85 Social Media Usage Statistics & Growth Statistics 2025

As of 2025, there are more than $5.42 billion social media users. However, the number of social media users is projected to cross $6.05 billion in 2028.

In the use of social media platforms, China leads with 1.1 billion users among all other countries. Moreover, in the current year, people usually spend 2 hours and 21 minutes daily on social media.

This shows that as social media networks and people’s awareness worldwide increase, social media users, sales, and the market will continue to grow in the future.

Go through the social media statistics covered in this article, which includes all the latest trends and facts that might even surprise you.

Social Media Marketing Statistics 2025 (Top Picks)

• In 2025, there are over 5.42 billion social media users worldwide.
•  Facebook is the world’s most-used social media, with 3.07 billion users.
• 77% of marketers retarget Facebook/Instagram advertising as a marketing strategy. 
•  Using social media, 77% of businesses reach their audience base. 
• $68.92 billion in retail social commerce sales were generated in the United States as of 2023. 
• Short-form video content on social media is 2.5 times more engaging than any other content.
• 89% of businesses use social media in video marketing. 

Social Media Usage Statistics

1. As of 2025, more than 5 billion people worldwide use social media, and the number is projected to reach 6.05 billion by 2028.
2. Social media usage has more than doubled since 2017, growing from 2.73 billion users to over 5 billion users in 2024.

Forecasted Social Media Usage

3. Approximately 8.8 billion users are projected to use different social media platforms between 2024 and 2028.

Historical Social Media Usage

4. The number of social media users grew by approximately 2.39 billion between 2017 and 2024.
5. This represents an over 87% increase in these seven years.

Source: Statista

Overall, this data shows that social media usage has increased year by year and is expected to reach a peak with more than 6.05 billion users.

6. This places China as the country with the largest number of social media users globally, followed by India in second place.

A table shows the top countries with the most social media users worldwide.

Source: World Population Review

7. The lowest social media usage is in a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand, Tokelau.
8. Around 200 people only use Social media in Tokelau.
9. On average, a user spends 2 hours and 21 minutes on social media platforms, which means around 141 minutes.
10. The average time spent on social media is 2 hours and 31 minutes.

However, note that the different reports show slightly different total hours spent. The hours spent by users vary depending on the daily usage of social media globally. 

Below is a table that displays the total time spent on social media daily from 2012 to 2025.

Source: Statista1

11. Facebook is the world’s most-used social media, with 3.07 billion users.
12. Instagram follows Facebook with 30000 million active users monthly. 

This table shows the total number of users of the top social media platforms.

Source: Statista3

13. Meta’s four biggest social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, are also included, with more than 1 billion monthly active users.
14. Not only does the United States generate social media networking platforms, but Chinese platforms like WeChat, QQ, and Douyin are also gaining popularity.
15. Besides monthly active users on social media platforms, TikTok still dominates in terms of time spent in the United States, according to data.
16. TikTok users spend 43 hours and 53 minutes per month on the platform.
17. This makes it one of the most engaging social media applications in terms of time spent.

The following table shows the monthly time spent on various social media platforms.

Source: Statista4

18. YouTube ranks second, with users spending an average of 24 hours and 43 minutes monthly.
19. Facebook maintains third place with an average monthly engagement of 16 hours and 24 minutes, despite competition from newer platforms.
20. The other social networks like Reddit, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter) see lower engagement times between 3 to 4 hours per month.

Social Media Advertising Statistics 

As social media continues to grow in popularity, businesses worldwide are investing billions in social media advertising to reap its benefits.

Below, I have compiled some essential statistics on social media advertising. Let’s take a look.

21. Globally, ad spending on social media advertising is expected to reach $276.72 billion.
22. In 2018, the ad spending worldwide was at its highest, with 42.8%, but it has slowly declined, and now the ad spending on social media platforms is at 13.6% in 2025.

A table shows total social media ad spending globally from 2017 to 2029.

Source: Statista

23. In the United States, the projected spending on social media through mobile is estimated $82.69 billion and through desktop $13.01 billion.
24. As of 2025, the U.S. social media advertising market size combined is $95.7 billion.
25. However, the ad spent on mobile platforms drives the majority of growth, which accounts for nearly 87% of total social media ad spending.

Here’s a table of the ad spending in the United States on mobile and desktop from 2017 to 2029.

Source: Statista

26. This shows that ad spending in the United States declined from 13.8% to 12.9% on desktop in the period from 2024 to 2025.
27. Consumer behavior shifts increasingly toward mobile device usage, where ad spend is 13.1% less than 14.5% in 2024.

