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58 Social Media Stats to Know in 2021

by | Feb 25, 2021 | Social Media

Envision your ideal user

Statistics do not always correlate with trends and trends do not always coincide with statistics.
Trends can appear in the most random of patterns and may not appear even when the numbers and metrics indicate that they should.

However, trend analysis, at least as it is used to predict future events in the business world, are often measured through statistical data as stats give a good estimate of what is to come, although not always an exact one.
Following statistical data as it pertains to social media can assist any business who uses social networks for creating brand awareness, delivering customer support, obtaining leads, and converting those lead to sales.
Social media statistics help brands, businesses, organizations, and companies understand the future landscape of social media marketing and so be better prepared for things to come.

Why Social Media is So Important for Businesses

If a business does not have a social media presence, then its online advertising will not be as effective as it should be.

The entire reason for the existence of social media is to “connect” people and the term people does not exclude brands, companies, businesses, and organizations either.
Never before has there been any platform, online or offline, where customers can interact with a business on such a personal level until social media came around. This is the exact reason why social media has changed the way businesses do business and advertise their business.

Brands can now interact with their customers on a more personal level and make them feel like they are not just customers but an integral part of the brand itself.

In essence, they matter!

What does all of this human connection do for a business, specifically?

Some of the benefits of social media marketing were already hinted at earlier but to be more specific, the following list of benefits are being provided.

Build Awareness: Social media helps brands meet their future customers where they hang out most and these days that’s on social media.

Build Authority: Today’s customers have at their discretion a host of information via the internet. They have almost an unlimited supply of choices when it comes to products, services, and information. A great way a business can distinguish itself from its competition is to build an authoritative presence amongst its audience via social media.

Organizations that deliver valuable and relevant content on their social media profiles regularly will be seen as an authority in their niche or industry and will be where their targeted audience goes to get their problems solved – hopefully through the company’s products or services.

Foster Engagement: Businesses find it hard to create a more engaging experience for their customers. So, why not have a presence on a platform where engagement is already the norm.

Social media is such a platform!

 

Customer Support: Customer service & support is one of the best ways to foster loyal customers and encourage brand ambassadors. The ability for customers to reach a company with their specific issues and problems rather easily while engaging on their favorite social media platform also reduces the number of negative comments, feedback and reviews online, which is an outstanding way for businesses to keep their online reputation intact.

 

General Social Media Statistics (6 Statistics)

 

So, what do the numbers show about the top 7 social media platforms today?

What trends can be estimated from these statistics?

Before getting into that, let’s first take a look at some general statistics about social media itself – to give a bit more credence to the importance and impact it is having in today’s business world.

The following statistics also help businesses and marketers get a good grasp on some upcoming trends that may impact the way they advertise, engage, and convert their target audience through social media.

 

  • Out of the 3.4 billion active global social media users, 3.2 billion of them access their social media profiles through their mobile phones.
  • 90% of social media users engage with the brands they like via their social media profiles.
  • 90% of online marketers said that they received a boost to their overall marketing efforts from their social media marketing campaigns.
  • 63% of online marketers said that social media has helped them build a loyal following.
  • Social media users who are the most likely to engage with brands through their social media profiles are aged 55 and up.
  • Nearly 50% of Americans have interacted at least once with businesses and organizations through social media.

 

What can be derived from the above stats?

 

  1. For one thing, brands and marketers should provide mobile-friendly content through their social media platforms as most social media users access their profiles through their mobile devices.
  2. Secondly, people still engage with brands via social media, especially those in their retirement years.
  3. Last but not least, marketers continue to experience amazing results through their social media marketing efforts.

 

Top 5 Social Media Site Statistics

 

Does the social media landscape stay the same year after year or does it change frequently with the passing of time?

A very good question!

One whose answer can help brands and marketers figure out where and how to engage with their audience.

The best way to find such answers is, once again, through statistics.

Let’s start with the granddaddy of social media…

 

Facebook (7 Statistics)

 

Many of the top social media marketers still consider Facebook as the number one social media marketing platform today.

And why not?

The amount of micro-targeting data that this platform can provide makes it very easy to get the right message in front of the right people at the right time.

 

 

Still, there are businesses and marketers who feel that Facebook has lost a bit of steam, especially in light of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal in March of last year (2018).

Before coming to a conclusion about Facebook’s marketing capabilities and future results, a good look at recent statistics regarding such is warranted.

 

  • 97% of online marketers still use Facebook as part of their marketing efforts.
  • As of 2018, Facebook still has the highest amount of active users out of all social media platforms with over 2 billion active users.
  • Since 2015, roughly 51% of teenagers have stopped actively using Facebook and migrated to other social media platforms.
  • 26% of Facebook users said they made a purchase after clicking a Facebook Ad.
  • Social media sites provide a great opportunity for employer branding, with Facebook being used by 21% of job candidates when researching what it’s like to work for a particular employer and determining its company culture.
  • There are over 150 million daily viewers on Facebook Stories.
  • 74% – the amount of micro-targeting data that this platform can provide makes it very easy to get the right message in front of the right people at the right time. An incredibly high number of 74% of Facebook users visit the site daily.

