In an online survey conducted during the third quarter of 2024, 29.1 percent of internet users in the United Kingdom reported that WhatsApp was their favorite social media platform, whilst 20.3 percent said that Facebook was their favorite. Overall, only around one in ten users said that TikTok was their favorite social media service, even though brand awareness of the app is high in the UK.

This industry includes social networking website publishers and developers. The industry does not include companies that predominantly develop blogs, games, internet content, messaging services, online dating websites, online recruitment websites, online forums and online videos.

According to a survey of internet users conducted in June 2023 in the United Kingdom, 80 percent of men reported using YouTube at least monthly, while 70 percent of women reported similar consumption trends. Among women, Facebook was the most used social media platform to consume video content - as approximately 74 percent of women in the UK reported engaging with the platform monthly.

According to a 2020 survey run in the United Kingdom (UK), Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp was the most popular social media platform among those aged 26 to 35. Out of all the respondents, 85 percent had an account on the social networking site. Facebook came in second place, with 80 percent of respondents claiming they used the service while YouTube and Instagram featured third and fourth respectively.

Facebook as a leading digital ad platform

Facebook continues to dominate the social media market in the UK, its penetration rate having been on the rise since 2015. By 2022, the social media platform’s share of monthly active users is forecast to reach 62.44 percent of the United Kingdom’s population. As a platform with such widespread reach not just within the UK but around the world, Facebook is perfectly poised to become a leading online advertising tool. In fact, the social network giant brought in nearly 23 percent of all digital advertising revenue in the United Kingdom in 2018, the highest among all social media platforms. This is forecasted to reach 28 percent by 2021, narrowing the gap with market leader Google.

The news and social media

Facebook remains, albeit to a lesser extent, a news source for nearly 30 percent in the United Kingdom according to figures until 2018. Although this number is significantly lower than in countries such as Italy and Spain where around half of the surveyed population turned to Facebook for news, it is no small figure and one would think that such numbers would reflect a positive perception of social media as a news source. A 2019 survey demonstrated however, that this was not the case with social media ranking lowest in terms of level of trust against other sources such as traditional media, online media, and owned media.

Social commerce revenue in the United Kingdom is poised for significant growth, with Facebook leading the charge. By 2029, Facebook's social commerce revenue is projected to reach * billion U.S. dollars, showcasing the platform's dominance in the evolving digital marketplace. This trend reflects the increasing integration of shopping experiences within social media platforms, transforming how consumers discover and purchase products online.

During a 2025 survey, approximately 88 percent of responding business-to-business (B2B) marketers in the United States and the United Kingdom reported using Facebook for marketing purposes, making it the most used social media platform within that segment. Another 83 percent of respondents were actively on YouTube and Instagram, respectively.

According to a November 2024 study of travelers in the United Kingdom, Instagram had the highest conversion rate for travel visits or travel purchases among the selected social media platforms. Overall, 44 percent of respondents visited a destination or made a travel purchase after seeing travel-related content on Instagram. TikTok and Facebook followed in the ranking, with conversion rates of 42 and 40 percent, respectively.

In 2008, the average human attention span was 12 seconds. Fast forward to 2025, and many studies suggest it's now hovering around 8 seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish. It’s no coincidence that during this same period, social media platforms surged to dominate how we consume content. Whether you're...

A survey conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020 among teenagers and young adults asked participants whether they had a public or private social media profile. Slightly over half reported having a public profile, while only **** percent had made theirs private. ** percent of respondents however claimed to have a mix of both public and private social media profiles. This relatively high level of trust when it came to social media can perhaps be explained by a 2019 survey, where ** percent of respondents in the UK claimed they had never been a victim of social media or email account hacking before.

Facebook and WhatsApp lead in the UK

Among the leading social media platforms, Facebook emerged as the most frequently used among young adults aged 18 to 24 years old in the UK. Nearly ** percent of all respondents cited the social media giant as the app they reached for most often. The second most used app within this age group in the UK was WhatsApp. In contrast, only *** percent used Twitter the most.

Social media – the new marketing trend

As social media becomes more and more integrated into our daily lives, brands have been taking note. Social media marketing is a fast growing industry and spend on social media advertising by corporations has been on the rise each year. What began as a nationwide spend of merely **** billion British pounds in 2011 had risen to **** billion British pounds by 2018. According to an annual survey, roughly ** percent of teenagers aged 12 to 15 already have at least one social media account.

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 ** percent of respondents stating that they had shopped through each platform.

Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onward, is growing up entirely in the digital era. From virtual classrooms to influencer-led shopping trends, their online experiences are shaping how they learn, play, and connect. Whether it’s gaming on Roblox or discovering brands on YouTube, their digital behavior is influencing industries from education...

According to a survey of internet users conducted in June 2023 in the United Kingdom, 77 percent of users aged between 25 and 44 years reported using Facebook at least monthly, while over 85 percent of users in the same age reported using YouTube monthly. Overall, 74 percent of social media users aged between 13 and 17 years reported engaging with TikTok, while 90 percent reported engaging with YouTube, while Instagram was used by 53 percent of respondents in the same demographic.

A share of ** percent of adults surveyed in the United Kingdom (UK) in the first quarter of 2020 said that they used LinkedIn several times a day. A share of ** percent stated that they used the platform once a week.

LinkedIn users: a snapshot

LinkedIn targets professionals, job-seekers, entrepreneurs, and others looking to create professional networks. The niche LinkedIn operates is reflected in the age profile of LinkedIn users, with those aged 15-24 years of age making up the smallest group of users by age among British users. LinkedIn users in Great Britain are were also more likely to be male. As of February 2018, an estimated ** percent of users were male.

United States more linked in than any other country

There are more LinkedIn users in the United States than any other country, as of April 2019. With *** million users, the United States has nearly three times as many LinkedIn members as second-placed India. The United Kingdom places fifth on the list, with ** million members.

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Social Media Listening Market Size 2025-2029

The social media listening market size is forecast to increase by USD 4.87 billion at a CAGR of 8.9% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is experiencing significant growth, driven primarily by the increasing usage of social media platforms worldwide. With over 4.3 billion users as of 2021, social media has become a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their customers and gain valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences. A key trend in this market is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies in social media listening solutions, enabling more accurate and efficient data analysis. However, this market is not without challenges. Data privacy and regulatory compliance are becoming increasingly important, with stricter regulations being implemented to protect user data.
Companies must ensure they have strong data security measures in place to comply with these regulations and maintain consumer trust. Additionally, the vast amount of data generated on social media requires sophisticated analytics tools to extract meaningful insights. As such, businesses seeking to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the market must invest in advanced analytics solutions and prioritize data security and privacy. By doing so, they can effectively navigate the challenges and stay ahead of the competition.

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

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Social media listening has emerged as a crucial business tool, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights from the vast amount of data generated through social media activity. This data is analyzed using techniques such as topic modeling and sentiment scoring to understand consumer behavior, preferences, and trends. Social media geographics and demographics provide essential context, while social media reach and volume measure the scope and impact of conversations. Social media pulse and sentiment reflect the current sentiment and buzz surrounding specific topics, offering real-time insights into market dynamics and trends.
Social media listening software is a vital component of the global market for social media analytics. Social media influence is assessed through the size and engagement of an audience, providing valuable information for marketing and brand management strategies. The social media landscape and heatmap offer a comprehensive view of the social media ecosystem, helping businesses stay informed and adapt to evolving patterns.

How is this Social Media Listening Industry segmented?

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

Type

  Software
  Services


End-user

  Retail and e-commerce
  IT and telecom
  BFSI
  Media and entertainment
  Others


Geography

  North America

    US
    Canada


  Europe

    France
    Germany
    UK


  Middle East and Africa



  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  South America

    Brazil


  Rest of World (ROW)

By Type Insights

The software segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. This segment encompasses platforms and tools that offer real-time, automated, and scalable capabilities to monitor and analyze social media conversations across various channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Reddit. Real-time monitoring is a key feature of these solutions, empowering brands to identify mentions, trends, and sentiment as they emerge. By staying abreast of evolving topics, businesses can respond promptly to customer concerns, capitalize on viral events, and maintain a strong online presence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies are integral to social media listening software, enabling advanced topic identification, sentiment analysis, and trend recognition.

These technologies enable businesses to gain valuable customer insights, inform product development, and enhance customer experience. Social media listening platforms also offer data visualization and reporting features, allowing businesses to analyze and present their findings in a clear and actionable manner. Additionally, they provide social media dashboards, alerts, and governance tools to ensure compliance with social media policies and ethical standards. In summary, social media listening software plays a pivotal role in the global market for social media analytics, offering real-time insights and advanced capabilities to help businesses navigate the complex social media landscape and engage effectively with their audience.

