Social media usage is growing at an average rate of 8.4 new users every single second, and over 62.3% of the global population will use social media in 2024.
With the increase in social media users and platforms, the average time spent on social media also increases rapidly every year.
In this article, I have gathered statistics about social media users, usage, top social platforms, and the effect of overusing social media in 2024.
Social Media Usage Statistics In 2024 (Top Picks)
- More than 5.04 billion people use social media in 2024.
- The average time spent on social media is 2 hours and 23 minutes per day.
- Users aged between 20 and 29 comprise 31.8% of social media users.
- 53.9% of social media users in the U.S. are female, and 46.1% are male.
- Asia has more than 2.94 billion social media users.
- Depression due to high social media usage increased by 50% in girls and by 21% in boys.
- 89% of marketers use Facebook to promote their content on social media.
Social Media Usage Statistics
More than 5.3 billion people use the internet in 2024. This makes up more than 60% of the global population.
The majority of internet users are primarily using social media, and a small portion of users use the internet for purposes other than social media.
This section will talk about social media usage statistics.
How Many People Use Social Media?
According to the latest data, there are more than 5.04 billion social media users globally. This makes up almost 62.3% of the world’s population.
The number of social media users has been increasing at an average of around 250 million users yearly.
There were about 2.73 billion social media users in 2017, and this number is expected to reach around 5.85 billion by 2027.
Here is a table with the number of social media users over the years:
| Year | Number of Social media users |
|---|---|
| 2027* | 5.85 billion |
| 2026* | 5.64 billion |
| 2025* | 5.42 billion |
| 2024* | 5.17 billion |
| 2023 | 4.89 billion |
| 2022 | 4.59 billion |
| 2021 | 4.26 billion |
| 2020 | 3.9 billion |
| 2019 | 3.51 billion |
| 2018 | 3.1 billion |
| 2017 | 2.73 billion |
Source: DataReportal, Statista *Projected numbers
The United States Is Expected To Have Over 320.6 Million Social Media Users In 2024
The United States registered more than 314.76 million social media users in 2023. The number of social media users are expected to increase by 1.86%, reaching 320.6 million in 2024.
The number of social media users in the United States increased by 22.25 million between 2020 and 2023.
By 2029, the number of social media users in the United States is forecast to reach 342.6 million.
The table below shows the number of social media users in the United States over the next few years:
| Year | Number of Social media users in the U.S. |
|---|---|
| 2029* | 342.6 million |
| 2028* | 339.38 million |
| 2027* | 335.24 million |
| 2026* | 330.77 million |
| 2025* | 325.91 million |
| 2024* | 320.6 million |
| 2023 | 314.76 million |
| 2022 | 308.39 million |
| 2021 | 301.64 million |
| 2020 | 292.51 million |
Source: Statista *Projected Numbers
An Average Social Media User Spends 2 Hours and 23 Minutes Per Day On Platforms
Internet users spend the majority of their time using social media.
The amount of time spent on social media peaked in 2023. Social media users spent an average of 2 hours and 31 minutes on platforms last year.
This number has decreased by around 8 minutes, and users spend around 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media in 2024.
Here is a table showing time spent using social media over the years:
| Year | Time spent using Social media |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 Hours and 31 Minutes |
| 2022 | 2 Hours 27 Minutes |
| 2021 | 2 Hours 25 Minutes |
| 2020 | 2 Hours 25 Minutes |
| 2019 | 2 Hours 25 Minutes |
| 2018 | 2 Hours 22 Minutes |
| 2017 | 2 Hours 14 Minutes |
| 2016 | 2 Hours 8 Minutes |
| 2015 | 1 Hour 51 Minutes |
| 2014 | 1 Hour 44 Minutes |
| 2013 | 1 Hour 35 Minutes |
| 2012 | 1 Hour 30 Minutes |
Source: DataReportal, Statista
Northern Europe Region Has The Highest Social Network Penetration Rate Of Around 81.7%
Northern and Western Europe regions have the world’s highest social network penetration rates, at 81.7% and 80.2%, respectively.
North American region has a penetration rate of about 71.3%, while the global average is around 62.3%.
