How many people use social media? Social media usage is one of the most popular online activities. In 2024, over five billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to over six billion in 2028.

Who uses social media? Social networking is one of the most popular digital activities worldwide and it is no surprise that social networking penetration across all regions is constantly increasing. As of January 2023, the global social media usage rate stood at 59 percent. This figure is anticipated to grow as lesser developed digital markets catch up with other regions when it comes to infrastructure development and the availability of cheap mobile devices. In fact, most of social media’s global growth is driven by the increasing usage of mobile devices. Mobile-first market Eastern Asia topped the global ranking of mobile social networking penetration, followed by established digital powerhouses such as the Americas and Northern Europe.

How much time do people spend on social media? Social media is an integral part of daily internet usage. On average, internet users spend 151 minutes per day on social media and messaging apps, an increase of 40 minutes since 2015. On average, internet users in Latin America had the highest average time spent per day on social media.

What are the most popular social media platforms? Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass one billion registered accounts and currently boasts approximately 2.9 billion monthly active users, making it the most popular social network worldwide. In June 2023, the top social media apps in the Apple App Store included mobile messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram Messenger, as well as the ever-popular app version of Facebook.

As of April 2024, almost 32 percent of global Instagram audiences were aged between 18 and 24 years, and 30.6 percent of users were aged between 25 and 34 years. Overall, 16 percent of users belonged to the 35 to 44 year age group. Instagram users With roughly one billion monthly active users, Instagram belongs to the most popular social networks worldwide. The social photo sharing app is especially popular in India and in the United States, which have respectively 362.9 million and 169.7 million Instagram users each. Instagram features One of the most popular features of Instagram is Stories. Users can post photos and videos to their Stories stream and the content is live for others to view for 24 hours before it disappears. In January 2019, the company reported that there were 500 million daily active Instagram Stories users. Instagram Stories directly competes with Snapchat, another photo sharing app that initially became famous due to it’s “vanishing photos” feature. As of the second quarter of 2021, Snapchat had 293 million daily active users.

A survey conducted in the third quarter of 2024 found that around 58.4 percent of internet users in Mexico used social media to stay in touch with friends and family. Reading news stories was the second main reason for using social media for about 42.3 percent of the respondents. Filling spare time and finding content were important reasons for 41.4 and 40 percent of social media users, respectively.

How much time do people spend on social media? As of 2024, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 143 minutes per day, down from 151 minutes in the previous year. Currently, the country with the most time spent on social media per day is Brazil, with online users spending an average of three hours and 49 minutes on social media each day. In comparison, the daily time spent with social media in the U.S. was just two hours and 16 minutes. Global social media usageCurrently, the global social network penetration rate is 62.3 percent. Northern Europe had an 81.7 percent social media penetration rate, topping the ranking of global social media usage by region. Eastern and Middle Africa closed the ranking with 10.1 and 9.6 percent usage reach, respectively. People access social media for a variety of reasons. Users like to find funny or entertaining content and enjoy sharing photos and videos with friends, but mainly use social media to stay in touch with current events friends. Global impact of social mediaSocial media has a wide-reaching and significant impact on not only online activities but also offline behavior and life in general. During a global online user survey in February 2019, a significant share of respondents stated that social media had increased their access to information, ease of communication, and freedom of expression. On the flip side, respondents also felt that social media had worsened their personal privacy, increased a polarization in politics and heightened everyday distractions.

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Social Networking Market Size 2025-2029

The social networking market size is forecast to increase by USD 312.3 billion, at a CAGR of 21.6% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the increasing internet penetration and the rising popularity of social media advertisements. The expanding digital landscape provides ample opportunities for businesses to reach their audiences more effectively, resulting in a surge in social media advertising spending. However, this market growth is not without challenges. Privacy concerns continue to pose a significant obstacle, as users become increasingly wary of sharing personal information online. Companies must navigate these concerns by implementing robust data protection measures and transparent privacy policies to maintain user trust and ensure regulatory compliance.
In summary, the market presents both opportunities and challenges, with the potential for substantial growth through targeted advertising, while requiring careful attention to privacy concerns to maintain user trust and regulatory compliance. Companies seeking to capitalize on these opportunities must stay abreast of market trends and adapt to evolving user expectations to remain competitive.

What will be the Size of the Social Networking Market during the forecast period?