Here are the top markets worldwide for social media advertising spending.

Source: Data Reportal

28. As of February 2025, the United States leads global markets in advertising spend per capita, with marketers investing an average of $1,246 per person across all advertising channels, both offline and online.
29. The United Kingdom follows closely behind with $876 per capita in advertising spending.
30. Advertising spend per capita varies across markets, with developed economies like Australia, Germany, and Sweden investing between $400-$700 per person. 
31. 77% of marketers retarget Facebook/Instagram advertising as a marketing strategy.
32. As a part of their marketing strategy, more than 7 out of 10 marketers plan for Facebook/Instagram advertising.
33. Also, 69% of marketers retarget Google advertising, while 55% retarget email marketing.
34. Regarding Email marketing, approximately 47% of marketers use AI for retargeting customers. 

A table shows the use of retargeting in marketing strategies of marketers. 

Source: Marketing Profs

35. The average Click-Through-Rate of social media ads was 1.21%. 

The minor decline in CTR emphasizes the importance of developing engaging social media ad campaigns to increase engagement and conversion rates.

36. Using social media, 77% of businesses reach their audience base.
37. Businesses often adopt new technology, so it is no surprise that in today’s digital business, 77% of small businesses use social media to connect with their audiences.
38. Additionally, 44% of companies use it to build brand awareness, and many small businesses (41%) rely on social media to generate revenue.
39. 90% of social media users follow at least one brand.
40. These days, social media is ubiquitous. This is evidenced by 90% of social media users following at least one brand.

These statistics show a shift in consumer behavior toward a more direct, engaged relationship with brands. 

It also indicates that having a strong social media presence is essential for brands looking to establish and maintain brand loyalty. 

41. 76% of social media users bought products they saw on social media.
42. The purchase process can differ among customers who bought products they saw on social media, with 11% buying immediately, 44% postponing their online purchase later, and 21% buying in-store.
43. However, it is notable that 76% of users have purchased based on a brand’s social media post, indicating the significant impact of social media on the retail industry. 

Source: Sprout Social, Data Reportal, Statista

Social Media Sales Statistics

Many businesses are generating rapid sales through social media platforms, demonstrating that social media is an essential source of revenue. 

In this section, we will provide essential statistics on social media sales.

44. $1,825.3 billion in retail social commerce sales were generated in the United States. (Source: Census Gov)
45. As per eMarketer, US retail e-commerce sales have shown consistent growth over the past decade, from $520 billion in 2018 to a projected $1.72 trillion by 2027.
46. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 triggered the unexpected growth, with e-commerce sales jumping 36.7% year-over-year, the highest growth rate recorded in the period.
47. E-commerce as a percentage of total retail sales has steadily increased, growing from 9.9% in 2018 to a projected 20.6% by 2027, reflecting the ongoing shift toward digital shopping.

Please refer to the table below for a breakdown of retail social commerce sales from 2018 to 2025.

Source: eMarketer

48. There are 107.6 million social buyers in the United States as of 2023.
49. Many people purchase products and services through social media platforms. According to eMarketer, as of 2023, there will be 107.6 million social buyers in the United States, a 5 million increase from the previous year.
50. From 2019 to 2023, the number of social buyers in the United States increased by 46.8 million.
51. Experts predict that the number of social buyers in the United States will reach 114.3 million by the end of 2025.

The following table displays the number of social buyers from 2019 to 2025.

*Projected

52. Apparel and accessories are the top retail category by share of social action, with 55.7%.

Many products users buy from social media, but apparel and accessories are the top categories in the United States, according to the share of social action. 

53. The second category, by share of social action, is consumer electronics, with 15.4% of the share. 

Here is a table showing the top 10 retail categories in the United States by share of social action. 

54. Facebook’s overall social commerce add-to-cart conversion rate is 34.10% in the United States.
55. According to Grin, Facebook has the highest overall social commerce add-to-cart conversion rate in the United States.
56. Facebook is followed by Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter, with 16.90%, 6%, and 5.50%, respectively.

Here is a table showing the total breakdown of social commerce add-to-cart conversion rate in the United States. 

Source: Grin, Sprout Social 

Social Media Video Statistics

When it comes to social media marketing, it’s essential to understand the value of video. Over the past few years, social media videos have captured the attention of many users.

I’ve compiled all the critical statistics related to social media videos in this section.

