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.

According to a survey conducted in March 2023 in Finland, Facebook was the most popular social media platform, with ** percent of the online population accessing the service. Instagram was also widely used, with a reach of ** percent. Jodel, an app that connects people with their local communities, was used by around one in ten internet users in Finland.

Despite a tumultuous 2018, Facebook is still the top social network in the United States, with 169.76 million mobile users accessing the Facebook app in September 2019. The company’s other properties Instagram and Facebook Messenger ranked second and third with 121 and 106 million users respectively. Cambridge Analytica scandal 2018 The biggest social media company in the world had a difficult 2018. The platform has long been accused of enabling the spread of fake news during the 2016 election and beyond. One of the first and biggest negative Facebook stories of 2018 was the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which unfolded from March 2018. The Guardian, The Observer, and The New York Times simultaneously reported on political data firm Cambridge Analytica harvesting data of millions of Facebook users worldwide without their knowledge before the 2016 election, which led to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg having to testify before Congress in April 2018. Facebook usage behavior changes Due to the revelations about Facebook and the company’s treatment of private user data, many U.S. users are planning to use the social network much less and to be much more careful about what they post . During an April 2018 survey, only 20 percent of respondents stated that their Facebook usage has not changed, and they were planning on continuing to use the social platform as much as they always had in the past.

Social media usage in Romania continues to evolve, with Facebook maintaining its dominance while newer platforms gain traction. As of May 2025, ***percent of Romanian respondents reported using Facebook, solidifying its position as the most popular social media platform in the country. Instagram and TikTok followed, with ***and ***percent of users, respectively, highlighting the growing diversity in social media preferences among Romanians. TikTok the new trendsetter in Romania TikTok's popularity in Romania has surged recently, as evidenced by its significant revenue growth. The platform's monthly revenue skyrocketed from approximately ** thousand U.S. dollars in October 2020 to an impressive *** million U.S. dollars by September 2024. This substantial increase reflects the platform's growing user base and engagement levels in the country. However, it's worth noting that TikTok's monthly downloads have fluctuated, peaking at over *** thousand in August 2022 before decreasing to *** thousand in September 2024. Social media usage increases steadily As of January 2024, Romania boasted **** million social media users, with over **** of respondents following friends, family, and acquaintances on these platforms. The primary reasons for social media use in Romania include staying connected with loved ones and filling spare time. This trend partially explains the rise in TikTok users, with the platform poised to potentially surpass Facebook in the near future. Looking ahead, the number of social media users in Romania is forecast to increase by ***** percent between 2024 and 2029, reaching an estimated ***** million users by 2029. This growth trajectory underscores the continued importance of social media in Romanian society.

In March 2025, ******** accounted for ** 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. ********* ranked second with ***** percent of all U.S. social media site visits, while X (previously Twitter) accounted for ***** 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 ** percent of Facebook users across the globe were using the platform’s social networking services exclusively via mobile phone, while only *** 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 *** million downloads, while Facebook and the instant-messaging service Messenger followed ranking third and fifth with *** million and **** 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 *** minutes per day in 2023, with a decrease to *** 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.

According to a May 2024 survey, WhatsApp was the most popular social media platform in Mexico. At that time, ** percent of those interviewed said they had an active account on the messaging app. Also owned by Meta Platforms Inc., Facebook and Instagram ranked second and third, being used by ** and ** percent of respondents, respectively.

Social media penetration and demographics Close to ** percent of the Mexican population was expected to be on Facebook by the end of 2023 (slightly below the estimated ***** percent for the United States during the same period). Its popularity in the North American country relies heavily on young internet users: when it comes to the distribution of Mexican Facebook users by age group, more than ** percent were between 18 and 34 years old. All news just a click away According to a February 2022 survey, half of internet users in Mexico used Facebook for news consumption, while YouTube is used by ** percent of the country's online audiences for the same function. This preference was also observed across all age groups: more than a third of the country's news consumers across all demographics turned to the Meta-owned social network to find, read, watch, share, or comment on the news.

During a 2025 survey among marketers worldwide, approximately ** percent said Facebook was the most important social media platform. LinkedIn and Instagram followed, respectively mentioned by ** and ** percent of respondents. Why marketers use social media as a branding channel According to the same study, the leading benefits of social media marketing were increased exposure and traffic. In other words, mastering a brand's presence on such platforms can make a company's products and services known across multiple demographics as well as generate traffic for its online sales. Marketers' favorite social media platforms The survey also revealed that business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) marketers' top social media can vary. While B2C professionals bet on Facebook and its still massive usage rate, B2B strategists focus on LinkedIn, where companies can see and be seen. However, the social media video platforms in which marketers wanted to invest more were YouTube and Instagram.