Explore in-depth regional segment analysis with market size data - historical 2019-2023 and forecasts 2025-2029 - in the full report. Request Free Sample

The social media market continues to evolve, with dynamic shifts shaping its landscape. Social media bidding and software solutions enable businesses to effectively target their audiences, while social media monitoring tools help in maintaining brand reputation. Social media analytics provides valuable insights into consumer behavior, informing data-driven strategies. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms offer unique opportunities for marketing, each with distinct audience demographics and engagement patterns. Social media ROI is a critical metric, with continuous optimization essential for maximizing returns. Community management and social media attribution play crucial roles in fostering engagement and understanding the impact of social media efforts.

Social media trends, such as automation and influencer marketing, are shaping the future of digital marketing. Social media security and privacy remain significant concerns, with ongoing developments in governance and ethics shaping the regulatory landscape. Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and other platforms offer various marketing opportunities, with Snapchat and others catering to younger demographics. Social media campaigns require strategic planning and execution, with social media metrics providing valuable feedback for continuous improvement. Social media compliance and regulation are essential for maintaining trust and adhering to legal requirements. Social media listening and integration offer opportunities for real-time customer feedback and competitive analysis.

Social media retargeting and measurement tools enable businesses to reach potential customers and assess the success of their efforts. APIs and data provide the foundation for advanced social media strategies, with targeting and optimization essential for maximizing impact. The social media market is a constantly evolving landscape, with ongoing trends and developments shaping its future.

How is this Social Networking Industry segmented?

The social networking industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Type

  Advertising
  In-app purchase
  Paid apps


Distribution Channel

  Google
  Apple
  App Store Distribution


Service

  Communication
  Entertainment
  Socialization
  Marketing
  Customer service


Platform

  Website-based
  Mobile apps
  Hybrid platforms


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    France
    Germany
    Italy
    Spain
    UK


  Middle East and Africa

    UAE


  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  South America

    Brazil


  Rest of World (ROW) 

By Type Insights

The advertising segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

In the dynamic world of digital marketing, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. The market encompasses various entities, including social media marketing, security, analytics, community management, attribution, trends, automation, engagement, content, metrics, campaigns, influencer marketing, law, governance, ethics, strategy, management, hashtags, optimization, bidding, software, monitoring, reputa

A survey conducted in the third quarter of 2024 found that around 56.3 percent of internet users in Argentina used social media to stay in touch with friends and family. Reading news stories was the second main reason for using social media for about 49.7 percent of the respondents. Filling up spare time and finding content like videos were important reasons for 44.2 and 40 percent of social media users, respectively.

As of January 2025, 24.2 percent of Facebook users in the United States were aged between 25 and 34 years, making up Facebook’s largest audience in the country. Overall, 19 percent of users belonged to the 18 to 24-year age group. Does everyone in the U.S. use Facebook? In 2023, there were approximately 247 million Facebook users in the U.S., a figure which is projected to steadily increase, and reach 262.8 million by 2028. Social media users in the United States have a very high awareness of the social media giant. Expectedly, 94 percent of users had heard of the brand in 2023. Although the vast majority of U.S. social networkers knew of Facebook, the likeability of the platform was not so impressive at 68 percent. Nonetheless, usage, loyalty, and buzz around the brand remained relatively high. Facebook, Meta, and the metaverse A strategic rebranding from Facebook to Meta Platforms in late 2021 boded well for the company in Mark Zuckerberg’s attempt to be strongly linked to the metaverse, and to be considered more than just a social media company. According to a survey conducted in the U.S. in early 2022, Meta Platforms is the brand that Americans most associated with the metaverse.  

TikTok has 136 million monthly active users in the US alone.

Social media was by far the most popular news platform among 18 to 34-year-olds in the United States, with 47 percent of respondents to a survey held in August 2022 saying that they used social networks for news on a daily basis. By comparison, adults over 65 years old mostly used network news to keep up to date.

The decline of newspapers In the past, the reasons to regularly go out and purchase a print newspaper were many. Used not only for news but also apartment hunting, entertainment, and job searches (among other things), newspapers once served multiple purposes. This is no longer the case, with first television and then the internet taking care of consumer needs once covered by printed papers. Indeed, the paid circulation of daily weekday newspapers in the United States has fallen dramatically since the 1980s with no sign of future improvement.

News consumption habits

A survey on news consumption by gender found that 50 percent of women use either online-only news sites or social media for news each day, and 51 percent of male respondents said the same. Social media was by far the most used daily news platform among U.S. Millennials, and the same was true of Gen Z. One appeal of online news is that it often comes at no cost to the consumer. Paying for news found via digital outlets is not yet commonplace in the United States, with only 21 percent of U.S. consumers responding to a study held in early 2021 reporting having paid for online news content in the last year.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Social Commerce Market size will be USD 769485.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.20% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 307794.08 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.4% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 230845.56 million.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 176981.60 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.2% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 38474.26 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.6% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 15389.70 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.9% from 2024 to 2031.
The business to consumer (B2C) held the highest Social Commerce Market revenue share in 2024.

