The latest data shows that 5.17 billion people use social media as of 2024, which is equivalent to 63.7% of the world’s population. Facebook remains the leading social media platform, with over 3.07 billion users.
Besides, an average user spends 2 hours and 20 minutes every day on different social media apps.
Let’s take a look at the global social media user demographics and explore what it means for brands and businesses in 2024.
Top Social Media Usage Statistics 2024
- There are 5.17 billion social media users globally.
- 68% of the people in the United States use social media, approximately 308 million people.
- Facebook is the biggest social media platform, with over 3.07 billion users.
- A typical social media user interacts with 6.7 social media platforms.
- On average, users spend 2 hours and 20 minutes daily on Social media platforms.
- China has the highest number of social media users, with 1.07 billion users in the country.
How Many People Use Social Media?
As of October 2024, over 5.17 billion people use social media globally, with the average user engaging on 7 platforms monthly. Facebook sees 70% of its users active daily.
In the past 12 months, the number of social media users has increased by 282 million. That equals an average growth of 5.8% per year and an average growth rate of 8.9 new users per second.
Besides, an average social media user uses 6.7 different social media platforms each month.
While many factors contribute to this user growth, the global penetration of smartphones is the most evident one.
Further, the number of social media users worldwide is estimated to reach 6.05 billion people by the end of 2028.
Here is a table showing the number of social media users over the years:
| Year | Social Media User |
|---|---|
| 2028* | 6.05 billion |
| 2027* | 5.85 billion |
| 2026* | 5.65 billion |
| 2025* | 5.42 billion |
| 2024 | 5.17 billion |
| 2023 | 4.95 billion |
| 2022 | 4.59 billion |
| 2021 | 4.26 billion |
| 2020 | 3.91 billion |
| 2019 | 3.51 billion |
| 2018 | 3.1 billion |
| 2017 | 2.73 billion |
Source: Data Reportal, Staista
How Many People Use Social Media In The US
Approximately 308 million people use social media in the US in 2024, representing 73% of the population, according to recent data.
YouTube is the most widely used platform in America, followed by Facebook, which is preferred by 68% of the country’s population.
Here are the latest figures about the share of Americans who use different social media platforms.
| Social Media Platform | Share of Americans Using It |
|---|---|
| YouTube | 83% |
| 68% | |
| 47% | |
| 35% | |
| TikTok | 33% |
| 30% | |
| 29% | |
| Snapchat | 27% |
| Twitter (X) | 22% |
| 22% | |
| BeReal | 3% |
Source: PewResearch
How Much Time Do People Spend On Social Media Per Day?
As of Q3 2024, users spend an average of 2 hours and 20 minutes daily on social media platforms.
Americans check their social media for an average of 2 hours and 16 minutes per day, 4 minutes less than the global average. Excessive social media use can harm mental health, leading to anxiety and depression, according to a study by the American Psychological Association.
Platforms like Mindvalley offer a balance by promoting personal development and mental wellness through guided programs and resources. By focusing on personal growth, Mindvalley offers many courses to reduce the adverse effects of social media overuse, fostering a healthier lifestyle.
Source: www.truthmind.review
Which Country Has The Most Social Media Users?
China has the highest number of social media users worldwide as of 2023. 1.07 billion people in the country use social media, and this number is anticipated to reach 1.27 billion by 2029.
India, the United States, and Indonesia are the other countries with the highest number of social media users.
The following table provides insights into the number of social media users by country.
| Country | 2023 | 2029* |
|---|---|---|
| China | 1,069.93 million | 1,272.45 million |
| India | 862.08 million | 1,307.6 million |
| United States | 308.27 million | 335.65 million |
| Indonesia | 228.76 million | 275.58 million |
| Brazil | 171.17 million | 195.68 million |
| Russia | 118.57 million | 129.2 million |
| Japan | 105.81 million | 115.06 million |
| Mexico | 103.74 million | 130.34 million |
| Philippines | 86.24 million | 95.48 million |
| Vietnam | 74.65 million | 84.59 million |
*-estimated numbers
Source: Statista.
