Analysis Highlights Social Media Utilization Traits in 2024

What are the most recent social media utilization tendencies, and extra importantly, has X grow to be much less related for U.S. adults?

The group from Pew Analysis has revealed its newest overview of social media utilization, which reveals that YouTube stays the preferred social media app by far (although defining it as a social app appears like a stretch), whereas Fb and Instagram are additionally effectively forward of different apps.

The info relies on a survey of 5,626 U.S. adults, performed between February 1st and June tenth this 12 months. Which, after all, is barely a small fraction of whole social media customers, nevertheless it’s a broad sufficient pattern measurement to spotlight some indicative tendencies, which probably level to total utilization.

And as you possibly can see on this chart, whereas the platform previously generally known as Twitter is in decline, it’s not seeing an enormous drop-off as but.

As per Pew Analysis:

“YouTube and Fb are the most-widely used on-line platforms. Half of U.S. adults say they use Instagram, and smaller shares use websites or apps corresponding to TikTok, LinkedIn, X (previously Twitter) and Snapchat.”

Yep, that’s a reasonably succinct abstract, there’s YouTube, Meta’s apps, then everybody else when it comes to common utilization.

The info right here doesn’t measure time spent on every, which might most likely be a extra indicative determine, as stories recommend that TikTok customers spend for much longer in app than these on, say, Fb. However when it comes to broader utilization, these three stay on high of the heap, as they’ve since 2018.

Curiously, TikTok utilization hasn’t elevated in Pew’s knowledge over the previous 12 months (darkish inexperienced line), although Pinterest’s has (gentle inexperienced), which is a worthy level of be aware. Linkedin (darkish orange) and WhatsApp (darkish grey) have additionally seen slight jumps, and Reddit as effectively (gentle orange), whereas Snapchat (apricot, I suppose) utilization has remained regular.

And sure, X has seen a slight decline, although solely slight. It’s not falling away like many appear to anticipate.

The one marker down the underside of the chart is BeReal, which was thrilling for a couple of months.

By way of who’s utilizing social platforms, Fb stays common with older customers, whereas TikTok and Snapchat dominate the youngins.

YouTube dominates everybody, although once more, I’m hesitant to incorporate it as a comparability to social apps, as a result of YouTube’s utilization is primarily video viewing, not participating with others, thus being the “social” parts.

Then once more, I suppose TikTok is identical, and arguably Instagram, and even Fb as of late too, so perhaps it needs to be held up in opposition to them. However both manner, these are some attention-grabbing insights into broader social app tendencies, and which age teams are most keen on every.  

That would enable you to form your 2025 technique, and make sure you’re current the place you’re viewers is lively.

You’ll be able to take a look at Pew Analysis’s full “Social Media Reality Sheet” for 2024 right here.