Market Dynamics of Social Commerce Market

Key Drivers for Social Commerce Market

Growth of E-Commerce and social media to Increase the Demand Globally

The Social Commerce Market has experienced growth due to increasing penetration of social media. Social media platforms are quickly emerging as vital avenues for businesses to interact with customers, highlight their goods, and increase revenue. Moreover, customers are finding it simpler to find and buy things without ever leaving the app thanks to the direct integration of shopping functions into social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Furthermore, the expanding user base on social media platforms is generating profitable expansion prospects for the industry as a whole.

Advancements in Technology to Propel Market Growth

The Social Commerce Market has witnessed steady growth, driven by advancements in technology. Mobile technology has advanced significantly over the last ten years, and smartphones are now an essential part of people's everyday lives. Users are increasingly choosing to shop straight from their smartphones because to improved smartphone capabilities and internet connectivity, which has expanded mobile commerce. Additionally, more people are using smartphones due to rising disposable incomes, which ultimately enhances the social commerce market value environment.

Restraint Factor for the Social Commerce Market

Serious concerns regarding customers' privacy to Limit the Sales

The Social Commerce Market, driven by its rapid rise in the application of social media marketing and advertising strategies. After discovering that social commerce platforms handle significant amounts of sensitive information, including financial and personal data, hackers turn their attention to social networking networks. Any data leak these days has the potential to harm a company's brand as well as cause emotional and financial harm to an individual. Additionally, there is a high likelihood of data misuse. Social commerce businesses stress the importance of keeping proper data security in addition to backing up important data.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Social Commerce Market

The Social Commerce Market has witnessed growth due to rising number of smartphones. Key drivers include technological advancements, increasing internet penetration, and expanding influencer marketing. However, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily disrupted production and supply chains, affecting market dynamics. The lockdowns led to reduced consumer spending and manufacturing delays. Despite these challenges, market recovery was swift as the industries resumed operations. Long-term trends indicate a resilient market with steady growth due to ongoing social media platforms and a rebound in business activities. Introduction of the Social Commerce Market

Social commerce describes online stores that use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to market and sell goods and services. The level of consumer interaction with a company's marketing through retweets, likes, and shares determines the effectiveness of a social commerce campaign. Additionally, social media marketers pr...

These TikTok user statistics tell the whole story of the new social media giant and give you some insights into the app's future.

In March 2025, Facebook accounted for 56 percent of all social media site visits in the United States, confirming its position as the leading social media website by far. Other social media platforms, despite their popularity, had to make do with smaller shares of visits across desktop, mobile, and tablet devices combined. Pinterest ranked second with 16.73 percent of all U.S. social media site visits, while X (previously Twitter) accounted for 11.73 percent of the total visits in the country. Additionally, the U.S. is home to the third largest social media audience worldwide. Facebook: mobile vs desktop usage At the beginning of 2022, around 81 percent of Facebook users across the globe were using the platform’s social networking services exclusively via mobile phone, while only 1.5 percent reported using their desktop or laptop devices. In September 2022, three Facebook Inc. products occupied some of the leading positions as most downloaded social networking apps on the Apple App Store in the United States. WhatsApp’s messaging platform ranked second with more than 1.9 million downloads, while Facebook and the instant-messaging service Messenger followed ranking third and fifth with 1,3 million and 1.03 million downloads respectively. Social media evolution Between 2012 and 2024, the daily time spent on social networks worldwide experienced an almost constant increase, with users reaching an average of 151 minutes per day in 2023, with a decrease to 143 daily minutes of engagement in 2024. However, users’ favorite platforms have changed since 2019, and the power balance appears to be shifting further from Facebook’s market dominance. Not only Facebook’s user growth rate is estimated to slow down in the next years, but users belonging to Generation Z appear to prefer video-first social platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.

Teenagers make up the largest group of active users on TikTok.

Globally the average user spends 52 minutes on TikTok every day. About 90% of their worldwide users access TikTok on a daily basis.

Regional TikTok user statistics differentiate significantly. Each major region has also experienced growth a different times.

