Social Media Statistics 2024

The roots of social media can be traced back to the 1970s when the first internet chat rooms emerged. 💬

By the 1990s, the first recognisable social media sites began popping up.

In 1996, the whole social media journey began with the first website called Bolt.

Soon after came Six Degrees, where people created profiles and added friends, just like we do today.

In 1999, LiveJournal popped up, allowing people to start their blogs.

The beginning of the 21st century saw the emergence of household names like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, changing our communication landscape forever.

Wondering who uses social media networks all over the world?

Let's look at the age and gender distribution of these users. 👀

Gender of global social media users

Looking at social media users worldwide, the distribution between men and women is almost even.

Men are slightly ahead, with 54% of global users.⁴ 🧔🏼‍♂️

Women, however, aren't far behind and have a 46% share of the worldwide social media presence.⁴

The data clearly shows that both the genders are closely connected to the digital world.

Age of global social media users

Have you ever wondered about the ages of people who scroll, like, and post globally?

It turns out that social media isn't just for young people! 👧🏼

Different platforms attract different age groups, each with its own trends and styles.

Here is a breakdown of the age distribution of social media users globally:

So, most social media users around the world are aged between 20 and 39.⁵

Gender of social media users in the UK

People of all genders like to use social media.

In the UK, a slightly higher number of men use social platforms compared to women, but the difference is minimal.

51.6% of social media users are men, and 48.4% are women.⁶ 👩🏻‍🦰

Globally, this near-equal gender distribution is quite common.

Age of social media users in the UK

A look at the age groups of social media users in the UK reveals interesting patterns.

The younger generations have grown up in the digital age and are, therefore, more likely to use social media frequently.

But it's not just the young people who log on.

The appeal of social media has reached all age groups. 🧓🏻

From teenagers sharing their daily lives to seniors catching up with old friends, the platforms offer something for everyone.

Let's take a look at these numbers in a little more detail:

People between 25 and 34 use social media the most.⁷

Those aged 45 to 54 use it the least.

Everyone older than 55 was grouped, making the data a bit complicated. 😕

Nevertheless, it's clear that younger adults use social media often, and usage decreases with age.

Nowadays, many people use platforms like LinkedIn for business contacts or Instagram to show off products.

From small local shops reaching out to their community to individuals showing their professional skills, many use social media for business. 🛍️

Globally, 40% of all internet users use social media for work-related activities.¹⁰

In the UK, however, things are a little different. Only 27% of Brits use social media platforms for their work.¹⁰

This is less than in Indonesia, where 65% use social media for their work.¹⁰

On the other hand, Israel is at the bottom of the scale, with only 13%.¹⁰

Let's take a closer look at these figures:

Social media penetration shows how many people use social media compared to the total population.

On average, 49% of all people worldwide use social media.¹⁰

But if we only look at people aged 13 and over, the share rises to 63%.¹⁰

UAE leads the list when it comes to social media penetration. 🇦🇪

In 2020, nearly 99% of the total population in the UAE were active on social media.¹⁰

Let's look at how other countries compare.

Let's take a closer look at this data:

All over the world, people aren't just checking their social media for a moment.

Instead, they spend much of their day scrolling, posting, and engaging. ⏰

In 2020, people aged 16-64 spent an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes daily on social media, regardless of their device.¹⁴

In 2023, this daily average has increased by about 6 minutes.

The World Health Organisation estimates the average life expectancy worldwide is 73 years.¹⁵

If someone maintains this use rate, they'll spend about 5.7 years on these platforms. 📆

Today, people worldwide spend about 38% of their time on the internet using social media.

Here you can see how the average time a person spends on social media has increased over the years.

Let's take a closer look at these figures:

Data shows that our daily hours on social media are increasing every year.

Since 2012, the average time users devote to social media has increased by 67.78%.

Average time spent on social media in the UK

People in the UK use social media a lot, but not as much as the global average.

On average, individuals in the UK spend about 2 hours a day on social media.¹⁶

This is 31 minutes less than the global average. ⏳

Which country's residents spend the most time on social media?

Have you ever wondered which nation spends the most hours scrolling, posting and engaging on social media?

While you might assume technologically advanced countries would lead, Nigeria surprisingly holds the top position. 🇳🇬

On average, Nigerians spend 4 hours and 36 minutes on social media daily.¹⁷

Brazil is behind Nigeria, spending one hour less on these platforms.

Let's see in which country people are most active on social media.

Here's a closer look at the numbers:

When immersed in social media platforms, it's hard to miss the giants dominating our screens and our time.

Facebook is at the top, the first to reach one billion users and now entertains over 2.9 billion people monthly.¹⁸

YouTube comes second with over 2.5 billion social media users.¹⁸

Currently, seven social media platforms have a user base of over one billion active members per month.

Of these, four are Meta-owned - WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram. 🏬

In addition, as of July 2023, there are 15 social media platforms with at least 400 million active subscribers each.

Let's take an in-depth look at these numbers:

Social media is growing worldwide, and the number of users on each platform shows that. 📈

However, these numbers don't give us the full picture.

Many people use more than one social media platform each month.

So most users are counted on more than one platform.

Average daily time spent on leading social media platforms

Looking at the daily usage of the main social platforms, one might assume that Facebook, with its sheer number of users, would be the frontrunner.

But TikTok tops the list with an average of 95 minutes of daily use.¹⁹

YouTube is not far behind, taking up about 74 minutes of a user's day.¹⁹

Let's take a look at which social media apps are used the most on a daily basis.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the numbers:

Popular social media platforms in the UK

The UK's social media scene is slightly different from global trends.

Surprisingly, WhatsApp leads the way with 73.4% of internet users in the UK.²⁰ 💬

Facebook may be a global giant, but it follows closely behind in the UK, with 70.7% of users logging on regularly.²⁰

Let's explore the preferred social media platforms in the UK.

Here's a detailed look at those numbers:

Average monthly time spent in the UK on leading social media platforms

People in the UK spend a bit less time online than people in other countries.

In 2022, people in the UK spent the most time on TikTok, about 27 hours a month for each person.²¹

YouTube was next, with people spending about 15 and a half hours on it every month.²¹ 📹

Here’s a detailed look at these numbers:

The digital tapestry of social media is constantly changing how we communicate worldwide. 🌎

It's fascinating to see the different habits, such as the record-breaking daily usage in Nigeria or the strong affinity of the British to WhatsApp.

Facebook may have the most users, but newer providers like TikTok are catching up fast regarding daily usage, with users clocking up an impressive 95 minutes per day.

Amidst these impressive numbers, however, it's essential to recognise that usage overlaps – many of us are active on multiple platforms.

These platforms undeniably impact our society, whether we use them for work, relaxation, or staying in touch with loved ones.