Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass one billion registered accounts and currently sits at more than three billion monthly active users. Meta Platforms owns four of the biggest social media platforms, all with more than one billion monthly active users each: Facebook (core platform), WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram. In the third quarter of 2023, Facebook reported around four billion monthly core Family product users. The United States and China account for the most high-profile social platforms Most top ranked social networks with more than 100 million users originated in the United States, but services like Chinese social networks WeChat, QQ or video sharing app Douyin have also garnered mainstream appeal in their respective regions due to local context and content. Douyin’s popularity has led to the platform releasing an international version of its network: a little app called TikTok. How many people use social media? The leading social networks are usually available in multiple languages and enable users to connect with friends or people across geographical, political, or economic borders. In 2025, social networking sites are estimated to reach 5.42 billion users and these figures are still expected to grow as mobile device usage and mobile social networks increasingly gain traction in previously underserved markets.

In May 2025, WeChat was the highest grossing social media app in Hong Kong, earning almost *** thousand U.S. dollars of revenue. *** out of the *** highest-earning social media apps in Hong Kong were online dating platforms.

In 2023, Facebook was the social media platform with the highest advertising revenues in the United States. The revenues stood at **** billion U.S. dollars. Instagram and TikTok followed, with **** billion and **** billion, respectively.

In 2024, LINE remained the highest grossing social app in Taiwan, generating around 26 million U.S. dollars of in-app revenue. Four of the ten highest-earning social media apps in Taiwan were online dating platforms.

The most useful social network in terms of purchase possibilities was LinkedIn, for which 45.6 percent of French professionals had discovered new content that led them to buy a certain product in 2020. Facebook was not far behind with around 41 percent. With a growing network between brand representatives, many of them were following other marketers as a mean to shop for interesting services and to portray their own selling points. Most professionals had implied an interest in the content, where they described "good" social media marketing content in form of case study examples, expert opinions or simply an open mind for controversial topics.

Social selling

Social selling or shopping, just like the term implies, is not just the mere creation of social media brand profiles by the marketing team of a B2B or B2C company. It is in fact a process of research, monitoring and interactions between brands and potential customers. Considering that most social media users follow at least one brand on the platform, there is no denying that news feed exposure could drive sales, a phenomenon often observed in influencer marketing. In a mostly B2C setting, new shopping functions have surfaced (e.g. Instagram), giving a potential customer the opportunity to either directly buy from the platform or to be redirected to a shop. In a B2B setting, 46 percent of small companies with less than 10 employees had made a purchase after seeing an ad on social media in 2020, implying a strong shopping ad suggestibility. As ads have been around since the dawn of a consumerist society, they have asserted themselves into people's online experiences, giving the consumers incentives to shop from practically everywhere.

Omni-channel experience

While offline shopping is a strong activator of senses, the mobile shopping experience has striven in the past years. Available in (almost) all formats of time and space, a omni- (or multi-) channel shopping experience has started to form. As social media marketing relates to a social exchange between individuals and/or other entities present on these platforms, companies can strengthen their position by engaging the customer using chatbots and ad personalization. This personified brand presence ideally supports the purchase loyalty, which is the ultimate goal of the customer-brand relationship. Over the years however, that communication has changed: while in 2018, 78 percent of French marketers considered the exchanges on social media as direct and personal, two years later, around 30 percent found these interactions to be increasingly commercial.

Social Selling Software Market Outlook

The global social selling software market size is projected to grow from $3.5 billion in 2023 to $9.8 billion by 2032, at an impressive CAGR of 12.3%. This remarkable growth is primarily driven by the increasing necessity for businesses to adopt digital sales processes and leverage social media platforms for more effective customer engagement and lead generation.

One of the foremost growth factors of the social selling software market is the proliferation of social media platforms as pivotal sales and marketing channels. Social media has become an integral part of everyday life for billions of people worldwide, making it a fertile ground for sales professionals to engage potential clients. Companies are realizing the immense potential of social platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter in reaching out to a broader audience, understanding consumer behavior, and ultimately driving sales. This shift towards digital engagement and sales has necessitated the adoption of social selling software, which offers tools for social media management, analytics, and customer relationship management.

Another significant growth driver is the increasing demand for personalized customer experiences. In today's competitive business environment, personalization is no longer optional but a key differentiator. Social selling software aids companies in gathering and analyzing customer data from social media interactions, helping them to create tailored marketing strategies and personalized sales pitches. This personalized approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also boosts conversion rates, thereby driving the demand for social selling software solutions.

