As of early 2025, Saudi Arabia had the highest social media penetration rate globally out of selected countries and territories, with a whopping 102 percent. UAE and South Korea followed, with 96 percent and 94 percent of active usage reach, respectively. Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria had some of the lowest social network penetration rates in the world, with less than 26 percent of the population accessing social media in each country. How many people use social media? Although the top three countries with the highest social media penetration rates globally were in Eastern and Southwestern Asia in 2023, the region with the greatest social media reach was Northern Europe with 83.6 percent, followed by Western Europe with 83.3 percent and Southern Europe with 76.7 percent. In 2022, more than 4.59 billion people reported using social media, and this number is projected to reach almost six billion by 2027. Facebook: the most popular social network Meta’s Facebook, the social media giant and the first platform to reach this kind of scale, was the leading social network as of October 2023 with more than three billion global monthly active users (MAU). Additionally, Meta owns four of the biggest social media platforms, all with more than one billion MAU each: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. As of January 2023, India was home to Facebook’s largest audience with more than 300 million MAU, followed by the United States with 175 million MAU.

As of April 2024, Bahrain was the country with the highest Instagram audience reach with 95.6 percent. Kazakhstan also had a high Instagram audience penetration rate, with 90.8 percent of the population using the social network. In the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Brunei, the photo-sharing platform was used by more than 85 percent of each country's population.

As of January 2018, the leading social media platform in the United Arab Emirates was WhatsApp, with a penetration rate of ** percent. This was closely followed by Facebook with a penetration rate of ** percent and YouTube with ** percent. User demographic   The total number of social media users in the United Arab Emirates was *** million. Facebook users in the United Arab Emirates are broken down by **** percent women compared to **** percent men. The user demographic of Facebook in the United Arab Emirates is quite balanced with **** percent of users between the age of 15 and 29 years old and **** percent above the age of 30 years. The younger a social media user is, the more likely they source news and information on current affairs through social media in the Middle East and North Africa.  Legal limitation of social media usage in the United Arab Emirates    Tough, WhatsApp, Skype, and Facebook messenger are the leading social media platforms in the United Arab Emirates, there are strong restrictions on messenger and VOIP application imposed on their usage by the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA). Free video and voice calls on instant messengers are still blocked in the UAE. This is mainly an issue for expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates, who want to contact friends and family in their home country, which makes it still very costly for them.

In 2022, the forecasted value of e-commerce sales in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was around ** billion U.S. dollars. E-commerce sales in the UAE were estimated to grow by an average of ** percent per year between 2018 and 2022.  Regional e-commerce market With high social media penetration in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the e-commerce market has witnessed rapid growth. In the UAE, the share of the population who were active on social media was higher than in Saudi Arabia. By growing the e-commerce market, this helps to boost economic growth and extends the advantages of digital payments in the country. In 2020, the UAE was forecasted to have the second-largest e-commerce market in the GCC.  E-commerce categories2   E-commerce in the UAE is not only limited to retail goods and services, but also extends to government services and education, whose share of e-commerce volume of government services and education amounted to ** percent from 2018 to 2019. Moreover, professional services had a volume share of * percent in the e-commerce market in the same period.

The number of internet users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) peaked in 2025, growing by nearly *** thousand users over the previous year. Since 2015, the number of internet users in the country has consistently increased each subsequent year. The biggest increases were seen in 2017 and 2018 when the total number of internet users surged by *** and *** percent or *** and *** thousand new users over prior years, respectively. State of the internet in the UAE The UAE has digitized much of its public and private services, and thus the country has invested heavily in telecommunications, fiber optics, and internet infrastructure. The speed and reliability of internet access, coupled with the country’s tax incentives, have made the UAE an attractive option for many tech companies and start-ups. Du and Etisalat are the two major players in the market. Over the past few years, the number of broadband internet subscriptions in the UAE has increased significantly. In addition to static broadband, there is also a high mobile internet penetration, with the country being among the leaders in mobile internet speed around the world. Naturally, this modern and accessible technology has facilitated the growth of other industries such as e-commerce, blockchain technologies, fintech, and other sectors. The UAE’s Smart City initiative The Smart City initiative introduced by the UAE government aims to significantly modernize cities by leveraging the latest technologies to improve people’s quality of life. The program emphasizes the use of technology and data to provide civil services more efficiently. A prerequisite to powering these smart cities is a robust broadband and mobile internet infrastructure that can seamlessly and reliably connect all the various interdependent systems. These upgraded urban centers will be characterized by an increase in e-mobility, IoT devices, digital governance, real-time data transfer, and other services that rely on a strong network. The Smart City initiative has taken off in all major cities in the UAE, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi being at the forefront of the transformation.