57. Short-form video content on social media is 2.5 times more engaging than any other content.
58. On social media, short-form videos, typically less than a minute in length, are gaining attention from 66% of consumers due to their brevity and authenticity.
59. Short-form videos are highly shareable and 2.5 times more engaging than longer videos. Additionally, 34% of consumers appreciate the more genuine nature of the shorter form.
60. 91% of businesses will use video marketing in 2023.
61. According to Wyzowl, video marketing was the most popular among businesses in 2023, with 91% of them using it, which means a 5% increase from 2023.
62. In 2022, 86% of businesses used videos for their marketing. From 2016 to 2023, video marketing has increased by 30%.
63. After reaching an all-time high of 91% in 2023, there was a slight decrease to 89% in 2025, though this still represents an overwhelming majority of businesses using video marketing.

Below is a detailed breakdown of video marketing from 2016 to 2023.

Source: Wyzowl

64. Explainer videos have taken the top spot in 2025, with 73% of video marketers creating them.
65. Social media videos remain highly popular at 69%, while video testimonials have also seen growth, reaching 60% usage among marketers.
66. Product demos and presentation videos are used by nearly half of all video marketers, at 48% and 53%, respectively.

Below is a table providing a complete breakdown of this topic.

Source: Sprout Social, Business Google, Wyzowl

Influencer Marketing Statistics

Influencer marketing can significantly boost your sales and engagement rate, as social media users tend to trust and follow popular influencers’ recommendations when buying products and services.

Here are some of the key statistics regarding influencer marketing:

67. 50% of millennials are influenced by influencers’ product recommendations. 
68. A significant proportion of Millennials (50%) now trust product recommendations from social media influencers more than their favorite celebrities (38%). 

This development highlights the growing influence of social media in shaping consumer behavior. 

69. The influencer marketing industry has experienced remarkable growth, increasing from just $1.7 billion in 2015 to $32.55 billion in 2025, representing a more than 19-fold increase over the decade. 
70. The global influencer marketing market size has more than tripled since 2020, when it was valued at $9.7 billion.
71. Between 2020 and 2025, the industry saw its fastest growth period, jumping from $9.7 billion to $32.55 billion in just five years as brands increasingly recognized the value of influencer partnerships.
72. By the end of 2025, the market is projected to reach approximately $33.55 billion.

A table shows the global market size of influencer marketing from 2015 to 2025.

Source: Statista

Along with the Influencer marketing market size, discover the earnings of influencers with our detailed insights.

73. Over 90% of users regularly engage with influencers on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
74. People in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom engage with influencers on various social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
75. However, most people (95%) primarily engage with influencers on YouTube and TikTok, while 94% of users engage with influencers on Instagram weekly.

A table displays the percentage of consumers who engage with influencers every week in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

76. 93% of markets in the United States prefer Instagram for influencer marketing. 

According to Statista’s report, Instagram is the most popular social media platform for influencer marketing in the United States. TikTok with 68% following. 

77. In addition, 68% of marketers prefer Facebook, while 48% choose YouTube. 

You can see the complete breakdown of the preferred social media platforms of marketers in the United States in the table below.

Source: Influencer Marketing Hub, Sprout Social

Bonus: If you wish to seek professional help for influencer marketing, here are the best influencer marketing agencies in India that can help you with your reach. 

Social Media Marketing Statistics By Platform

There are numerous social media platforms globally. However, it is essential to identify the ones that can provide optimal benefits or be more helpful for your needs.

Continue reading this section to identify these platforms. Here, you will find a compilation of the most effective social media platforms for marketing purposes.

78. Facebook remains the world’s most widely used social media platform, with 3.07 billion monthly active users as of 2025.
79. Around 56.9% of adult internet users on Facebook are aged 16 or older.
80. Particularly, the 25-34 age range represents one of the largest segments of the Facebook user base.
81. 33% of marketers say Instagram offers the highest ROI of all social media platforms.
82. Instagram has 3 billion monthly active users as of 2025, making it one of Meta’s most successful platforms alongside Facebook and WhatsApp.
83. As of now, LinkedIn advertising has a global reach, with ads capable of reaching 1.33 billion registered members worldwide.
84. The countries with the highest LinkedIn penetration rates include the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands.
85. Despite having the largest absolute number of LinkedIn members, the United States shows strong adoption rates among professionals and businesses using the platform for B2B marketing and recruitment.

With all this data, it is clear that social media can be used in different network marketing, e-commerce sales, or in AI-driven content. As a result, social media users are increasing continuously across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, etc.