The rising adoption of cloud-based solutions also contributes substantially to the market growth. Cloud deployment of social selling software offers several advantages, including scalability, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility from any location. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in particular, benefit from the lower upfront costs and ease of deployment associated with cloud-based solutions. As more businesses of various sizes recognize these benefits, the adoption rate of cloud-based social selling software is expected to surge, further propelling market growth.

Regionally, North America holds the largest share of the social selling software market, owing to the high adoption rate of advanced technologies and a strong presence of key market players in the region. The Asia Pacific region, however, is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. Factors such as burgeoning internet penetration, expanding smartphone usage, and increasing investments in digital marketing by local enterprises are driving the market growth in this region. Europe also presents significant opportunities, with many businesses looking to enhance their digital engagement strategies.

Component Analysis

The social selling software market is segmented into software and services. The software segment is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. This is largely due to the increasing demand for specialized software solutions that integrate social media management, analytics, and customer relationship management (CRM) functionalities. Companies are investing in comprehensive software tools that enable sales teams to engage with potential clients more effectively, track interactions, and analyze data to refine their sales strategies.

Within the software segment, advanced features such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are gaining traction. These technologies enhance the capabilities of social selling software by providing predictive analytics and personalized recommendations. AI-driven tools can analyze vast amounts of social media data to identify potential leads and suggest the best approach to engage them, thereby improving sales efficiency and outcomes. As businesses continue to seek competitive advantages, the demand for AI and ML integrated social selling software is expected to rise.

The services segment, which includes consulting, implementation, and support services, is also poised for significant growth. As businesses adopt social selling software, they often require expert guidance to ensure successful implementation and integration with existing systems. Service providers offer valuable assistance in customizing software solutions to meet specific business needs, training sales teams, and providing ongoing technical support. The growing complexity of digital sales strategies and

The social commerce market, valued at $546.12 million in 2025, is projected to experience robust growth, driven by the increasing integration of social media platforms with e-commerce functionalities. This convergence allows businesses to leverage the vast user base of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for direct sales, creating seamless shopping experiences. The B2C segment is expected to dominate, fueled by the rising adoption of mobile devices and the convenience of in-app purchases. However, the B2B segment also presents significant potential, with businesses utilizing social media for targeted marketing and lead generation. Growth is further propelled by emerging trends such as live shopping streams, influencer marketing campaigns, and the increasing sophistication of social commerce platforms. While challenges exist such as maintaining trust and security, and navigating evolving platform algorithms, the overall market outlook remains positive. The projected CAGR of 6% indicates sustained expansion through 2033, suggesting significant investment opportunities and potential for market disruption through innovative business models. The geographical distribution of the social commerce market reveals a diverse landscape. North America and Asia Pacific are likely to account for the largest market shares, driven by high internet penetration and the early adoption of social media shopping. However, growth in emerging markets such as those in South America, Africa, and parts of Asia is anticipated to accelerate due to rising smartphone usage and increasing digital literacy. Competition within the social commerce space is intense, with established tech giants like Facebook, Alibaba, and Tencent vying for market dominance alongside smaller, niche players. The success of these companies hinges on factors such as user experience, payment processing capabilities, and effective marketing strategies. The continuing evolution of social media algorithms, coupled with technological advancements, is expected to shape the future landscape of this dynamic market segment.

In 2023, it was estimated that YouTube Mr. Beast (Jimmy Donaldson) ranked first as the top-earning YouTuber worldwide with earnings of approximately 82 million U.S. dollars. Comedic duo Rhett & Link ranked second, with an estimate of 35 million U.S. dollars earned during the last measured year. Fourth-ranked Ryan Kaji, who goes by Ryan on his YouTube channel, called Ryan's World, is 12 years old and earned 35 million U.S. dollars in the past year, surpassing YouTuber Jake Paul.

YouTube most popular channels and creators Created in 2005, YouTube has become one of the most popular social networks worldwide. In 2023, YouTube had approximately 868 million users worldwide. As of February 2024, the most-subscribed YouTube channels did not only include popular video game commentators or comedy creators, but also children-specific channels, such as nursery rhymes channel Cocomelon, Kids Diana Show, and Like Nastya. Beauty and skincare YouTubers were also among the most beloved content creators for users on the social video platforms, with channels such as Sandra Cires Art and Jeffree Star recording over 15 million subscribers as of March 2024.

Content for children In 2023, U.S. children were estimated to have spent over 80 minutes per day on average watching YouTube content. Despite being based on user-generated content such as make-up tutorials, toy reviews, or comedy sketches, YouTube channels for kids present professional video production values and full-time work commitment to the platform. As of March 2024, Cocomelon had over 177.4 billion views, while the Kids Diana Show had over 100 billion views.