Social Media Platforms Market Outlook

The global social media platforms market size was valued at approximately USD 180 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around USD 400 billion by 2032, exhibiting a robust CAGR of 9.1% over the forecast period. This impressive growth is primarily driven by the increasing penetration of smartphones, the expansion of internet connectivity, and the rising demand for digital advertising.

Several key factors are driving the growth of the social media platforms market. First and foremost, the increasing availability and affordability of smartphones and internet services globally have significantly expanded the user base of social media platforms. With the proliferation of affordable smartphones and widespread network coverage, even users in developing regions are now able to access social media, contributing to the market's expansion. Furthermore, mobile internet speeds have improved significantly, enabling richer media experiences on social platforms, which in turn attract more users and advertisers.

Another critical growth factor is the rising importance of digital marketing and advertising. Businesses of all sizes are leveraging social media platforms to reach their target audiences more effectively and efficiently. Given the advanced targeting capabilities and analytics offered by these platforms, advertisers can optimize their campaigns for better performance, thus funneling a significant portion of their advertising budgets to social media. Additionally, the integration of e-commerce features within social media platforms has created new revenue streams and engagement opportunities, further propelling market growth.

Content creation and user engagement are also key drivers in the social media platforms market. User-generated content (UGC) plays a vital role in keeping platforms vibrant and engaging. Social media platforms provide various tools and features, such as live streaming, stories, and reels, which encourage users to create and share content. This not only enhances user engagement but also attracts more users to join the platforms. Influencer marketing is another growing trend, where influencers with large followings collaborate with brands to promote products and services, thereby driving sales and brand awareness.

From a regional perspective, North America and Asia Pacific are the dominant players in the social media platforms market. North America, with mature markets in the U.S. and Canada, has a high penetration rate of social media usage and significant digital advertising expenditure. Conversely, the Asia Pacific region is witnessing rapid growth due to its large population, increasing internet penetration, and the rising popularity of regional social media platforms. Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa also present substantial growth opportunities due to expanding internet access and increasing smartphone adoption.

Platform Type Analysis

The social media platforms market can be segmented by platform type into social networking, media sharing, blogging & microblogging, discussion forums, and others. Social networking platforms, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, are among the most popular and widely used types. These platforms enable users to create profiles, connect with friends and colleagues, and share various forms of content. Social networking platforms are particularly popular due to their diverse feature sets, including messaging, multimedia sharing, and online communities, which cater to a broad range of user needs.

Media sharing platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok focus primarily on the sharing of videos and images. These platforms have gained massive popularity, especially among younger demographics, due to their focus on visual content and ease of use. The rise of short-form video content has been a significant trend, with platforms like TikTok leading the way. Media sharing platforms attract a large number of content creators and influencers, who generate engaging content that drives user engagement and retention.

Blogging and microblogging platforms, such as WordPress and Tumblr, provide users with a space to share their thoughts, ideas, and opinions through longer-form text content. Microblogging platforms like Twitter allow for shorter, more frequent updates, which can be particularly effective for real-time communication and news

Facebook was the social media platform that was most common among Norwegians in recent years. A survey, conducted in the third quarter of 2020, showed that ** percent of the respondents used Facebook. Despite still being the king of social media, Facebook has been the only platform that has seen an annual decrease. Snapchat came in second in the ranking, with ** percent of the interviewed Norwegians using it. As of the second quarter of 2019, the share of Norwegian Facebook users was highest among women, aged between 30 and 39 years (** percent). The male Facebook users in that age group were ** percent that year.    How often are Norwegians on social media?      

73 percent of the interviewed Norwegian internet users reported to have used social media daily or almost daily. Ten percent said they used it weekly and only ***** percent used it less often than weekly.

The Nordics        

Within the Nordic countries, Norway ranked ****** by share of active mobile social media users per capita, after Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Denmark. ** percent of the users of the most active social media platform in Norway were considered active users. Sweden and Finland followed in the ranking.

