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...

The global number of Facebook users was forecast to continuously increase between 2023 and 2027 by in total 391 million users (+14.36 percent). After the fourth consecutive increasing year, the Facebook user base is estimated to reach 3.1 billion users and therefore a new peak in 2027. Notably, the number of Facebook users was continuously increasing over the past years. User figures, shown here regarding the platform Facebook, have been estimated by taking into account company filings or press material, secondary research, app downloads and traffic data. They refer to the average monthly active users over the period and count multiple accounts by persons only once.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

Which county has the most Facebook users?

              There are more than 378 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 193.8 million, 119.05 million, and 112.55 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.

Author: Víctor Yeste. Universitat Politècnica de Valencia.The object of this study is the design of a cybermetric methodology whose objectives are to measure the success of the content published in online media and the possible prediction of the selected success variables.In this case, due to the need to integrate data from two separate areas, such as web publishing and the analysis of their shares and related topics on Twitter, has opted for programming as you access both the Google Analytics v4 reporting API and Twitter Standard API, always respecting the limits of these.The website analyzed is hellofriki.com. It is an online media whose primary intention is to solve the need for information on some topics that provide daily a vast number of news in the form of news, as well as the possibility of analysis, reports, interviews, and many other information formats. All these contents are under the scope of the sections of cinema, series, video games, literature, and comics.This dataset has contributed to the elaboration of the PhD Thesis:Yeste Moreno, VM. (2021). Diseño de una metodología cibermétrica de cálculo del éxito para la optimización de contenidos web [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/176009Data have been obtained from each last-minute news article published online according to the indicators described in the doctoral thesis. All related data are stored in a database, divided into the following tables:tesis_followers: User ID list of media account followers.tesis_hometimeline: data from tweets posted by the media account sharing breaking news from the web.status_id: Tweet IDcreated_at: date of publicationtext: content of the tweetpath: URL extracted after processing the shortened URL in textpost_shared: Article ID in WordPress that is being sharedretweet_count: number of retweetsfavorite_count: number of favoritestesis_hometimeline_other: data from tweets posted by the media account that do not share breaking news from the web. Other typologies, automatic Facebook shares, custom tweets without link to an article, etc. With the same fields as tesis_hometimeline.tesis_posts: data of articles published by the web and processed for some analysis.stats_id: Analysis IDpost_id: Article ID in WordPresspost_date: article publication date in WordPresspost_title: title of the articlepath: URL of the article in the middle webtags: Tags ID or WordPress tags related to the articleuniquepageviews: unique page viewsentrancerate: input ratioavgtimeonpage: average visit timeexitrate: output ratiopageviewspersession: page views per sessionadsense_adunitsviewed: number of ads viewed by usersadsense_viewableimpressionpercent: ad display ratioadsense_ctr: ad click ratioadsense_ecpm: estimated ad revenue per 1000 page viewstesis_stats: data from a particular analysis, performed at each published breaking news item. Fields with statistical values can be computed from the data in the other tables, but total and average calculations are saved for faster and easier further processing.id: ID of the analysisphase: phase of the thesis in which analysis has been carried out (right now all are 1)time: "0" if at the time of publication, "1" if 14 days laterstart_date: date and time of measurement on the day of publicationend_date: date and time when the measurement is made 14 days latermain_post_id: ID of the published article to be analysedmain_post_theme: Main section of the published article to analyzesuperheroes_theme: "1" if about superheroes, "0" if nottrailer_theme: "1" if trailer, "0" if notname: empty field, possibility to add a custom name manuallynotes: empty field, possibility to add personalized notes manually, as if some tag has been removed manually for being considered too generic, despite the fact that the editor put itnum_articles: number of articles analysednum_articles_with_traffic: number of articles analysed with traffic (which will be taken into account for traffic analysis)num_articles_with_tw_data: number of articles with data from when they were shared on the media’s Twitter accountnum_terms: number of terms analyzeduniquepageviews_total: total page viewsuniquepageviews_mean: average page viewsentrancerate_mean: average input ratioavgtimeonpage_mean: average duration of visitsexitrate_mean: average output ratiopageviewspersession_mean: average page views per sessiontotal: total of ads viewedadsense_adunitsviewed_mean: average of ads viewedadsense_viewableimpressionpercent_mean: average ad display ratioadsense_ctr_mean: average ad click ratioadsense_ecpm_mean: estimated ad revenue per 1000 page viewsTotal: total incomeretweet_count_mean: average incomefavorite_count_total: total of favoritesfavorite_count_mean: average of favoritesterms_ini_num_tweets: total tweets on the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_retweet_count_total: total retweets on the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_retweet_count_mean: average retweets on the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_favorite_count_total: total of favorites on the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_favorite_count_mean: average of favorites on the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_followers_talking_rate: ratio of followers of the media Twitter account who have recently published a tweet talking about the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_user_num_followers_mean: average followers of users who have spoken of the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_user_num_tweets_mean: average number of tweets published by users who spoke about the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_user_age_mean: average age in days of users who have spoken of the terms on the day of publicationterms_ini_ur_inclusion_rate: URL inclusion ratio of tweets talking about terms on the day of publicationterms_end_num_tweets: total tweets on terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_retweet_count_total: total retweets on terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_retweet_count_mean: average retweets on terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_favorite_count_total: total bookmarks on terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_favorite_count_mean: average of favorites on terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_followers_talking_rate: ratio of media Twitter account followers who have recently posted a tweet talking about the terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_user_num_followers_mean: average followers of users who have spoken of the terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_user_num_tweets_mean: average number of tweets published by users who have spoken about the terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_user_age_mean: the average age in days of users who have spoken of the terms 14 days after publicationterms_ini_ur_inclusion_rate: URL inclusion ratio of tweets talking about terms 14 days after publication.tesis_terms: data of the terms (tags) related to the processed articles.stats_id: Analysis IDtime: "0" if at the time of publication, "1" if 14 days laterterm_id: Term ID (tag) in WordPressname: Name of the termslug: URL of the termnum_tweets: number of tweetsretweet_count_total: total retweetsretweet_count_mean: average retweetsfavorite_count_total: total of favoritesfavorite_count_mean: average of favoritesfollowers_talking_rate: ratio of followers of the media Twitter account who have recently published a tweet talking about the termuser_num_followers_mean: average followers of users who were talking about the termuser_num_tweets_mean: average number of tweets published by users who were talking about the termuser_age_mean: average age in days of users who were talking about the termurl_inclusion_rate: URL inclusion ratio

