30 Answers to The Most Common Questions About Social Media

How can I get more followers? Influencer marketing or UGC? How many times per day should I post? These are the most common questions about social media I get almost every day.

Influencers are like the trendsetters in town—everyone wants to be like them.

The social media manager is a super popular role—everyone wants to work as one.

New platforms are popping up left and right—everyone's itching to be everywhere.

Taking all this into account, it's not surprising that people have more and more questions about social media.

Scroll down for 30 burning questions answered.

Common Social Media Questions Answered

Question 1: How many people use social media globally?

4.9 billion people use social media right now. And this figure will only increase as the years go by. The Demandsae report predicts that there will be 5.85 billion users by 2027.

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Question 2: Which social media content has the highest ROI?

Short-form videos (TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts) took the throne with a convincing 34%, according to our latest study.

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The rest of the popular content also includes different types of videos, such as long-form videos, podcasts/interviews, and UGC.

Pro tip: Share updates or behind-the-scenes of your business to show transparency. People love that.

Question 3: Which country has the highest percentage of Instagram users?

According to the latest Backlinko study, India has the most users with 180 million.

The United States is very close, with 170 million users.

Other top countries are Brazil (110 million) and Indonesia (93 million).

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Question 4: What is the new social media app in 2023?

In 2023, Threads by Instagram is the talk of the town!

This hot new social app lets you share snappy 500-character updates, pics, and even 5-minute videos. It's quite similar to X and easily integrates with your existing Insta account.

It was launched on July 5, 2023, and quickly rose to fame, as you can see here:

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Question 5: What social media app is used the most?

Based on the monthly time spent on each app, TikTok beats YouTube by six hours and Facebook by fifteen hours.

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Meltwater‘s research reveals WhatsApp rules daily social media use. Surprisingly, TikTok doesn’t even crack the top 12.

Pretty interesting and kinda of contradicting when you compare it with the monthly stats.

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Question 6: Which social media app was the first with a billion users?

Facebook made history in 2012 by becoming the first social networking platform to exceed a billion users.

And in Q2 2023, Facebook's core Family product had a whopping 3.8 billion monthly users.

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Interestingly, every Meta Platform has over a billion monthly users—Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.

Question 7: What is the main reason people use social media?

According to a Statista survey, the primary motivation for using social media was to stay connected with friends and family—cited by more than 47% of users.

36.2% use social media just to pass the time, while an equal percentage use it for reading news. Surprisingly, only one in five users engaged in social platforms to share updates about their lives.

Pro tip: When you're on social media, try using it to learn new stuff. Follow accounts that share cool info or things you like. Avoid getting caught up in too much negativity— algorithms show what you engage with, so curate your feed with positivity and knowledge.

The State of Social Media in 2024

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Question 8: Is social media addiction a real thing?

If we can’t imagine a day without scrolling through social media, we’re all somehow addicted, right?

Actually, 210 million users globally have an unhealthy relationship with social media.

In another research by the Addiction Center, every 1 in 10 American citizens is addicted to social media.

Pro tip: Set time limits for apps, take breaks, and make sure you're enjoying life beyond the screen.

Question 9: How common is cyberbullying on social media?

75% of cyberbullying incidents occur on social media.

Younger adults, especially those under 30, are more likely to experience online harassment.

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Also, women tend to experience harassment more frequently than men, including behaviors like purposeful embarrassment, stalking, physical threats, and sustained sexual harassment.

Question 10: What’s the role of social media in marketing?

Thanks to social media, companies now have the opportunity to talk WITH customers, not only TO customers.

People aren’t just sitting back—they’re jumping in and helping companies sell stuff and spread the word.

For instance, UGC is on the rise, especially on TikTok and Instagram.

Linearity projections predict that by 2033, about 78% of online content will be user-generated. And when talking about the impact of social media in marketing, we have Walmart as a great example.

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Walmart did awesome during the pandemic by switching from offline to online and getting active on social media.

While big names like JCPenney crumbled, Walmart thrived through this chaotic period.

Question 11: Which social media app do marketers or advertisers use the most?

In January 2023, Facebook was the top choice for global marketers, with 89% using it. But, with Instagram and YouTube picking up speed, many advertisers would probably dial down their presence on Facebook in the future.

66% of marketers plan to use Instagram more, 43% aim to increase TikTok advertising, but 45% don’t plan to use TikTok for marketing, which is a pretty interesting fact.

Question 12: What are key social media metrics?

Based on our research, the vital stats for both organic and paid content boil down to web traffic, sales, lead generation, views, and engagement (likes and comments).

For paid content, marketers roll out the red carpet for web traffic, sales, and leads.