Facebook probably needs no introduction; nonetheless, here is a quick history of the company. The world’s biggest and most-famous social network was launched by Mark Zuckerberg while he was a...

As many popular social media applications such as Instagram and Facebook have already introduced shopping features on their platforms as of 2020, the source has gathered the usage share for the main platforms used for shopping by French consumers in 2020. Facebook, being the first network to have introduced the shopping function among the three in the ranking, came in first with 76 percent of respondents having made a purchase through it. Instagram ranked in second with about 25 percent, followed by Snapchat with around 10 percent.

What is the most subscribed YouTube channel? MrBeast made the first place in the ranking of the most-subscribed YouTube channels in January 2025. With 343 million subscribers, the U.S. based videographer and internet personality managed to surpass Indian music network T-Series, which held the number one place for several years, and sat at 284 million subscriber as of the examined period. How many hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute? YouTube was launched in 2005 as a platform for sharing user-generated videos such as vlogs, tutorials, or original series. The site grew rapidly and reportedly had 100 million video views per day and more than 65 thousand daily uploads only a year later. As of February 2022, more than 500 hours of video were uploaded to YouTube every minute, up from a mere 24 hours of content uploads per minute in 2010. YouTube Partner Program In the first quarter of 2024, YouTube’s ad revenue amounted to over eight billion U.S. dollars. Through its Partner Program, YouTube also rewards uploaders of popular videos with a share of the advertising revenues the content generates. This, paired with the fact that many users of the video sharing platform tend to have favorite channels that they revisit regularly, has given rise to another phenomenon: YouTube celebrities. Although some of these well-known figures were discovered on the website but then carved a successful career outside of YouTube, for many others the site is their primary platform for delivering content and staying in contact with fans, all while signing lucrative deals or promotional partnerships. Highest earning YouTubers In November 2022, MrBeast surpassed long-standing most subscribed YouTuber PewDiePie, having reached approximately 112 million subscribers. Due to the high number of subscribers and even higher number of views, these out-of-the-box stars not only have millions of fans, but also considerable earnings from their YouTube activities. In 2023, MrBeast was estimated to have earned around 82 million U.S. dollars, topping the ranking of the highest-earning YouTube creators. The ranking also included social media personality Jake Paul and Mark Fischbach, as well as Ryan Kaji from Ryan's World (formerly known as ToysReview), who started his YouTube career reviewing toys at three years old.

According to a global survey conducted in 2023, roughly ********** of Millennials followed and purchased goods from the social media accounts of brands. Overall, about **** of Gen Z users followed and purchased from influencers, whilst just ** percent of Baby boomers did. Additionally, *** out of ten respondents belonging to the Gen X age group followed and purchased from the social media accounts of retailers. A booming market In recent years, social commerce has exploded in popularity among online shoppers. Consumers can now purchase items directly on social media platforms, going from discovery to purchase in a matter of minutes. Social commerce is estimated to reach over *** trillion U.S. dollars in revenue by 2028, up from *** billion in 2024. This new form of e-commerce is the most popular in Thailand, where around ** percent of online consumers use social sites as a purchase channel. In comparison, this share stood at ** percent in the United States. Chinese platforms dominate the social space Chinese social shopping sites are the most successful ones worldwide. For example, Douyin, a short-form video sharing app, ranked as the highest revenue-generating platform in 2024, raking in approximately *** billion U.S. dollars. WeChat, a messaging app, came in second with a revenue of *** billion dollars, followed by Little Red Book, a picture sharing app, with a revenue of ** billion dollars. TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, came in sixth place, pulling in ** billion dollars in revenue. While TikTok's popularity extends globally, its on-app purchase store, TikTok Shop, primarily caters to the Asian market. Thus, it is clear that China is the global leader in social selling.

In September 2022, Azar was the highest-grossing social media app for iPhone users in Sweden, generating close to 27 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues. Live streaming platform BIGO Live ranked second, with more than 20 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues, while Grindr followed with more than nearly 18 thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from iPhone users in the Scandinavian country during the examined month.

