The use of social media in our lives is nothing new, as it has been with us for almost two decades. However, its impact is so profound that it still resonates. Not surprisingly, new alternatives or variations of the old familiar ones are constantly appearing, which, as we will see, despite the passage of time, still maintain their strength practically intact.
Social media has caused a change in our habits and routines comparable only to the emergence of the internet, in general. The network and social media have changed the way we relate to others, consume audiovisual content, look for work, find love, and express our opinions on any topic.
Within such a diverse offering and with such an avid consumer audience, the question is, which social networks are most used? Which reigns supreme? It's interesting to know which one, and also why it triumphs in the midst of a rich and attractive market like the one offered today by young talents who started with a laptop in their parents' garage and are now luminaries in the Silicon Valley universe.
What do we use social media for?
In 2024, we use our phones for absolutely everything except making calls. One of the benefits of any type of social network is the ability to communicate instantly with anyone, anywhere . From comments to private messages, all social networks offer the option of sharing communication. In any case, the reigning app is WhatsApp, which closed last year with over 2 billion users worldwide.
Thus, the first thing we use social media for is to communicate, according to 49.5% of users. Another very legitimate option is the classic "hanging out," with 38.5% looking to kill time. The third most notable use of social media is to stay informed and search for other types of more leisurely content (34.2%). In short: talking to people, unwinding, and staying informed.
Who uses social media the most?
The age range corresponding to the most frequent users of social media is between 18 and 25 years old . Regarding gender, 46% are women compared to 54% are men . As the age groups advance, social media activity also decreases.
Even so, the decline is slow and progressive, since, as we've been discussing in this article, social media use is widespread and growing. A case in point: of the 8 billion people on the planet, nearly 5 billion are users of some form of social media.
How much time do we spend on social media?
The big issue. The melon that many refuse to open. Usefulness or addiction? The fact that it's for work often hides an overuse factor that's always interesting to review. Despite everything, Spain, with 1 hour and 54 minutes , is below the global average for usage time, which is 2 hours and 23 minutes. The countries with the most social media use are Brazil, South Africa, and Kenya, which are close to 4 hours a day. Japan is the only country to have lowered the hour mark.
Which social networks are the most used?
When it comes to the most used social networks, there are no surprises. Or maybe there are. Facebook is said to be the living dead, YouTube has also raised some questions, and we've always thought that new networks would come along and overtake Instagram. But that hasn't been the case, at least not yet.
Tik Tok, the fastest growing (1.2 billion users)
TikTok's growth is only comparable to... It's not comparable to anything. Compared to last year, the Chinese social network experienced a 48.62% growth. It ranks fifth among the most used networks, having only been around for seven years.
You're no one on the internet if you haven't danced on TikTok. We applaud creativity and cardiovascular activity. Win-win.
Instagram and you'll be right (2000 M users)
While it's true that it's experiencing a slight stagnation in the number of followers, the photo app still reigns supreme when it comes to posturing and personal promotion. It's a benchmark, and many people open it before any other. It has introduced changes intended to make itself even more attractive, most notably the appearance of a little sister app: Threads, a microblogging app linked to the Meta network.
Instagram is like that lady at the supermarket who reminds you that she's ahead of you at the deli and that you can get a number "there."
With YouTube everything changed forever (2491 M users)
YouTube brought with it a paradigm shift, a new way of seeing things (pun intended), and despite losing followers (1.87% of users between 2022 and 2023), it remains the second-largest social network. The emergence of other platforms where video also plays a leading role (see Twitch) may have been responsible for the slight tarnishing of the Californian website.
They used to be YouTubers, now they're streamers. YouTube has had to share the pie.
Facebook is still king (3049 million users)
For many, it was the first, although that's not quite the case, as previous social networks like Fotolog, MySpace, Second Life, and Hi5 paved the way. But the fact that Zuckerberg's is the first for the general public speaks volumes about the (good) work done by Mark and his colleagues. A phenomenon since its launch in 2004, Facebook has survived fads, bans, and reforms.
Like a mother, she's always there. In fact, besides her home, it's the only other place you'll find yours.
LinkedIn (800M users)
LinkedIn is the professional social network par excellence . It makes it into this ranking of the most used social networks with its 800 million users worldwide, more than 50 million of whom are companies. Indeed, LinkedIn is the meeting place for professionals and companies, a place to showcase your career, recruit new members for your company, build networking networks, and more.
Beyond personal use or just "hanging out," social media is one of the best channels brands have to reach potential users and, if done right, future buyers.
To achieve this, you need the help of digital marketing agencies that offer social media management services. If you don't know which networks you should be present on or what to do to build a loyal community, we can help you achieve it. Write to us .