Get a glance at the market report of share of v

In September 2022, mobile-first video platform TikTok was the most popular social media app on the Google Play Store among Android users in Great Britain, racking up roughly 298 thousand downloads. Instagram ranked second, with almost 167 thousand downloads, while photo app BeReal ranked third with almost 155 thousand downloads from the Google Play Store in the examined period.

Doing it for the gram: the reach of influencers on Instagram Enlisting influencers – personalities with significant followings on Instagram – has become an integral part of modern marketing campaigns. Influencers have dedicated followers that have actively chosen to follow a given account, providing a cost-efficient way to reach a targeted audience. Among UK influencers, none have a following greater than David Beckham (@itsmarziapie). In 2020, the professional footballer and celebrity enjoyed a following of 65.2 million people. By comparison, British social media personality Holly H. ranked first among TikTok influencers in the UK, with 16.7 million followers on the short-video platform.

TikTok in the United Kingdom In the last years, TikTok seems to have taken the global social media scene by storm, and the United Kingdom makes no exception. In January 2022, the popular social video app counted almost nine million active users (MAU) in the UK, up by 27 percent compared to the corresponding month in 2020. In 2021, the most popular TikTok video in the United Kingdom, titled "proving that cats rule," was posted by the user @mmeowmmia and generated nearly 185 million views.

The use of social media platforms continues to increase in the United Kingdom (UK) and is predicted to do so for the foreseeable future. As of 2024, there are a total of **** million social network users in the UK. The number of social media users in the UK is expected to reach ** million by 2027. Facebook users in the United Kingdom Social media network Facebook, which recently rebranded as Meta in a move towards the metaverse, had ***** million users in the United Kingdom as of December 2021, a relatively small increase on the previous year of *** million. Two years prior, the number of FB users in the UK was ***** million. Throughout 2021, Facebook’s user numbers declined, sinking to ***** in September, however, toward the end of the year, audience figures recovered. Furthermore, Facebook Messenger, Facebook’s instant messaging app, had a total of ***** million UK users at the end of 2021. The majority of UK Facebook users at the end of last year belonged to the 25 to 34 year age group which made up **** percent of all users. Overall, **** percent of audiences this age group were women and **** percent were men. Popular social networks in the United Kingdom In 2021, social media app Instagram had a total of ** million UK users. Instagram was most popular amongst 25 to 34 year olds, accounting for approximately a third of users. In addition, professional online networking platform LinkedIn also finds popularity amongst this demographic, with **** percent of its users being between the ages of 25 and 34 years.

Rishi Sunak, leader of the UK Conservatives, was the most followed political party leader in the United Kingdom on X (formerly Twitter), with a total of 2.3 million followers as of February 2024. Overall, Keir Starmer had around 1.4 million followers, and Humza Yousef had 264,578 followers on the social media platform, as of February 2024.

Social media usage in the United Kingdom reveals a diverse landscape across age groups, with the ***** bracket leading at ** percent of users in 2024. Surprisingly, the ***** age group accounted for ** percent, challenging the notion that social networks are primarily for younger users. This distribution highlights the widespread adoption of social platforms among various demographics, reflecting the evolving digital habits of UK adults. Younger users drive emerging platform adoption While established networks like Facebook maintain a strong presence, younger users are increasingly drawn to newer platforms. TikTok, for instance, has gained significant traction among the ***** age group, with over a quarter of UK smartphone users in this bracket using the app. Advertising trust varies across age groups and mediums The effectiveness of social media advertising differs across age groups, with trust playing a crucial role. Among consumers aged *****, ** percent reported not buying products promoted by influencers, indicating a potential shift in how younger audiences perceive and respond to social media marketing.

During a 2022 survey carried out in the United Kingdom, Instagram and Facebook emerged neck-to-neck as the most popular social media platforms that the responding B2C marketers use for marketing with a share of mentions of ***** percent and ***** percent, respectively. At a share of **** percent, YouTube came in third position among the respondents.

** percent of UK respondents answer our survey on "Most used social media platforms by type" with "Instant messengers (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat)". The survey was conducted in 2023, among ****** consumers.Find this and more survey data on most used social media platforms by type in our Consumer Insights tool. Filter by countless demographics, drill down to your own, hand-tailored target audience, and compare results across countries worldwide.