 

What do these stats seem to be saying?

 

  1. Online marketers and brands are still achieving good results through their Facebook advertising efforts.
  2. Brands whose customers and target audience comprise mostly of teenagers should explore other social media platforms for reaching their audience.
  3. Businesses and marketers should make full use of Facebook Stories to engage their audience on the network.

 

YouTube (9 Statistics)

 

Youtube is not the typical social media platform, although it ranks just under Facebook in social media popularity.

Not a search engine, not a social media platform, and not even a video provider, although it features all of those qualities.

 

Is Youtube still a viable marketing outlet for businesses and online marketers?

The immediate answer seems to be yes but let’s check out some recent Youtube statistics before jumping to any conclusions.

 

 

The above stats clearly show the following:

 

  1. Businesses with a diverse demographic range of customers can utilize Youtube to reach their targeted audience.
  2. Youtube has a video global reach second to none.
  3. It is more likely a business can better reach and interact with their customers and audience through Youtube videos and Youtube mobile ads than through advertising on TV or other Cable networks.
  4. Product reviews give concrete third-party proof of a brand’s product line in the eyes of Youtube users.

 

Twitter (12 Statistics)

 

With the advent of newer social media sites like Instagram & Linkedin, many businesses and marketers have dismissed the “older” Twitter as a viable advertising and marketing platform.

 

What do the stats have to say about the future of marketing and advertising on Twitter?

 

 

So, is Twitter marketing dead?

According to recent Twitter statistics, no!

To summarize the above stats:

 

  1. Twitter still has plenty of users and visitors on its platform.
  2. Businesses and marketers should not try and target the younger generation through Twitter but should definitely use Twitter to engage with millennials.
  3. Twitter tweets are taken seriously and easier to recall than content on other social media platforms.
  4. B2B businesses find Twitter a relevant platform to reach their audience and customers.
  5. Influencer marketing on Twitter is a great way to promote goods and services.
  6. Twitter Ads are being overlooked right now when compared to other social media platform ads, which means it will cost less to advertise with Twitter, as well as easier to engage with a specific group of people on their platform because of little to no competition.
  7. Twitter Ads work – engage & convert!

 

Linkedin (12 Statistics)

 

Linkedin may not have the numbers of Facebook or Instagram but for B2B companies it offers the largest network of professional users out of all social media platforms.

 

So what is the recent state of Linkedin?

 

Once again, back to the statistics…

 

To summarize…

 

  1. According to statistics, Linkedin is by far the best social media platform to reach B2B customers/clients and young business professionals.
  2. Businesses should post relevant and informational content related to their industry/niche on Linkedin to get good engagement and brand themselves as thought leaders.
  3. Linkedin content should be tailored for all devices but especially for mobile.
  4. If a business needs professional leads, they should maintain a presence on Linkedin.
  5. Adding video to posted content on Linkedin will increase engagement.
  6. Linkedin paid advertising is profitable for B2B businesses.

 

Instagram (13 Statistics)

 

Over the last couple of years, Instagram has grown at a rapid pace and has made many changes to its platform to better support their users.

 

The following statistics can help brands and marketers, who wish to use the platform, get a better idea of Instagram’s future outlook.

 

 

Here is the dealio about Instagram…

 

  1. While Instagram still attracts a young following, it has an ever-increasing user-base of American adults.
  2. It is a great platform for displaying a brand’s products in visual-format, which helps increase awareness and purchases.
  3. Businesses should be sure that their product page can accommodate mobile purchases. That is if they intend to showcase them on Instagram.
  4. Instagram has a good mix of both female and male users, so brands catering to both genders can increase their customer base and following through the platform.
  5. Instagram Purchase Ads are a great way to gain customers and Instagram Stories are awesome for fostering a dedicated following on the platform.

 

Social Media 2019 Statistical Recap

 

After going through the above data, it should seem pretty apparent that social media is not only alive and well, but continues to thrive even though competition among platforms continues to grow steeper.

Each of the 5 major social media platforms was reviewed in regards to their reach, user demographics, and ability to provide the proper marketing environment for brands and marketers to flourish in.

While each one has its own peculiar way of creating communities and fostering interactions among those communities, the outcome is the same – people engaging with like-minded people, businesses, and content.

Social media is not a static phenomenon but an ever-changing whirlwind of global communication among the masses, which is why it is important to keep an eye on the stats each year to know if one needs to change their marketing methods on their favorite social media network or drop it altogether for another one that is showing more potential for a relevant demographic or industry.

Hopefully, the above stats give an indication of the social media road ahead for 2019. Savvy businesses and marketers will do well to take heed of the information provided and adjust or not adjust accordingly.

 

Author bio:

Jen McKenzie is an independent business consultant from New York. She writes extensively on business, education and human resource topics. When Jennifer is not at her desk working, you can usually find her hiking or taking a road trip with her two dogs. You can reach Jennifer @jenmcknzie