One thing that we love about our industry is that it’s always changing. What worked on social media in 2016 is very different from what works on social media today, and we enjoy the fast-pace and having to constantly learn how to adapt to algorithm changes and new tactics and strategies. When we say that social media is always changing, we don’t just mean algorithms and new features.
We also mean each platform’s demographics. As social media matures, its user base continues to grow and change as well. So it’s important to regularly stay updated with which demographics are spending the most time on which platforms.
Facebook has grown to 2.27 billion monthly active users and 1.49 billion daily active users this year. With 68% of U.S. adults on the platform, it’s easy to see why Facebook is the first stop for many businesses when it comes to social media marketing. That’s over two-thirds of all U.S. adults, so if you’re looking for a home base for digital marketing, Facebook is it!
The age range breakdown is as follows:
- 81% of 18-29 year olds
- 78% of 30-49 year olds
- 65% of 50-64 year olds
- 41% of 65+ year olds
The country with the largest user base is India with 14% of all Facebook users, followed by the United States with 10% of all Facebook users, and Indonesia and Brazil with 6% of all Facebook users each.
The platform’s gender split is 54% female and 46% male.
The microblogging platform has 326 million monthly active users, with 259 million of those living internationally and 67 million living within the U.S.
The age range breakdown is as follows:
- 40% of 18-29 year olds
- 27% of 30-49 year olds
- 19% of 50-64 year olds
- 8% of 65+ year olds
23% of U.S. men are on Twitter and 24% of U.S. women are on Twitter.
Instagram has grown steadily since its launch in 2010, and even more rapidly since it was acquired by Facebook in 2012. The social media giant has added even more features to its photo sharing child, including Instagram Stories and IGTV.
Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users. Its Stories platform all by itself has 400 million daily active users.
The age range breakdown is as follows:
- 64% of 18-29 year olds
- 40% of 30-49 year olds
- 21% of 50-64 year olds
- 10% of 65+ year olds
39% of U.S. women are on Instagram while 30% of U.S. men are on Instagram.
Pinterest is one of the most unique social networks out there. Essentially its own search engine for products and other visual queries, the platform is heavily utilized by women (41% of U.S. women and 16% of U.S. men). Although the website has revealed that more than half of all new signups are men, it’s still heavily focused around women.
The age range breakdown is as follows:
- 34% of 18-29 year olds
- 34% of 30-49 year olds
- 26% of 50-64 year olds
- 16% of 65+ year olds
LinkedIn is the best platform for B2B companies and marketers to pay attention to. Catered specifically to professionals and business owners, it’s the number one place for B2B marketing.
The age range breakdown is as follows:
- 29% of 18-29 year olds
- 33% of 30-49 year olds
- 24% of 50-64 year olds
- 9% of 65+ year olds
25% of both U.S. women and men use LinkedIn.
Knowing each social media platform’s demographics is a great way to get started with your digital marketing strategy. Make sure you’re focusing on platforms that your target audience is using. For example, if you’re targeting Millennial females, you might want to focus on Instagram or Pinterest.
If you’re interested in learning more about your target audience demographics, contact us for a comprehensive digital strategy. Fill out our free consultation form or call us at (888) 632-4499.
