The Complete Guide to Social Media Statistics & Trends in 2023

Social media has become deeply ingrained into the fabric of our modern lives. As a prolific technology geek and data analyst who closely tracks social media trends, I‘m here to walk you through the key statistics and developments that will shape these platforms in 2023.

There‘s a lot of ground to cover, so grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and let‘s dive in!

The Big Picture: Engagement is King

As of January 2023, there are a staggering 4.74 billion social media users worldwide. That‘s over 60% of the global population!

To put things in perspective, back in 2012 there were only 1.47 billion users. The pace of growth has been astronomical.

Now, I don‘t need to tell you that more users = more eyeballs and opportunities from a marketing standpoint. But what really matters at the end of the day is engagement.

And the data shows that short-form video platforms are dominating on this front:

TikTok has the highest median engagement rate at 5.7%. The addictive scrolling experience keeps users glued to the app.
YouTube comes in 2nd with a 5.2% median rate, thanks to its wealth of entertaining and informative video content.
However, Facebook and Instagram engagement continues to decline. Facebook sits at just 0.06%, while Instagram is slightly better at 0.47%.

The demand for short, entertaining video is higher than ever in 2023. So if you‘re looking to grab people‘s attention in a sea of content, take inspiration from TikTok and YouTube!

Now let‘s break things down further and see what‘s driving usage across key platforms.

Most people assume social media is mainly about connecting with friends and family. But the data reveals much more diverse motivations behind why 4 billion+ of us spend 2.4 hours a day scrolling these apps!

Yes, nearly 50% say they use it to stay in touch. But another key driver is boredom – 39% tap social media to fill up spare time.

Perhaps more surprising is that 60% use it to find funny or entertaining content. And 54% specifically look for videos, TV shows and movies.

This underscores how social platforms have evolved into entertainment hubs rivalling the likes of Netflix and Disney+. No wonder YouTube rakes in over a billion hours of daily watchtime!

But social media isn‘t just about killing time. 34% say they use it as a news source and 36% for educational content.

Think about it – instead of opening a newspaper, more of us just scroll through our feeds to stay on top of current events.

And with shoppable posts and livestreams making purchases seamless, social commerce is booming. 25% of users actively browse for products on social apps.

The key for marketers is to think beyond the "social" aspect and see these platforms as multi-purpose digital worlds encompassing information, entertainment, shopping and more.

We‘re Spending More Time Scrolling Than Ever

Pre-pandemic back in 2019, the average social media user spent 144 minutes per day on these apps.

But lockdowns led to a surge in usage, and that number now stands at 147 minutes or over 2 hours and 20 minutes!

That‘s per user…per day. If you do the math, that adds up to a staggering 49 hours per month and 588 hours over the course of a year – just on social media!

YouTube holds the crown when it comes to depth of daily usage, with visitors browsing 4.63 pages on the mobile app versus only 2.84 pages on desktop.

The popularity of different apps also varies widely by age group:

Facebook sees peak usage among 25-34 year olds. But engagement for the under 25 demographic has fallen 58% since 2012.
On the flip side, 67% of Instagram‘s users are under 35. It‘s THE platform for millennials and Gen Z.
Over 85% of TikTok‘s audience is between 16 and 34. No wonder brands are flocking to sponsor viral challenges.

Looking at time spent by country, India tops the charts by a huge margin. The average Indian user spends 3 hours and 12 minutes on social media per day. That‘s almost triple the global average!

But regardless of where people live or how old they are, the vast majority interact via mobile. And that brings major implications for the type of content that works best…

Mobile Usage Transforms How We Consume Content

Here‘s an astonishing stat: 91% of social media users access via mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

That‘s up from 90% in 2022, and the trend towards mobile-first is only accelerating.

On the flip side, just 27% regularly use tablets and 65% still log in from desktop computers.

Why does this matter? Because usage habits and content preferences vary drastically across device types.

On mobile feeds, short vertical videos and easily digestible posts thrive. But on desktop where screens are larger, users have higher patience for longer videos, in-depth articles, detailed image carousels and more.

TikTok capitalized on this mobile-first revolution better than any platform. The quick, entertaining videos are perfect for scrolling on phones. No wonder it‘s the fastest growing app with over 1 billion monthly actives.

But even long-standing platforms like Facebook and Instagram now cater heavily to mobile users:

Reels make up over 20% of time spent on Instagram as people gravitate to short video
Facebook Watch is pushing further into episodic video content

The imperative for marketers in 2023 is optimizing content formats for mobile-first consumption. But don‘t abandon desktop and tablets either – take a cross-device approach.

Demographic Nuances Across Age, Gender & Geography

While overall user growth and time spent are important metrics to track, you can‘t ignore the nuances of who is actually using different platforms.

Let‘s look at some of the key demographic variations:

Gender

Globally across all social apps, 53.7% of users are male and 46.3% female. However, sites like Pinterest skew heavily towards women who make up over 80% of their audience.

Age

We already discussed how Gen Z and younger millennials dominate visually-driven apps like TikTok and Instagram.

But at the other end of the spectrum, over 73% of Facebook users are 35 and over. LinkedIn also has an older base, with 60% aged 30 and up.

Geography

Location plays a big role in platform preferences as well:

U.S. users favour mainstream apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. But TikTok is making rapid inroads.
In China, local social networks like WeChat and Sina Weibo are utterly dominant. Western platforms like Facebook are banned.
India and Indonesia are mobile-first markets. YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp have the most users.

Gaining followers and engagement requires an understanding of regional differences. For example, TikTok took the world by storm but had an uphill battle expanding beyond Asia.

YouTube Leads in Reach & Brand Awareness

While monthly active users reveal part of the picture, website traffic paints a clearer picture of overall reach and dominance.

By number of site visits alone, YouTube crushes the competition. In March 2023 it logged 33.6 billion visits according to SimilarWeb data. That‘s nearly double Facebook‘s 17.6 billion visits.

YouTube also edges out other platforms for U.S. brand awareness according to Edison Research. 95% of Americans aged 12+ are familiar with the YouTube brand. It beats out Facebook (93%) and Instagram (91%).

But despite lower brand awareness, up-and-comer TikTok has huge momentum. 42% of social media users believe it will deliver the best ROI for influencer marketing in 2023.

The key takeaway here is that while Facebook laid the foundation for social media, nuanced platforms like YouTube and TikTok are stealing the spotlight…and advertising dollars.

As you‘d expect from a channel with over 4 billion users, advertising spend on social keeps hitting new records.

In 2023, a staggering $226 billion is projected to be spent on social media ads worldwide. That‘s up an incredible 23% from 2022.

Facebook still dominates, facilitating campaigns that reach 1.98 billion people each month. But its share of revenue is declining as money shifts to Instagram and TikTok.

Here are some useful benchmarks on social ad pricing:

Average cost per click (CPC):
- Facebook – $0.97
- Instagram – $3.56
- LinkedIn – $5.26 (highest)
Average cost per 1000 impressions (CPM):
- Facebook – $7.19
- Instagram – $7.91
- Pinterest – $30 (priciest platform)

But costs only tell part of the story. The best platforms balance scale with engagement:

Facebook offers unparalleled reach but below-average engagement
Instagram video ads achieve solid results with 1.46% engagement
Hashtag challenges on TikTok delivered an incredible 2.51% engagement rate for brands

So while Facebook will likely remain a staple, smart marketers are shifting budgets towards emerging video platforms.

The Influencer Marketing Gold Rush

Back in the day celebrities and athletes were the only "influencers". But now everyday people on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are making big bucks partnering with brands.

In 2023, over $4.6 billion will be spent on influencer campaigns in the U.S. alone. And nano-influencers with just 10,000 followers are getting a piece of the pie.

On average, companies now spend $943 per campaign on influencer content. The ROI can be astronomical compared to traditional advertising.

But choosing the right platform and content category is crucial:

Instagram and Facebook still dominate, used by 87% and 62% of marketers respectively
However, TikTok is gaining steam fast at 68%
Video content on YouTube averages 50% engagement versus 5% on Instagram posts
Top content categories are fashion/beauty (25%), food (22%) and travel (20%)

Influencer marketing shows no signs of slowing. And "virtual influencers" like CGI character Lil Miquela with 3 million IG followers are now a thing!

We just reviewed a ton of compelling data. But what lies ahead in the fast-moving social media landscape? Here are 5 key trends to watch:

Live Video – Platforms are doubling down on real-time broadcasting. 45% already tune into livestreams monthly. Shoppable live commerce will be huge.

Social Audio – Clubhouse ignited demand for social conversation via audio. Spotify‘s 168 million podcast listeners show massive potential.

Short-Form Video – TikTok changed the game with byte-sized video. Reels now drives 20%+ of Instagram engagement. Others will follow.

Virtual Influencers – CGI and AI-powered influencers like Lil Miquela are going mainstream. They offer brands endless customization.

Metaverse – Virtual worlds blending digital and physical could revolutionize social interaction. But still in very early innings.

Key Takeaways: Choosing the Right Platforms

Whew, that was a data overload! Let‘s wrap up with some concise takeaways:

Video content should be central to your 2023 social strategy. Short-form works great on mobile.
Maintain a presence on longstanding platforms like Facebook. But experiment with emerging ones like TikTok.
Track true engagement through likes, comments, shares – not just vanity metrics like followers.
Optimize for mobile since 91% of users are accessing via phones and tablets. Vertical video works best.
Use social listening to identify trending topics and understand your target demographic breakdowns.
Partner with relevant influencers to tap into their engaged following and credibility. But carefully weigh costs vs. benefits.

The social media landscape will keep rapidly evolving. But I hope breaking down the latest statistics and trends gives you a helpful compass for navigating these dynamic platforms in 2023.

The users are out there – over 4 billion of them! Now get out there and reach them in the right way.

Let me know if you have any other questions!