During the first quarter of 2024, TikTok content recorded an average of ****** views, making the platform rank as the most engaging for social and short-form video content. Instagram was the second most popular platform, with its Reels generating ****** average views. Facebook short form videos, also called Reels, ranked third. In comparison, YouTube Shorts ranked the lowest based on average video views - approximately *** as of the examined time. TikTok as a profession: from followers to career goals In 2024, TikTok had an average reach of around ****** users on the platform, though accounts’ reach exhibited an upward trend as the follower count increased. Tiny TikTok accounts with up to *** followers had a reach of 10,000 users, while huge accounts with over ****** followers recorded a reach of ****** users during the same examined year. As of July 2024, Khabane Lame, who is known for his silent comedy about life hacks, held the crown of the most followed TikToker with around *** million followers. American social media star Charli D’Amelio and MrBeast followed with over *** and ** million followers, respectively. As of September 2023, Charli D’Amelio was the highest earning TikTok creator, with estimated annual earnings of ** million U.S. dollars. Khabane Lame’s followed with estimated annual earnings of **** million U.S. dollars. But do TikTok users consider content creation as a job? As of March 2024, *** percent of the TikTok users in the United States reported considering content creation as a full-time job, while ** percent reported planning to adopt content creation as a profession. If TikTok had to face a ban in the country, around ** percent of U.S. TikTok influencers would consider YouTube, and Facebook as their potential alternatives for content creation as of April 2024. Instagram followed, as ** percent of respondents reported they would adopt the platform in the case of the TikTok ban. Who uses TikTok? As of July 2024, over 54 percent of the global TikTok audience were men, while women comprised around 45 percent of the audience share. Men between the ages of 25 and 34 held the largest share of ** percent of total TikTok users during the same examined period. Indonesia was the country with the highest number of TikTok users, as around *** million users based in the region reported accessing the platform as of July 2024. The United States, and Brazil followed with over *** and *** million TikTok users, respectively. In terms of TikTok penetration rate, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia dominated other regions, as virtually everyone based in these countries registered using the famous short-video platform during the same period.

In September 2022, Life360 was the top-grossing iPhone social media app in the Apple App Store in the United States. The platform generated over two million U.S. dollars in revenues from iOS users. Bigo Live was the second-most popular social media app with roughly 1.88 million U.S. dollars in revenue from U.S. users.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, TikTok was the most popular social media platform for Gen Z consumers to buy products from in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Facebook continued to be the preferred choice for older generations. Additionally, millennials displayed an equal preference for TikTok and Instagram, with 45 percent of respondents stating that they had shopped through each platform.

In 2023, Meta's platforms, Facebook and Instagram, were the top two social networks for e-commerce in Belgium. The survey revealed that 56 percent of Belgian shoppers preferred Facebook, while 38 percent favored Instagram. Following closely behind was YouTube, with 29 percent of participants reporting that they had purchased on the platform.

China and Thailand boast some of the highest percentages of social commerce buyers globally, with ** percent and ** percent of online shoppers making purchases through social media platforms in 2024. Peru closely followed with a ** percent adoption rate, trailed by Colombia and India. A new era of online shopping Social commerce has transformed the online retail landscape in recent years. Between 2018 and 2024, social media sales revenue increased nearly eightfold, reaching approximately *** billion U.S. dollars. By 2025, social commerce is projected to account for*** percent of global online sales. While this purchasing channel attracts consumers of all ages, millennials, followed by Gen Z, are the most prominent direct buyers on social media. China: social commerce pioneer China's social commerce has experienced rapid growth over the past decade. In 2014, the market's gross merchandise value (GMV) stood at ** billion yuan. By 2022, this figure had skyrocketed to over *** trillion yuan, showcasing the immense expansion in this sector. This exponential growth is partly attributed to the significant increase in the number of social commerce users. In 2022, China had about *** million social shoppers, more than double the number recorded in 2016.

As many popular social media applications such as Instagram and Facebook have already introduced shopping features on their platforms as of 2020, the source has gathered the five main reasons that would encourage French consumers the most to shop through a social media platform. Thus, the most common reasons listed by the respondents were the promotional offers (39 percent) and the fact that the product was not marketed elsewhere (25 percent).

In 2021, Facebook was the most popular site for social commerce in Thailand, with 86 percent of respondents purchasing from the platform in the last six months. Social commerce is a type of e-commerce that involves more social buyer-seller interactions through social networks.

 COVID-19 and the expansion of social commerce

Since the pandemic hit in 2020, the world went into lockdown, prompting local businesses to shift their focus online and push consumers to change their shopping habits. This new reliance on online platforms, combined with Thai consumers’ affinity for shopping from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through social media, had immensely accelerated the popularity of the country’s social commerce scene. Facebook and LINE were among Thailand’s most popular online purchasing and selling channels while also being the country’s longstanding leading social media and chatting platforms.

 Direct-to-Customer as the core strength of social commerce  

The popularity of buying and selling through social media in Thailand has pushed the country’s social commerce sector to become very competitive in terms of customer service. Through social commerce, buyers and sellers can communicate immediately through chatting applications and live stream broadcasts, making it very easy and convenient to shop online primarily through Facebook and LINE. Because of this competitive edge, Thailand has become one of the leading countries in South East Asia for social commerce, with a market size greater than 10 million U.S. dollars in 2021.