20 Social Media Statistics You Never Knew About

We’ve all gotten used to the standard social media statistics, like daily active users, average time spent on social apps or sites, and other generic metrics. Sure, those are useful, but social media statistics can go way beyond these standard benchmarks.

If you’re like most social media marketers, then you’re probably eager to get your hands on new and exciting numbers that could help you better understand the market and where social media is heading. If you haven’t started your journey as a social media marketer, think about taking an online social media marketing course. Here are 20 social media statistics you’ve probably never heard of—that might just make a big difference in your next campaign and overall strategy.

Social Media Marketing Definitely Isn’t Dying

Every year, it seems as though someone says “social media marketing is dying” without any proof to back it up. Well, statistics show that this is just a complete myth. Businesses continue to invest in social.

While organizations were spending the largest portion of their marketing budgets on social media in the summer of 2020, when just about everyone was stuck inside due to the pandemic, spending has been growing steadily overall. In February 2021, an average of 14.9% of marketing dollars went to social media, up from 13.3% in 2020 and 11.4% in 2019.

Play With the Cool Kids (Fortune 500 Companies) on Twitter

Every business is different, but it’s worth noting that Fortune 500 companies largely aren’t using one of the biggest social media platforms for customer service and other marketing activities. Only 20 of the Fortune 500 companies are engaging with customers on Facebook. In contrast, 83% of them use Twitter.

Facebook: Is That a Real Profile?

While we’re on the topic of Facebook, let’s talk about how many people on Facebook aren’t actually people. Turns out, around 16% of accounts are duplicates or fake. Even though Facebook is still one of the most-used websites in the world, that doesn’t make it the best platform for social media marketing in 2022.

YouTube Has Slain the Cable Dragon

Among people ages 18-34, YouTube has more reach than any cable network. While this isn’t surprising in the cord-cutting era, it does highlight the need to focus on video and consider YouTube as a central marketing channel.

Snapchat Advertising Reach is No Joke

Although it’s not talked about as much as TikTok and Instagram among social media marketers, Snapchat has an impressive advertising reach, averaging 528 million.

Do You Google “Google?”

Weirdly, people type Google into Google’s search engine on a regular basis. Even weirder? It’s the source of around 7.2% of traffic.

Twitter Traffic Repeats

Looking to narrow down on the number of platforms you use? Consider this: 99% of Twitter users are also active on other social media platforms.

Branded Content? Not For the Youths

If you’re putting out branded content, then you’re probably not seeing much interest from the under-30 crowd…or even the under-50 crowd. Engagement with branded content is more than twice as likely from people between the ages of 55-64 than people under 29.

Online Shopping Is a Global Activity

Although many people in the world still lack easy access to Internet access, buying online is a popular online activity. 1in 5 people around the world bought something online in the last 30 days. Social media is one of the best ways for marketers to reach their audiences and tap into that global appetite for online shopping.

Millions (and Millions) of TikTok Downloads

In 2020, TikTok’s popularity really took off. In the first quarter of 2020, it was downloaded 315 million times. Could the pandemic have anything to do with our need for lighthearted content?

Americans Love TikTok

When a new social platform emerges, marketers have to balance being ahead of the curve with spending money and time on a platform that may never be profitable. TikTok, which had 3.9 million US users in 2017, paid off big for early adopters in the United States. By May of 2021, it had topped 125 millionactive users and shows no signs of slowing down to date.

Living in a Mobile World

Mobile traffic has been rising for years, and quickly. Now, in 2022, it makes up more than half of all web traffic. Social media marketers have been targeting mobile users for years, but it’s stunning to see just how much of our lives spent online are spent using mobile devices.

Lots of Unfollows? The Reasons Why

People unfollow brands on social media for a lot of reasons. The top 4, though, are due to quality issues with a product or support, poor customer service, irrelevant content, or excessive advertising.

The moral of this story? More isn’t always better and great customer support is critical for loyalty. Social media marketing is about the whole experience of being a customer!

Gen X Will Have Your Back

Marketers today have to understand the habits of different groups to maintain their support and build revenue. Gen Z and Millennials get a lot of attention, but Gen X has something wonderful to offer brands: loyalty.

While other generations may flit from brand to brand, Gen X will be more likely to stay loyal to a brand and pay a premium instead of looking for a better price. The catch? Their loyalty and trust might be hard to earn.

Long-Form Video is the Norm

YouTube might seem like the place for short videos, but that’s not (usually) the case. In 2021, the average video was over 10 minutes long!

TikTok Users Have Cash to Burn

Every company has a different ideal customer, but their audience having money to spend is an important consideration for every marketer. On TikTok, lots of adult users have cash—37% of them have a household income of at least $100k, the largest bracket overall!

Instagram Isn’t Just a Pretty Face Anymore

TikTok might be the shiny new toy on the scene, but it isn’t the only platform worth using. Instagram is known for photos, but 83% of surveyed users are also turning to the platform to find new products to buy. 81% also do research on products via Instagram and 80% make their decision to buy or not based on what they see on the platform.

Twitter Audiences are Educated

Thanks to big data, we know a lot about users on different platforms. One interesting fact about Twitter users? 42% of them have graduated from college, which could make a big difference in the marketing techniques that will work best on the platform.

Pinterest Interest Rising for Gen Z

New users on Pinterest are frequently members of Gen Z in recent years—the audience grew by 40% from 2019 to 2020. If you’re trying to reach Gen Z, TikTok isn’t the only place you’ll find them!

Pinterest Leads in Feel-Good Content

Social media can get pretty ugly, but Pinterest has been leading in feel-good content. 8 out of 10 users say Pinterest makes them feel positive, and people need an escape that they’re not getting from other platforms.

Social Media Marketing: Always Changing

If there’s one constant in the social media marketing landscape, it’s that it’s always evolving. Marketers need to look past the standard statistics and look for unusual insights to stay competitive. The more you understand your audiences, the better you’ll serve them—and the better your results will be.

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc