Social media has become an integral part of our modern lives, revolutionizing the way we connect, communicate, and consume information. As we enter the second-half of 2023, it’s essential for firms to understand the ever-evolving landscape of social media platforms to maximise the power of their social media marketing.
At time of writing, the most popular social media platforms in 2023 are listed below. However, to understand this data better, you must also identify user statistics, typical demographics, time spent on each platform and the type of content each platform offers. Read on to learn more about the unique features and characteristics that make these platforms stand out in the world of social media – plus the reasons why your company should consider them for your marketing – for example, if hiring a Tenerife social media marketing company.
– User Numbers: As of 2023, Facebook continues to be the largest social media platform, with over 2.85 billion monthly active users worldwide – despite the fact younger users are deserting the platform in their droves, preferring other platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
– Typical User Demographics: Facebook appeals to a wide range of age groups, with users spanning from teenagers to older adults. However, its primary demographic consists of users aged 25-54
– Time Spent: On average, users spend approximately 58 minutes per day on Facebook, engaging with a variety of content, including news, personal updates, photos, and videos.
YouTube
– User Numbers: YouTube maintains its position as one of the leading social media platforms, with over 3 billion logged-in monthly active users. It also happens to be the world’s second-largest search engine, alongside Google – both of which are owned by parent company, Alphabet.
– Typical User Demographics: YouTube has a diverse user base, attracting users of all age groups. However, it remains particularly popular among younger generations, with a strong presence among users aged 18-34.
– Time Spent: Users spend a significant amount of time on YouTube, with the average session lasting around 40 minutes. The platform offers a vast array of content, including music videos, vlogs, tutorials, and entertainment.
– User Numbers: Instagram surpassed 1.6 billion monthly active users in 2023.
– Typical User Demographics: Instagram continues to be highly popular among younger demographics, particularly users aged 18-34. It also appeals to a significant number of female users.
– Time Spent: Users spend an average of 53 minutes per day on Instagram, exploring visually captivating content such as photos, videos, and stories shared by friends, influencers, and brands.
– User Numbers: WhatsApp maintains its strong presence with over 2.5 billion monthly active users worldwide.
– Typical User Demographics: WhatsApp’s user base is diverse, spanning various age groups and geographical locations. It remains particularly popular in regions such as Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia.
– Time Spent: Users engage with WhatsApp throughout the day, using it as a primary platform for instant messaging, voice calls, video calls, and sharing multimedia content.
– User Numbers: Twitter continues to be a prominent social media platform with approximately 330 million monthly active users.
– Typical User Demographics: Twitter attracts users from diverse age groups, but it remains particularly popular among younger adults and professionals who use the platform for news, information sharing, and networking.
– Time Spent: The average time spent on Twitter varies among users, with some spending a few minutes per day while others engage more frequently for real-time updates, conversations, and content sharing.
TikTok
– User Numbers: TikTok maintains its rapid growth, reaching over 1.8 billion monthly active users in 2023.
– Typical User Demographics: TikTok continues to be highly popular among younger generations, particularly teenagers and young adults aged 16-24.
– Time Spent: Users spend an average of 52 minutes per day on TikTok, consuming and creating short-form video content, participating in challenges, and following trends.
– User Numbers: LinkedIn has expanded its user base to approximately 820 million registered users globally.
– Typical User Demographics: LinkedIn remains the leading professional networking platform, attracting professionals from various industries and job seekers.
– Time Spent: The time spent on LinkedIn varies depending on users’ professional networking, job searching, content consumption, and engagement with industry-related discussions.
Snapchat
– User Numbers: Snapchat continues to have a significant presence with over 400 million monthly active users worldwide.
– Typical User Demographics: Snapchat primarily appeals to younger audiences, including teenagers and young adults aged 13-34.
– Time Spent: Users spend an average of 30 minutes per day on Snapchat, engaging with ephemeral content, augmented reality features, and interactive messaging.
Snapchat
As social media platforms continue to evolve and shape our digital landscape, the platforms above have emerged as the most popular and influential in 2023 – with each serving a particular role for its particular demographic.
Facebook’s extensive user base and diverse demographics, YouTube’s dominance in video content, and Instagram’s visual appeal highlight the dynamic nature of social media consumption – and these are definitely platforms you should consider for your online marketing.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp’s prominence in instant messaging, Twitter’s real-time updates, and TikTok’s rapid growth in short-form video content showcase the evolving preferences of users – again, something to consider if your typical customer meets their demographic’s.
Also, LinkedIn’s role as the leading professional networking platform and Snapchat’s popularity among younger generations should not be overlooked and help to show the unique features of each platform. When it comes to your marketing, you should take an overhead view of each platform to work out which provide the best social media experience for your clients – both existing and potential.