Social Media User Demographics
46.6% of the social media users worldwide are men, while 53.4% of the social media users are female.
Besides, 26.8% of the female users aged 16 to 24 prefer Instagram, while 20.2% of the female users prefer WhatsApp.
On the other hand, 27% of male social media users stated that Instagram is their favorite social media platform, and 21.2% of the users stated that WhatsApp is their favorite social media platform.
Here are more details about the favorite social media platform by age and gender as of July 2024:
60.7 million social media users are aged 12 to 27 as of 2024.
At the same time, 68.8 million social media users are Millennials and 36.4 million users are Baby Boomers:
Source: Data Reportal.
Most Popular Social Media Platforms
As of August 2024, Facebook has 3.07 billion Monthly Active Users (MAUs), making it the world’s most popular social media platform.
YouTube follows Facebook with 2.50 billion users, while Instagram and WhatsApp follow YouTube with 2 billion monthly active users.
This table shows the biggest social media platforms globally as of 2024:
| Social Media Platform | Number of Users |
|---|---|
| 3.07 billion | |
| Youtube | 2.50 billion |
| 2.0 billion | |
| 2.0 billion | |
| TikTok | 1.60 billion |
| 1.36 billion | |
| Facebook Messenger | 977 million |
| Telegram | 900 million |
| Snapchat | 800 million |
| Douyin | 755 million |
| Kuaishou | 697million |
| 588 million | |
| Twitter (X) | 586 million |
| 553 million | |
| 518 million |
Source: Data Reportal.
Interested In Platform Specific Stats? Explore our detailed reports on these social media platforms:
How Many Accounts Does An Average Social Media User Have?
An average social media user has 7.1 accounts in the United States.
Besides, the average number of social media accounts used by millennial or Gen Z users worldwide is 8.5.
According to research on 46 nations with internet users aged between 16 and 64, Japan had the lowest overall number of social media accounts at 3.8, while India had the highest at 11.5 accounts per user.
Here is a list of countries with users who have multiple social media accounts:
| Country | Average Social Media Accounts Per Person |
|---|---|
| India | 11.4 |
| The United States | 7.1 |
| The United Kingdom | 6.9 |
| Canada | 6.8 |
| Japan | 3.8 |
Social Media Penetration By Country In 2024
The global penetration rate of social media is 62.6% as of 2024.
UAE has the highest social media penetration rate worldwide at 115%, while Saudi Arabia has the second-highest social media penetration worldwide.
Here is a table displaying the social media penetration by country as of 2024:
| Country | Active Social Media Penetration Rate |
|---|---|
| UAE | 115% |
| Saudi Arabia | 96.2% |
| South Korea | 93.4% |
| Singapore | 84.9% |
| Malaysia | 84.3% |
| Hong Kong | 83.9% |
| Spain | 82.3% |
| Netherlands | 82.1% |
| UK | 82% |
| Canada | 80.7% |
Source: Statista
Social Media Advertisement Statistics
- Social media ad spending is projected to surpass $300 billion by 2024.
- Social media advertisement expenditures are estimated to grow at 5.63% in 2024, reaching $76.4 billion.
- In terms of worldwide social media advertisement spending, the United States will generate $88.1 billion in 2028.
- It is estimated that mobile will produce $384.90 billion in total ad spending by 2027 In the Social Media Advertising market.
- The number of users in the Social Media Advertising segment is estimated to reach 5,851.53 million by 2027.
- 77% of marketers retarget Facebook and Instagram advertising as a marketing strategy to grow their brand and increase its reach.
Bonus: Look at our social media statistics for further insights into social media advertising and marketing facts and figures.
Conclusion: 5.17 Billion People Worldwide Use Social Media
The majority of these users are from China, India, and the United States. Meanwhile, a large share of social media users are GenZ and Millenials.
Besides, the share of female social media users is greater than that of males.
Furthermore, by the end of 2028, the number of social media users worldwide is estimated to reach 6.05 billion.
