Social Media Usage Projected to Rise Into 2027

Social media is at the very core of everything businesses and consumers do. If we’re not liking, sharing, or commenting on content, we’re creating it.

So, it should be no surprise that social media usage is projected to continue to rise until 2027.

Here’s a helpful tip for content marketing managers: Keep social media part of your 2024 content marketing strategy.

Let’s look at the data to determine where to spend your content marketing efforts.

How many people use social media?

In its conception, social media was created to connect people. Mark Zuckerburg, the creator of Facebook, initially intended for the site to connect Harvard University students. But as the site grew, so did the interest of others outside of the university.

Facebook and other social media platforms bring connection. Social media users can instantly share photos with their friends and family instead of waiting to pull out photo albums at the next family picnic.

It’s the connection between users — and brands — that draws people to use social media platforms.

According to Statista, in 2022, over 4.59 billion people used social media. And Statista projects nearly six billion people will use social media by 2027.

To put that number into perspective, Worldometer says there will be nearly 8.3 billion people on the planet by 2027, meaning almost 75% of the world’s population will use social media in some capacity.

Average Time Spent on Social Media

With so many platforms, like SnapChat, Instagram, Reddit, and TikTok, just how much time are users spending on social media?

According to Statista, quite a bit.

On average, users spend 151 minutes, over two hours, on social media platforms each day. That number is higher in the Philippines, where users spend nearly four hours daily on social media. And in the US, users likely spend two hours and three minutes.

This is all helpful to know, especially if you’re a content marketing professional. Let’s look at the top social media platforms so you’ll know where to focus your marketing efforts.

Top Social Media Platforms

Facebook

According to HubSpot’s Consumer Trends Report, Facebook is still the most popular social media platform, with nearly 244 million users in the US in 2023.

But what about users’ daily averages inside and outside the US? According to Statista, Facebook also sees an average of 2.08 billion daily users.

If you’re a content marketer, focusing on marketing your brand on Facebook makes sense. Chances are that someone from your target audience will be on the platform at any given time. And, if you’re socially selling products, Facebook is one of the top social selling apps.

However, if your target audience is Gen Z or Millennials, trying other social media platforms might be best. Facebook is losing popularity with these audiences, who favor TikTok and YouTube more.

YouTube

Speaking of YouTube, it is the second top social media platform according to those surveyed for the Consumer Trend Report.

SimilarWeb shows YouTube has over 2 billion users and over 34 billion monthly visits. While Boomers say YouTube is their second favorite social media platform, YouTube is popular amongst the 18-24-year-old crowd and the Millenial and Gen X audiences.

In September 2020, YouTube introduced YouTube Shorts to compete with other short-form video platforms, like TikTok and Instagram.

If creating more short-form videos is part of your content marketing strategy, creating content for YouTube Shorts is a smart idea.

Let’s not forget about other social media platforms, though.

Instagram

According to those surveyed for the Content Trends Report, Instagram is still a top choice among social media platforms, ranking third. The platform clocks over 78 million monthly active users.

One might think that most of those users are from a younger audience, but that isn’t entirely true. Gen Z, Gen X, Millennials, and Boomers use Instagram regularly (although some more than others).

Instagram is popular for various reasons. The social media platform that was once best known for sharing photos has helped to make short-form videos as popular as ever. So, it’s no surprise that 65% of content marketers use Instagram in their content marketing strategy, with more than half saying Instagram is the best platform for a high ROI and engagement.

TikTok

Which platform is best known for a Gen-Z audience?

TikTok.

Nearly half of Gen-Z social media users have an account on TikTok, and they say they use TikTok more than any other platform, including Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram.

However, TikTok’s nearly 1.7 billion users aren’t just the younger demographic, although they are over one-third of the platform’s users. Almost 33% of users range between 25 and 34 years old.

Focusing on creating one-minute TikTok videos for your brand is a smart idea, primarily if your brand focuses on the 18-34-year-old age group. According to Statista, videos of over 54 seconds in length have about a 6.7 engagement rate. And since 60% of marketers say engagement is the most critical metric, spending time marketing on TikTok makes sense.

X, Formerly Twitter

Surprise! Twitter, now known as X, isn’t really dead.

Although the company was rebranded under Elon Musk’s leadership, X is still a top social media platform, according to data from the Content Trend Report. In fact, 30% of those surveyed say they use X, a 2% increase from the previous year.

When planning your content marketing strategy, don’t discount X. While X might not grow as fast as other social media platforms, it boasts nearly 556 million monthly active users. Surprisingly, 28.35% of X users are in the 18-24 age group. 29.63% are in the 25-34 age range, and they use it for more than just chatting online with their friends.

If the 30 million searches of keywords like “best of,” “reviews,” and “pros and cons” tell us anything, it’s that X users are researchers, and they’re looking for authentic content before they make a purchase.

Think about how you can use that information to market your brand on the platform.

Want more helpful insights? Check out the fastest-growing social media platforms and stay on top of the latest trends.

2024 Social Media Trend Predictions

In 2024, focusing your marketing efforts on social media is as vital as ever. Depending on your target demographics, one platform might be a better focus than another.

Whichever platform you choose to spend your efforts on, understanding the social media trend predictions will help you plan for the best content marketing strategy for your brand.

Here are five social media trends we think will be essential to consider in 2024:

1. Building an active social community is no longer optional: 90% of marketers say building an active social media community is vital to their brand’s success. Find the most appropriate social media platform and build your community there.
2. Social media is the future of ecommerce: 80% of social media marketers say consumers make purchases on social media more than their brand’s website. Having an active presence on social media will help increase social selling.
3. Influencer marketers ditch celebrities in favor of micro-influencers and content creators: In 2024, content niche marketing will become a focus, and when it comes to purchasing, 21% of those aged 18-54 have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation.
4. Funny, trendy, and relatable content will stand out: Relatable content shows your target audience that you understand their struggles. Plus, sharing funny, trendy, and relatable content helps build an online community — a top focus in 2024.
5. Short-form videos drive business results: Short-form videos are popular, and younger audiences prefer to learn about products through short videos. Focusing on these kinds of videos will help boost your brand awareness. Bonus points if they’re funny and relatable.

More Social Media Usage Insights

Social media is here to stay, and it’s time to incorporate it fully into your content marketing strategy. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published in November 2009 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.