As of April 2024, Facebook had an addressable ad audience reach 131.1 percent in Libya, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 120.5 percent and Mongolia with 116 percent. Additionally, the Philippines and Qatar had addressable ad audiences of 114.5 percent and 111.7 percent.

Facebook received 73,390 user data requests from federal agencies and courts in the United States during the second half of 2023. The social network produced some user data in 88.84 percent of requests from U.S. federal authorities. The United States accounts for the largest share of Facebook user data requests worldwide.

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.

Social media companies are starting to offer users the option to subscribe to their platforms in exchange for monthly fees. Until recently, social media has been predominantly free to use, with tech companies relying on advertising as their main revenue generator. However, advertising revenues have been dropping following the COVID-induced boom. As of July 2023, Meta Verified is the most costly of the subscription services, setting users back almost 15 U.S. dollars per month on iOS or Android. Twitter Blue costs between eight and 11 U.S. dollars per month and ensures users will receive the blue check mark, and have the ability to edit tweets and have NFT profile pictures. Snapchat+, drawing in four million users as of the second quarter of 2023, boasts a Story re-watch function, custom app icons, and a Snapchat+ badge.

In 2023, Meta Platforms had a total annual revenue of over 134 billion U.S. dollars, up from 116 billion in 2022. LinkedIn reported its highest annual revenue to date, generating over 15 billion USD, whilst Snapchat reported an annual revenue of 4.6 billion USD.

As of April 2024, it was found that men between the ages of 25 and 34 years made up Facebook largest audience, accounting for 18.4 percent of global users. Additionally, Facebook's second largest audience base could be found with men aged 18 to 24 years.

              Facebook connects the world

              Founded in 2004 and going public in 2012, Facebook is one of the biggest internet companies in the world with influence that goes beyond social media. It is widely considered as one of the Big Four tech companies, along with Google, Apple, and Amazon (all together known under the acronym GAFA). Facebook is the most popular social network worldwide and the company also owns three other billion-user properties: mobile messaging apps WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger,
              as well as photo-sharing app Instagram. Facebook usersThe vast majority of Facebook users connect to the social network via mobile devices. This is unsurprising, as Facebook has many users in mobile-first online markets. Currently, India ranks first in terms of Facebook audience size with 378 million users. The United States, Brazil, and Indonesia also all have more than 100 million Facebook users each.

During a 2024 survey among marketers worldwide, approximately 83 percent selected increased exposure as a benefit of social media marketing. Increased traffic followed, mentioned by 73 percent of the respondents, while 65 percent cited generated leads.