During a 2025 survey among marketers worldwide, around 83 percent reported using Facebook for marketing purposes. Instagram and LinkedIn followed, respectively mentioned by 78 and 69 percent of the respondents. The global social media marketing segment According to the same study, 60 percent of responding marketers intended to increase their organic use of YouTube for marketing purposes throughout that year. LinkedIn and Instagram followed with similar shares, rounding up the top three social media platforms attracting a planned growth in organic use among global marketers in 2025. Their main driver is increasing brand exposure and traffic, which led the ranking of benefits of social media marketing worldwide. Social media for B2B marketing Social media platform adoption rates among business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) marketers vary according to each subsegment's focus. While B2C professionals prioritize Facebook and Instagram, both run by Meta, Inc., due to their popularity among online audiences, B2B marketers concentrate their endeavors on Microsoft-owned LinkedIn due to its goal to connect people and companies in a corporate context.

A 2024 survey found that Facebook was the most popular social media platform among consumers worldwide for product research and discovery. Facebook was used for this purpose by about ** percent of the respondents. With approximately ** percent of consumers, YouTube was the second most favored platform, followed by Instagram at ** percent. In 2024, Facebook was the most widely used social site for consumers to make purchases.

In 2024, Facebook held the largest market share among other social media platforms for mobile devices in Indonesia, with a market share of about ** percent. This was followed by YouTube, which accounted for approximately ** percent of the market share in the same period.   Facebook’s dominance in Indonesia  Facebook maintains the largest market share across all social media platforms in Indonesia, except for on desktop devices. The highest market share on desktop devices in Indonesia was held by YouTube, followed by Pinterest. Despite maintaining its position as the market leader among all social media platforms, the number of Facebook users in Indonesia is estimated to decline and reach around 161 million users by 2028. Currently, Facebook is quite popular among those aged between 25 and 34 years. What are the current social media trends in Indonesia? One of the current social media trends in Indonesia is marked by a surge in short-form video content, with TikTok leading the way. The popularity of these videos is driving high engagement, especially among younger demographics, who favor dynamic and visually engaging content. Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts also contribute to this trend, offering a place for creative expression and brand interaction. Brands in Indonesia are also increasingly leveraging short-form videos for marketing, recognizing their impact in reaching a broad audience quickly and effectively. This shift underscores the importance of video content in Indonesia’s digital landscape.

Users spend an average of 19.6 hours per month on TikTok alone. This works out to be approximately 39 minutes per day.

As of the third quarter of 2024, ** percent of respondents in the Philippines stated that Facebook was their favorite social media platform. This was followed by Facebook Messenger and TikTok.

Discover the latest social media statistics and trends for 2025 and how they impact businesses.

During the third quarter of 2020, it was found that Facebook was accessed by ** percent of U.S. internet users aged 26 to 35 years. Overall, ******* was the most popular social platform across all age groups.

As of January 2023, Instagram and Facebook were considered the most effective social media platforms for building active communities - each platform was chosen by ** percent of social media marketers surveyed worldwide. YouTube followed, with ** percent of respondents considering it effective to build an online community.

As of 2021, Facebook, recently rebranded as Meta, was the social media platform used most often by ** percent of social networking users in the United States. In 2015, Facebook was the most used platform by ** percent of social media users, demonstrating a decrease of almost ** percent. During the same time frame, Instagram has continued to grow in popularity, with ** percent of users saying it was their most often used platform in 2021, an increase of ** percent since 2015. Snapchat was the most used platform by ** percent of respondents in 2018 and has since continued to decline. In 2020, TikTok was the most accessed platform for ***** percent of users and by 2021 it had more than doubled to ***** percent.

As of January 2025, Facebook accounted for around ** percent of the social media market across Asia. Comparatively, Instagram accounted for about ** percent of the social media market in Asia. Meta Platforms, Inc Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is a global technology conglomerate that owns a vast social media portfolio, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Facebook remains one of the world’s most popular social networks, connecting users for sharing content and building communities. Instagram focuses on photo and video sharing, including features like Stories and Reels. In 2024, Meta’s annual revenue reached ***** billion U.S. dollars, with most of its revenue coming from advertising. Meta generated approximately *** billion U.S. dollars in revenue from advertisements in that year. Meta’s market revenue and user base in APAC In 2024, Meta’s revenue from the Asia-Pacific region amounted to nearly ** billion U.S. dollars. The growing mobile-first internet user base in Asia continues to drive engagement on Meta's platforms, solidifying its dominance in the region. Asian countries such as India and Indonesia have some of the highest numbers of Facebook users globally. India also leads globally in Instagram users, reflecting the region's significant contribution to Meta's success.

During a July 2022 survey among B2B marketers who used social media platforms for paid content promotion worldwide, ** percent of respondents stated that they made use of LinkedIn over the previous 12 months. Facebook was ranked second with ** percent of respondents, which was a drop of ** percentage points, compared to 2021, when ** percent stated using it.