On the other hand, the organic content focuses a bit more on views and engagement.

Question 13: How can online stores boost engagement on social media?

The number of eCommerce sites has surged from 9.2 million in 2019 to over 26.5 million by 2023.

This big growth means a lot of competition. To sell more, you need to build a strong brand.

The key to brand building? Smart and strategic activity on social media.

Create interesting posts, talk to people who follow you, and use the right social media platforms for your business.

Pro tip: Go with paid ads—hit the bull’s eye by targeting the right audience.

Question 14: How does social media marketing influence the brand image?

A study by the Journal of Information Systems and Management proves that social media marketing impacts the brand image a lot. They surveyed 430 active social media users using online questionnaires and used a tool called Smart PLS 3.0 for analysis.

Here are the results:

• Social media ads and word-of-mouth online influence what people think about a brand.
• What people think about a brand influences whether they want to buy something.

Pro tip: Create a community on your social media. Don’t be there just for the sake of selling. Show that you care about your customers—answer in comments, and be quick in message responding.

Question 15: How does using social media affect a business?

One-word answer—positively.

A study from a foreign journal highlights that businesses need to use social media creatively to stay competitive. The conclusion was drawn from the success of small and medium enterprises in Surabaya that effectively used social media.

And when it comes to examples, here’s another proof of the awesome results social media can achieve:

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A good social media strategy + adaptability to changes = 15-20% increase in business. A pretty good outcome.

Question 16: How do micro, macro, and mega influencers help brands on Instagram?

Instagram is flooded with influencers—you can’t scroll without stumbling upon at least one. There are three main types: micro, macro, and mega influencers. Below, you can see the nuances between all of them:

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Brands team up with community and marketing experts to select influencers for collaborations.

What’s interesting is that micro-influencers with fewer followers are often better picked because their audiences actually absorb their content. The audience trusts them more.

Pro tip: Choose influencers wisely. For instance, if you run a fitness brand, team up with those who are influential in the fitness community, such as instructors or dancers.

Question 17: How do influencers affect follower engagement?

Influencers engage followers by creating relatable content, encouraging interactions, and shaping behavior through promotions and trends.

Emerald’s Instagram-based investigation reveals these factors impact influencer followers’ behavior:

• Number of posts.
• Number of followers.
• Modality type.

Pro tip: Choose influencers who interact with their followers. Make sure they respond to comments and show love for their community. This is a secret weapon for improved engagement.

Question 18: What does the Gen-Z generation want to see on social media?

Social media is a gathering place for everyone, young and old, but it’s mainly dominated by Gen-Z. Creating content that vibes with their values is the name of the game.

This Edelman report states Gen Z loves two things:

• Authenticity.
• No green-washing.

Pro tip: Share behind-the-scenes footage or showcase collaborations with eco-friendly initiatives. And don’t be too serious—go with fun content whenever possible.

Question 19: How does AI work in social media?

AI helps with advertising analysis, user data analysis, scheduling posts, generating content, influencer selection, content moderation, and recommending personalized content.

Real Examples:

• Snapchat uses AI for video filters, creating effects on users’ faces.
• X (Twitter) utilizes AI to recommend content for user timelines.
• Instagram employs AI to filter spam, detect hate speech, and target advertising.

Risks of AI in Social Media:

• Systemic prejudices in decision-making.
• Reinforces biased beliefs through content recommendations.
• Collection of intrusive user data for targeted advertising.
• AI algorithms may lead to incorrect takedowns or overlook inappropriate content.

Want to learn more about 2023 trends? Check out our Global Social Media Trends Report.

Question 20: Who are AI influencers?

AI influencers are computer-generated characters only existing in the digital world.

One of the most popular is Miquela, a 19-year-old robot living in LA.

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She looks like a woman, shares selfies, and posts like a real influencer.

At a quick glance, it’s mind-bending—hard to believe we’re not talking about an actual living, breathing human.

Over 2 million followers prove that people actually enjoy this content.

Yet, a study highlights a trust gap: people tend to trust real influencers more than their AI counterparts.

Question 21: How does social media affect the popularity of streaming services?

Streaming services are having a tough time keeping subscribers, especially Gen Z and millennials, who prefer more interactive entertainment like gaming and social media.

This puts TV content in the back seat. Companies simply need to adjust to what younger audiences like to stay in the game.

Question 22: On average, how many followers does an Instagram user have?

Over 26.43% of Instagram users globally have less than 1,000 followers. The majority, comprising 76.37%, falls into the 1,000 to 10,000 followers range. 15.21% have 10,000 to 50,000 followers, with only 0.76% having over 1 million followers.

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Question 23: How many TikTok posts are uploaded every day?