With a penetration rate of below 15%, Africa has the lowest social network penetration rate.
Here is a table with the global social network penetration rate by various regions:
| Region | Social network penetration rate |
|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 81.7% |
| Western Europe | 80.2% |
| Southern Europe | 74.8% |
| Eastern Asia | 74% |
| Northern America | 71.3% |
| Southern America | 71.3% |
| Eastern Europe | 70.4% |
| Western Asia | 66% |
| Central America | 65.1% |
| Global | 62.3% |
| Southeastern Asia | 60.3% |
| Oceania | 60.3% |
| Caribbean | 50.8% |
| Southern Africa | 41.6% |
| Northern Africa | 40.4% |
| Central Asia | 34.9% |
| Southern Asia | 32.4% |
| Western Africa | 15.8% |
| Eastern Africa | 10.1% |
| Middle Africa | 9.6% |
Source: Statista
49.5% Of People Use Social Media to Stay In Touch With Their Friends And Family
The reason to use social media varies from person to person. Social media is primarily used to connect with families and friends online.
A Statista survey revealed that 38.5% of people use social media to fill their spare time, while 47.1% use it to keep in touch with friends and family.
Around 34.2% of users read news stories on social media and 26.1% search for products to buy.
The table displays the percentage of social media users and why they use social media:
| Reason | Percentage of Social media users |
|---|---|
| Keeping in touch with friends and family | 49.5% |
| Filling spare time | 38.5% |
| Reading news stories | 34.2% |
| Finding content | 30.2% |
| Seeing what’s being talked about | 28.7% |
| Finding inspiration for things to do and buy | 26.7% |
| Finding products to purchase | 26.1% |
| Watching live streams | 22.7% |
| Sharing opinions with others | 22.7% |
| Making new contacts | 22.5% |
| Seeing content for favorite brands | 22.1% |
| Watching sports | 22% |
| Work-related networking and research | 21.3% |
| Posting about their lives | 19.7% |
Source: Statista
Social Media User Demographics
Users of every age and gender use social media for various reasons in 2024.
This section will discuss demographic statistics about social media users’ age, gender, etc.
More Than 31.8% Of Social Media Users Are 20 To 29 Years Old
Social media platforms are majorly used by Gen Z and Millennials.
The majority of social media users are aged between 20 and 29 years. This age group makes up 31.8% of the total social media users.
About 12.7% of social media users are 13 to 19-year-olds, while 21.9% are 30 to 39.
Here is a table showing the age demographics of social media users:
| Age group | Percentage of Social media users |
|---|---|
| 13 to 19 years | 12.7% |
| 20 to 29 years | 31.8% |
| 30 to 39 years | 21.9% |
| 40 to 49 years | 15% |
| 50 to 59 years | 10% |
| 60+ | 8.6% |
Source: Oberlo
53.9% Of Social Media Users In The United States Are Female And 46.1% Are Male
Female users have a bigger share in the distribution of audiences using social media.
More than half of the United States social media users are female, and about 46.1% are male.
In the United States, Facebook is used by 43.7% of females and 56.3% of males. Instagram’s 48.2% of users are female, and 51.8% are male.
Source: Statista 1, Statista 2
China Has Over 1.02 Billion Social Media Users
Due to its huge population, China has the highest number of social media users in the world. Asian countries have over 1.02 billion social media users collectively, and the number in this region is further expected to reach 1.21 billion by 2027.
India has over 755 million social media users, which is set to surpass the 1.17 billion mark by 2027.
With 314 million social media users, the United States is the first non-Asian country with the most number of social media users.
Here is a table with the number of social media users by country:
| Country | Social media users in 2022 | Expected Social media users by 2027* |
|---|---|---|
| China | 1.02 billion | 1.21 billion |
| India | 755 million | 1.17 billion |
| United States | 302.25 million | 327.2 million |
| Indonesia | 217.53 million | 261.7 million |
| Brazil | 165.45 million | 188.35 million |
| Russia | 115.05 million | 126.37 million |
| Japan | 101.98 million | 113.03 million |
| Mexico | 98.21 million | 122.07 million |
| Philippines | 84.07 million | 92.98 million |
Source: Statista
Asia Has More Than 2.94 Billion Social Media Users
Asia region has the largest number of social media users. Eastern Asia consists of over 1.2 billion social media users, and Southern Asia has over 961.81 million users.