              The multibillion-dollar social media ad industry

              Between 2019 – the last year before the pandemic – and 2024, global social media advertising spending skyrocketed by 140 percent, surpassing an estimated 230 billion U.S. dollars in the latter year. That figure was forecast to increase by nearly 50 percent by the end of the decade, exceeding 345 billion dollars in 2029. As of 2024, the social media networks with the most monthly active users were Facebook, with over three billion, and YouTube, with more than 2.5 billion.

              Pros and cons of GenAI for social media marketing

              According to another 2024 survey, generative artificial intelligence's (GenAI) leading benefits for social media marketing according to professionals worldwide included increased efficiency and easier idea generation. The third place was a tie between increased content production and enhanced creativity. All those advantages were cited by between 33 and 38 percent of the interviewees. As for GenAI's top challenges for global social media marketing,
              maintaining authenticity and the value of human creativity ranked first, mentioned by 43 and 40 percent of the respondents, respectively. Another 35 percent deemed ensuring the content resonates as an obstacle.

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.

During a 2024 survey among marketers worldwide, around 86 percent reported using Facebook for marketing purposes. Instagram and LinkedIn followed, respectively mentioned by 79 and 65 percent of the respondents.

              The global social media marketing segment

              According to the same study, 59 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 2024. 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.

During a January 2024 global survey among marketers, nearly 60 percent reported plans to increase their organic use of YouTube for marketing purposes in the following 12 months. LinkedIn and Instagram followed, respectively mentioned by 57 and 56 percent of the respondents intending to use them more. According to the same survey, Facebook was the most important social media platform for marketers worldwide.

Cristiano Ronaldo has one of the most popular Instagram accounts as of April 2024.

              The Portuguese footballer is the most-followed person on the photo sharing app platform with 628 million followers. Instagram's own account was ranked first with roughly 672 million followers.

              How popular is Instagram?

              Instagram is a photo-sharing social networking service that enables users to take pictures and edit them with filters. The platform allows users to post and share their images online and directly with their friends and followers on the social network. The cross-platform app reached one billion monthly active users in mid-2018. In 2020, there were over 114 million Instagram users in the United States and experts project this figure to surpass 127 million users in 2023.

              Who uses Instagram?

              Instagram audiences are predominantly young – recent data states that almost 60 percent of U.S. Instagram users are aged 34 years or younger. Fall 2020 data reveals that Instagram is also one of the most popular social media for teens and one of the social networks with the biggest reach among teens in the United States.

              Celebrity influencers on Instagram
              Many celebrities and athletes are brand spokespeople and generate additional income with social media advertising and sponsored content. Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo ranked first again, as the average media value of one of his Instagram posts was 985,441 U.S. dollars.

In 2024, Google ranked as the most valuable media and entertainment brand worldwide, with a brand value of 683 billion U.S. dollars. Facebook ranked second, valued at around 167 billion dollars. Part of the Tencent Group, WeChat and v.qq.com (Tencent Video) had a brand value of 56 billion and 17.5 billion dollars, respectively.

According to a survey released in May 2023, B2B marketers considered Facebook the social media channel with the highest return on investment (ROI). The platform was mentioned by 22 percent of respondents. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube tied in second, each cited by 16 percent of the respondents.

The global social media penetration rate in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2028 by in total 11.6 (+18.19 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the penetration rate is estimated to reach 75.31 and therefore a new peak in 2028. Notably, the social media penetration rate of was continuously increasing over the past years.

During a 2024 survey, 77 percent of respondents from Nigeria stated that they used social media as a source of news. In comparison, just 23 percent of Japanese respondents said the same. Large portions of social media users around the world admit that they do not trust social platforms either as media sources or as a way to get news, and yet they continue to access such networks on a daily basis.

              Social media: trust and consumption

              Despite the majority of adults surveyed in each country reporting that they used social networks to keep up to date with news and current affairs, a 2018 study showed that social media is the least trusted news source in the world. Less than 35 percent of adults in Europe considered social networks to be trustworthy in this respect, yet more than 50 percent of adults in Portugal, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Croatia said that they got their news on social media.

              What is clear is that we live in an era where social media is such an enormous part of daily life that consumers will still use it in spite of their doubts or reservations. Concerns about fake news and propaganda on social media have not stopped billions of users accessing their favorite networks on a daily basis.
              Most Millennials in the United States use social media for news every day, and younger consumers in European countries are much more likely to use social networks for national political news than their older peers.
              Like it or not, reading news on social is fast becoming the norm for younger generations, and this form of news consumption will likely increase further regardless of whether consumers fully trust their chosen network or not.

During the fourth quarter 2024, approximately 20.6 million TikTok accounts were removed from the platform due to suspicion of being operated by users under the age of 13. During the last measured period, around 185 million fake accounts were removed from fake accounts removed from TikTok.