerns

38% drop in conversion tracking accuracy post Apple ATT.
1.4 million monthly users adjust Meta ad preferences.

Global social media ad spend projected at $276.72 billion.
Meta dominates with over $134 billion in annual ad revenue.
TikTok ad revenue expected to surpass $20 billion.
YouTube ads generated $31 billion.
Snapchat ad revenue reached $4.6 billion.
Pinterest’s ad revenue is $3.1 billion.
LinkedIn ads generated $16 billion.
Instagram Reels monetization grew 44% YoY.
X/Twitter ad revenue at $12 billion.
Retail brands account for 31% of global ad spend.

Influencer Marketing Growth Trends

The global influencer marketing industry reached $32.55 billion.
Nano-influencers represent 75.9% of Instagram’s influencer base.
Nano-influencers achieve 2.71% engagement rates on Instagram.
Instagram is used for 57% of brand influencer campaigns.
TikTok nano-influencers average 10.3% engagement rate.
TikTok holds 52% brand usage despite 17.2% investment drop.
YouTube reaches 33% brand adoption for partnerships.
70% of marketers plan to increase influencer budgets.
Nano-influencers generate 4.8% highest engagement rates.
TikTok campaigns average 5.7% engagement rate.

66% of Gen Z engage with brands on YouTube.
63% of Gen Z interact with brands on Instagram.
60% of Gen Z prefer TikTok or Instagram over search engines.
92% of US teens use YouTube.
68% of US teens use TikTok.
63% of US teens use Instagram.
55% of US teens use Snapchat.
42% of Pinterest users are Gen Z.
56.0% of Gen Z are social media buyers.
90% of Gen Z are social media users.

91% of B2B marketers use content marketing on social media.
85% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn delivers the highest ROI.
97% of B2B marketers consider LinkedIn for content strategies.
78% of B2B marketers use YouTube for video content.
86% of B2B marketers use Facebook for marketing.
61% of B2B marketers cite social selling as the top lead tactic.
72% of marketers use AI social analytics tools.
40% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn most effective for leads.
31% increase in Reels and Shorts usage by B2B brands.
Employee advocacy boosts reach by 28% on average.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What proportion of online audiences use social media for brand research in 2026?

About 72.3% of online audiences rely on social media for brand research.

What percentage of Snapchat users also use Facebook?

Around 80.7% of Snapchat users are also active on Facebook.

What share of internet users globally use social media?

Roughly 93% of the world’s internet users are on social media.

What percentage of the global population uses social media?

Approximately 68.7–69.9% of the global population now engages with social media.

Conclusion

The social media landscape today is complex, fast-moving, and more deeply intertwined with daily life than ever before. Platforms have evolved beyond connection and entertainment; they now drive global commerce, influence politics, shape identity, and fuel entire industries.

Whether you’re a brand, a creator, or a casual scroller, understanding these statistics isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. As algorithms evolve, user behaviors shift, and privacy standards tighten, staying informed is the first step to staying relevant in the world of social media.