As of April 2025, Elon Musk was estimated as the wealthiest person in the United States with a net worth of around 342 billion dollars. Richest people in the United States - additional information Every year since 1982, the American business magazine Forbes has been compiling lists of the 400 richest people in the United States, known as the “Forbes 400.” In addition to that, since 1987, the publication has also been compiling a ranking of the 500 richest people in the world (excluding royalty and dictators), as well as more specialized tops, such as “World's Most Powerful Women,” “America's Richest Families,” “Most Valuable Brands” or “30 Under 30,” which focuses on young entrepreneurs from various fields which have gained millions in the past year by the use of social media, technical innovations and generally new and fresh approaches to business.

In December 2024, the news website with the most monthly visits in the United States was nytimes.com, with a total of 463.07 million monthly visits in that month. In second place was cnn.com with close to 357 million visits, followed by foxnews.com with just over a quater of a million. Online news consumption in the U.S. Americans get their news in a variety of ways, but social media is an increasingly popular option. A survey on social media news consumption revealed that 55 percent of Twitter users regularly used the site for news, and Facebook and Reddit were also popular for news among their users. Interestingly though, social media is the least trusted news sources in the United States. News and trust Trust in news sources has become increasingly important to the American news consumer amidst the spread of fake news, and the public are more vocal about whether or not they have faith in a source to report news correctly. Ongoing discussions about the credibility, accuracy and bias of news networks, anchors, TV show hosts, and news media professionals mean that those looking to keep up to date tend to be more cautious than ever before. In general, news audiences are skeptical. In 2020, just nine percent of respondents to a survey investigating the perceived objectivity of the mass media reported having a great deal of trust in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly.

The most popular online news brands in the United States as of February 2024 were Fox News online and CNN.com. A study found that 18 percent and 17 percent of respondents to a survey had visited those sites respectively for news in the last week. Also high in the ranking were Yahoo! News and The New York Times online. Support for and trust in both sources varies significantly according to the political affiliation of audiences, particularly among Democrats and Republicans. News and politics A survey revealed that more than 40 percent of Republicans reported not trusting The New York Times, whereas The NYT is one of the most trusted news sources among Democrats. The same study found that over 60 percent of Democrats did not trust Fox News**. The perceived credibility of major news sources in the United States changes annually and is often influenced by election campaigns and the voting persuasions of the American public. However, whilst most Democrats believe the mass media to be objective in its reporting, very few Republicans feel the same. In 2020, just 10 percent of Republicans trusted news organizations to report fully, accurately, and fairly. Trust in news The most trusted news sources in the United States are radio, network news, and newspapers, despite online outlets being used more frequently by younger audiences. Social media and podcasts are considered the least trustworthy news platforms by all American voters, though again, the survey indicated that Republicans are generally more distrusting of mass media news than voters of other political parties.

A study examining perspectives on the news media from over 40 countries revealed that levels of trust differed notably around the world. Scandinavians in particular had greater trust in the news media than citizens from other parts of the world, with 69 percent of Finns trusting the news, along with 57 percent of Danes and 55 percent of Norwegians. Who trusts the news the least? South Korea and Taiwan were placed among the lowest in the world when it came to how much consumers trusted the news media, alongside Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. Media sources in some of these countries can be considered to be insufficiently independent from the establishment. Just 23 percent of Greek consumers had trust in the news media, the lowest among all countries in the report. What affects trust in news? One factor which can greatly affect trust in news is the outlet used. Globally, social media is seen as a less reliable source of news, and in the EU radio and television are viewed as more dependable. In the current climate of fake news and polarizing political events, young people around the world are having a tough time relying on the mass media , although this attitude is also seen among older generations.

Which county has the most Facebook users? There are more than 383 million Facebook users in India alone, making it the leading country in terms of Facebook audience size. To put this into context, if India’s Facebook audience were a country, then it would be ranked third in terms of largest population worldwide. Apart from India, there are several other markets with more than 100 million Facebook users each: The United States, Indonesia, and Brazil with 196.9 million, 122.3 million, and 111.65 million Facebook users respectively. Facebook – the most used social media Meta, the company that was previously called Facebook, owns four of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram. As of the third quarter of 2021, there were around 3.5 billion cumulative monthly users of the company’s products worldwide. With around 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the most popular social media worldwide. With an audience of this scale, it is no surprise that the vast majority of Facebook’s revenue is generated through advertising. Facebook usage by device As of July 2021, it was found that 98.5 percent of active users accessed their Facebook account from mobile devices. In fact, almost 81.8 percent of Facebook audiences worldwide access the platform only via mobile phone. Facebook is not only available through mobile browser as the company has published several mobile apps for users to access their products and services. As of the third quarter 2021, the four core Meta products were leading the ranking of most downloaded mobile apps worldwide, with WhatsApp amassing approximately six billion downloads.