The Americas region has over 819 million social network users, while Europe has around 681.56 million users.
With only 24.71 million, Central Africa recorded the lowest number of social media users.
The table below shows the number of social media users by region:
| Region | Number of Social media users |
|---|---|
| Asia | 2.94 billion |
| Eastern Asia | 1.24 billion |
| Southern Asia | 961.81 million |
| Americas | 819.29 million |
| Europe | 681.56 million |
| North America | 447.82 million |
| Africa | 427.05 million |
| South America | 316.78 million |
| Western Africa | 105.91 million |
| Central America | 28.99 million |
| Central Africa | 24.71 million |
Source: Statista
Popular Social Media Platforms
The number of social media users is spread out across the most popular social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and others.
In this section, we will explore the statistics about the most popular social media platforms.
Facebook Is The Most Used Social Media Platform, With 3.04 Billion Active Users
A social media user accesses an average of 6.7 different social media platforms. Therefore, social media users overlap between various social media platforms.
More than 3.04 billion people use Facebook every month, and it is considered this age’s oldest and most popular social media platform.
With over 2.49 billion users, YouTube is the second most-used social media platform. YouTube is also the biggest video-sharing platform on the internet.
Due to the prevalence of social media among young users, over 2 billion people use Instagram.
Here is a table with the most popular social media platforms according to the number of active users:
| Social media platform | Number of active users |
|---|---|
| 3.04 billion | |
| YouTube | 2.49 billion |
| 2 billion | |
| 2 billion | |
| TikTok | 1.56 billion |
| 1.33 billion | |
| Facebook Messenger | 979 million |
| Telegram | 800 million |
| Snapchat | 750 million |
Source: DataReportal
89% Of Marketers Use Facebook To Promote Their Content On Social Media
Social media marketing is becoming marketers’ most productive and efficient way to reach a target audience in 2024.
Facebook has the highest number of monthly active users. Hence, most marketers leverage Facebook to run their marketing campaigns to capitalize on the large user base.
Around 80% of marketers use Instagram, while 64% use LinkedIn to promote their business through social media in 2023.
Here is a table showing the percentage of marketers using social media platforms:
| Social media platform | Percentage of marketers |
|---|---|
| 89% | |
| 80% | |
| 64% | |
| YouTube | 54% |
| 44% | |
| TikTok | 26% |
Source: Statista
Social Media And Its Effects On Mental Health
Social media is a great escape for many who use it for catching up with loved ones and entertainment.
But everything has limits, and so does social media usage.
The overuse of social media in children and young adults is on the rise, and some major adverse effects are visible on their mental and physical health.
Symptoms Of Major Depression Increased By 52% From 2005 To 2017
The high use of smartphones and social media has resulted in the rise of mental health issues in adults and young ones.
Children aged between 11 and 17 years experienced increased depression in a year by 52%.
Adults aged between 18 and 25 years faced severe depression at a rate of 63% per year due to overuse of social media during 2009 and 2017.
In addition, the rate of suicidal thoughts in young adults increased by 47% between 2008 and 2017
Source: Etactics
Depression In Boys Increased By 21% And In Girls By 50%
Increased social media usage has impacted child and teen behavior.
The bad effects of high social media usage have largely affected girls compared to boys.
Depression due to social media usage increased by 50% in girls and by 21% in boys during 2015 and 2017.
In addition, 22% of girls reported being cyberbullied, while 10% of boys were cyberbullied.
Source: Childmind
Conclusion
More than 60% of the global population uses social media every day, and the number of users is only going to increase with time.
Due to the latest social media marketing trends, many users are also utilizing social media for marketing and business purposes.
Social media sure has helped connect people and provide a means of entertainment.
Apart from entertainment, social media needs to be used controllably, as the harmful effects of social media are evident among children and adults alike.
The article discussed some key statistics about social media users, usage, and platforms.
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