As of February 2025, India had a total of 413.85 million Instagram users, the largest Instagram audience in the world. The United States had 171.7 million users, and Brazil had 140.7 million. Indonesia, Turkey, and Japan ranked in fourth, fifth and sixth position, respectively. Kazakhstan is the leading country for Instagram audience reach, with 86.2 percent of the population using the social media service. Turkey came in second, with a penetration rate of 85.5 percent and Uruguay ranked third, with 87.1 percent, followed closely by the UAE, Brazil, and Bahrain. It took Instagram 11.2 years to reach the milestone of 2 billion monthly active users worldwide. WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, took 11 years, whilst Facebook took 13.3 years and YouTube took just over 14 years. Instagram’s demographics in the United States As of March 2025, Instagram was the fourth most visited social media service in the United States, after Facebook, Pinterest and X. Out of TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, TikTok was the most used of all three platforms by Generation Z. Overall, 57 percent of Gen Z social media users used Instagram in 2021, down from 61 percent in 2020 and 64 percent in 2019. Instagram finds most popularity with those in the 25 to 34 year age group, and as of January 2025, roughly 28.3 of all users in the United States belonged to this age group. The social media app was also more likely to be used by women. Most followed accounts on Instagram Instagram’s official account had the most followers as of April 2024 with over 672 million followers. Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) had over 628 million followers on the platform, while the Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi (@leomessi) had over 502 million followers. The Instagram accounts of the American singer and actress Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) and the media personality and makeup mogul Kylie Jenner (@kyliejenner) had over 400 million followers each.

As of February 2025, India was the country with the largest YouTube audience by far, with approximately 491 million users engaging with the popular social video platform. The United States followed, with around 253 million YouTube viewers. Brazil came in third, with 144 million users watching content on YouTube. The United Kingdom saw around 54.8 million internet users engaging with the platform in the examined period. What country has the highest percentage of YouTube users? In July 2024, the United Arab Emirates was the country with the highest YouTube penetration worldwide, as around 94 percent of the country's digital population engaged with the service. In 2024, YouTube counted around 100 million paid subscribers for its YouTube Music and YouTube Premium services. YouTube mobile markets In 2024, YouTube was among the most popular social media platforms worldwide. In terms of revenues, the YouTube app generated approximately 28 million U.S. dollars in revenues in the United States in January 2024, as well as 19 million U.S. dollars in Japan.

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Digital Marketing Spending Market Size 2025-2029

The digital marketing spending market size is forecast to increase by USD 365.1 billion at a CAGR of 8.5% between 2024 and 2029.

The digital advertising spending market is experiencing significant growth due to several key trends. One major factor driving market expansion is the increasing shift in consumer behavior toward online shopping. Moreover, the convenience of accessing digital marketing software through mobile devices has become a major game-changer, enabling businesses to reach their audience more efficiently. This trend is fueled by the convenience and accessibility of digital platforms, which allow consumers to make purchases from anywhere at any time. Another trend shaping the market is the expansion of voice search optimization and voice-activated advertising.
Additionally, the widespread digitalization and digital transformation of various industries necessitate the implementation of effective digital marketing strategies. However, the market also faces challenges, including concerns about ad fraud and brand safety in digital advertising. Ad fraud, which involves the use of bots to inflate ad impressions or clicks, can lead to wasted advertising budgets and ineffective campaigns. Brand safety, which refers to the placement of ads in appropriate contexts and avoiding inappropriate or offensive content, is a major concern for advertisers, who want to protect their brand reputation.

What will be the Size of the Digital Marketing Spending Market During the Forecast Period?

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In today's digital age, consumers are increasingly relying on websites, apps, mobile devices, social media, search engines, and various services to fulfill their needs and desires. This shift towards digital platforms has significantly impacted marketing strategies, leading to the rise of digital marketing. Consumers now engage with brands through multiple channels, creating a complex customer journey. Marketing specialists must adapt to this new reality by providing personalized and engaging content across various devices, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. Online video, display ads, and digital signage have become essential components of digital marketing strategies. Consumers are bombarded with an overwhelming amount of content choices, making it crucial for brands to stand out.



Social media platforms offer unique opportunities for brands to connect with their audience, build relationships, and influence consumer behavior. Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool, with influencers leveraging their large followings to promote products and services. Search engines continue to play a crucial role in driving traffic to websites, making search engine optimization (SEO) a must-have strategy for businesses. Third party websites and ebooks also provide valuable opportunities for brands to reach their target audience and establish thought leadership. The market has grown significantly, with consumers using device like computer, phone, and tablet to shop online, send text message, watch videos, and make purchases through third-party websites. As technology continues to evolve, marketing strategies must adapt to keep up. Brands that successfully navigate this digital landscape will be well-positioned to engage with their audience, build brand loyalty, and drive growth.

How is the Digital Marketing Spending Market Segmented?

The market 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.ApplicationMobile devicesDesktopsTypeSearch adsDisplay adsSocial mediaE-mail marketingOthersIndustriesRetailE-CommerceHealthcareFinancial ServicesTravel and HospitalityGeographyNorth AmericaUSCanadaEuropeFranceGermanyItalyUKMiddle East and AfricaEgyptKSAOmanUAEAPACChinaIndiaJapanSouth AmericaArgentinaBrazilRest of World (ROW)

By Application Insights

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

Several countries are investing heavily in their managed IT infrastructure and continuously adopting new technologies to embrace AI technology mainly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the BFSI industry Mobile devices, particularly smartphones, are increasingly preferred due to their portability and higher penetration in digital advertising. Cross-device advertising's popularity is a significant factor driving this shift. Leading companies are heavily investing in digital marketing and employing non-cookie-based tracking methods for more effective mobile-specific data utilization, beyond third-party cookie data.

Further, this approach ensures higher brand awareness, trust, and engagement through various digital marketing channels, including w