Between March 2023 and August 2023, TikTok accounts with up to 100 followers and 500 views posted about 0.7 videos daily. Medium accounts, with 1,001 to 10,000 followers and 1,001 to 5,000 views, shared approximately 1.5 videos per day.

Meanwhile, large accounts, with over 50,001 followers and 25,001 views, posted two videos daily during this period.

Question 24: What are the best hours to post on social media?

Our survey of over 1,000 marketers found that the best times and days to post across platforms are:

• Instagram: 6-9 PM, 12-3 PM, 3-6 PM / Saturday
• Facebook: 6-9 PM, 12-3 PM / Friday and Saturday
• Twitter: 9 AM-noon / Friday and Wednesday
• LinkedIn: 9 AM-noon, 12-3 PM, 3-6 PM / Monday, Wednesday, and Tuesday
• Pinterest: 3-6 PM / Friday
• YouTube: 6-9 PM, 3-6 PM, noon - 3 PM / Friday.
• TikTok: 6-9 PM, 3-6 PM, 12-3 PM / Friday.

Pro Tip: Tailor your posting times to when your audience is most active. Study analytics reports from provided by social media analytics tools. Post regularly — once a day or 5 times per week. Collect data and adjust based on audience response. Experiment with different content types at specific hours to see what works best.

Question 25: On which social media platform should I promote my brand?

Promote your brand where your audience is most active. For example:

• If your audience is professionals and businesses, promote on LinkedIn.
• If you're targeting a visually focused audience, consider Instagram or Pinterest.
• For real-time updates and brief messages, X and Threads might be the right choices.
• Reach a broad audience with diverse content on Facebook.
• If you have engaging video content, go with YouTube.
• Connect with a younger, trend-focused audience on TikTok.

Question 26: What causes occasional outages in social media apps?

Outages are usually temporary, and there are various reasons for it:

• Cyber attacks.
• An issue in the social networking domain name.
• Technical issues (servers, databases, or software bugs).

Pro tip: Try logging out and back in or reinstalling the app. If the problem persists and it's the app’s fault, you can just report the issue and wait for them to fix it.

Question 27: How many fake social media accounts are out there?

Sometimes, it's obvious that some accounts are fake—no pictures, few followers, or 50 pics posted the same day. But, at other times, it takes a careful eye and experience to tell the difference between a fake and a real account.

Shockingly, in the last part of 2022, Facebook addressed 1.3 billion fake accounts. The highest number, around 2.2 billion fake profiles, was removed in the first quarter of 2019.

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And when it comes to TikTok, the number of fake accounts soared past 50 million in the 4th quarter of 2022.

Question 28: Do people trust news on social media?

Young adults under 30 now trust social media nearly as much as national news. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 50% of those aged 18 to 29 express trust in information from social media sites.

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This shift is significant, with the gap between trust in social media and national news being the smallest for any age group since 2016.

Question 29: Can I download Instagram posts?

Not as easy as LinkedIn or Facebook, but doable. Here's how:

On computer:

1. Log in to Instagram on your computer.
2. Click “More,” then “Your activity.”
3. Choose “Download your information” and pick a format.
4. Enter your email, follow the prompts, and wait for up to 14 days.

On phone:

• Open the Instagram app on your phone.
• Tap your profile, then the Menu icon, and choose “Your activity.”
• Scroll down, select “Download your information,” and request a download.
• Choose what you want, set preferences, and wait for Instagram’s notification.

Question 30: Is it safe to use social media platforms?

Big social media platforms aim to protect user privacy. However, the risk of potential hacking attacks always exists.

For example, in April 2021, a hacker forum user exposed the personal details of 533 million Facebook users. IDs, names, phone numbers, birthdates, locations, and emails — it was all stolen.

Here are some simple tips to stay safe:

• Don’t share any overly personal and sensitive information online like your home address.
• Personalize settings on platforms.
• Avoid clicking on suspicious links.
• Learn to block, report, and filter content.
• Disable location settings to protect your whereabouts.
• Report harassment and save evidence.
• Choose strong passwords and update them regularly.
• Periodically review and update privacy settings every few months.
• Use private networks or VPNs for password-secured accounts.

Pro tip: Make a strong password with a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters (e.g., !, ?, <). Use at least 12 characters.

Social Media Continues to Shape Trends

One thing is for sure—social media will keep shaping trends and sparking questions.

And yes, it’s interesting, fun, and offers a lot of opportunities, but let’s not forget about challenges like addiction and cyberbullying. Stay smart, set some boundaries, be mindful, and know the risks.

Happy networking!

Editor's note: This article was originally published in November 2010 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.