Social Media has become a part of our daily lives as we have become addicted to posting and updating everyone regarding our day-to-day moments through these platforms. Apart from posting, most people also consume these social media platforms for communication, entertainment, shopping, information, etc. Which has resulted in people spending more and more time on social media every day.
Today, an average person spends about 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media daily and with the impact these platforms have on people’s life the numbers are expected to keep growing in the future. In this article, we are going to talk about worldwide daily social media usage, Top social media platforms, Average Time Spent Using Social Media Per Day by Age Group, and more to understand the impact of social media.
Top Worldwide Daily Social Media Usage Statistics
- On Average a person spends around 2 hours and 24 minutes on their favorite social media app on a daily basis.
- The social media users count worldwide is 4.95 which is 61% of the population.
- The social media user count worldwide is predicted to reach 5.17 billion by the end of 2024.
- An American spends around 46 minutes using YouTube every day.
- 85% of mobile phone users utilize social media.
- Gen Z and Millennials are the leading social media users.
- Facebook is the largest social media platform with 3.05 billion users.
- Phone users are expected to spend 4 trillion hours on social media in 2024.
- 93% of marketers utilize Facebook as the main platform to advertise their products or services.
- 78% of adult social media users in the United States use Facebook.
- TikTok is the highest downloaded app in the United States.
- In 2024, Social Media ad spending is expected to reach $300 billion.
- 50.64% of US TikTok users access the platform on a daily basis.
- Females have more social media usage than males across all age groups
- China has the highest social media users worldwide with 1.02 billion users.
How Much Time Do People Spend On Social Media Per Day?
On Average, an individual spends 2 hours and 24 minutes on Social Media every day worldwide. Americans on the other hand have an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes of social media usage per day which is 10 minutes less in comparison to average global usage. While Canadians have an average social media usage of 105 minutes per day.
Nigerians spend the highest time accessing social media
Individuals who are residing in Nigeria are spending the most time accessing social media platforms. The average social media usage time spent by a Nigerian is 3 hours and 49 minutes on a daily basis which is the highest globally. The country with the least amount of social media usage duration is Japan where the average time spent per day by residents is just 49 minutes.
Average Time Spent Using Social Media Per Day by Age Group
Overall, Females are reported to spend more time using social media platforms in comparison to males regardless of age group. Females between the ages of 16 to 24 spend around 3 hours and 4 minutes using social media on a daily basis. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the total time spent online using social media by both males and females of different age groups:
| Age Group | Female | Males |
| 16 to 24 | 3 hours and 4 minutes | 2 hours and 37 minutes |
| 25 to 34 | 2 hours and 48 minutes | 2 hours and 33 minutes |
| 35 to 44 | 2 hours and 24 minutes | 2 hours and 14 minutes |
| 45 to 54 | 2 hours and 08 minutes | 1 hour and 58 minutes |
| 55 to 64 | 1 hour and 43 minutes | 1 hour and 32 minutes |
Global Daily Social Media Usage (2012-2023)
As of 2023, the global daily social media usage was 151 minutes, 4 minutes extra compared to the 2022 average of 147 minutes. Here is a table showcasing the daily social media usage of users worldwide between 2012 and 2023:
| Year | Daily Social Media Usage |
| 2012 | 90 minutes |
| 2013 | 95 minutes |
| 2014 | 104 minutes |
| 2015 | 111 minutes |
| 2016 | 128 minutes |
| 2017 | 134 minutes |
| 2018 | 142 minutes |
| 2019 | 145 minutes |
| 2020 | 145 minutes |
| 2021 | 145 minutes |
| 2022 | 147 minutes |
| 2023 | 151 minutes |
Source: Statista
Over the past few years, there hasn’t been a drastic change in the time spent by users on social media. In 2023, the average time spent on social media was 151 minutes which is 4 minutes more compared to the average time of 2022. Similarly, the average time spent in 2022 was 147 minutes which is 2 minutes more compared to 2021.
Americans spend one-third of their time online on Social Media
Americans spend over 2 hours per day posting, tweeting, sharing, and watching content on social media platforms in general. Which is just a fraction of the entire time spent by users online. On average Americans spend over six and a half hours online every day out of which social media is a minimum of 2 hours.
46% of Americans are using social media to access user-generated content
Today, almost half of the American population is accessing user-generated content on different social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, etc instead of streaming a movie or series. Based on a report by Deloitte’s “Digital Media Trends,” internet users are switching to social media platforms for user-generated content as it’s much easier to find interesting content they like on social media platforms in comparison to streaming services.
Females in the US are more likely to use Social Media
Based on Gender, Females are more likely to spend time using social media platforms compared to males in the United States. There are 53.9% of Females in the US accessing social media, while 46.1% of males are likely to access social media on a daily basis.
Social Media Users by Age Group in the United States
Gen Z and Millennials are the leading generation that access social media in the United States. There is no surprise that 18 to 29 is the top age group with 84% that utilizes social media in the US. Followed by the age group of 30 to 49 with 81%. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the social media users based on age group:
| Age Group | Share of Users |
| 18-29 | 84% |
| 30-49 | 81% |
| 50-64 | 73% |
| Over 65 | 45% |
Top Social Media Platforms
Facebook is the leading social media platform utilized by users worldwide with 3.05 billion users. Facebook is highly utilized by marketers to advertise products and services due to its high audience. Followed by WhatsApp as the second leading platform with 2.7 billion users. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing leading social media platforms worldwide along with their number of users to display the impact among the users:
| Social Media Platform | Number of Users |
| 3.05 billion | |
| 2.7 billion | |
| Youtube | 2.7 billion |
| 2.5 billion | |
| 1.67 billion | |
| TikTok | 1.67 billion |
| Facebook Messenger | 988 million |
| Snapchat | 750 million |
| Telegram | 700 million |
| Douyin | 600 million |
| 574 million | |
| Sina Weibo | 573 million |
| Kuaishou | 573 million |
| 450 million | |
| 450 million | |
| 430 million | |
| Quora | 400 million |
Americans spend 31 minutes using Facebook per day
Facebook is the leading social media platform with the highest number of users. However, it is not the most used platform in the United States. Apparently, in the US YouTube is considered the highest used platform where Americans spend 46 minutes browsing video content daily. Followed by TikTok, and X (Twitter). In the US Facebook is placed fourth in ranking when it comes to the most used social media platform.
Worldwide Social Media Users
| Year | Social Media User |
| 2027 | 5.85 billion |
| 2026 | 5.64 billion |
| 2025 | 5.42 billion |
| 2024 | 5.17 billion |
| 2023 | 4.95 billion |
| 2022 | 4.59 billion |
| 2021 | 4.26 billion |
| 2020 | 3.9 billion |
| 2019 | 3.51 billion |
| 2018 | 3.1 billion |
| 2017 | 2.73 billion |
Countries with the Highest Social Media Users
China is the leading country with the highest number of social media users, 1.02 billion. Followed by India in second place with 755 million. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the countries with the highest number of social media users:
| Country | Number of Social Media Users In 2024 |
| China | 1,021.96 million |
| India | 755.47 million |
| USA | 302.25 million |
| Indonesia | 217.53 million |
| Brazil | 165.45 million |
| Russia | 115.05 million |
| Japan | 101.98 million |
| Mexico | 98.21 million |
| Philippines | 84.07 million |
| Vietnam | 72.29 million |
| Turkey | 67.11 million |
| UK | 61.67 million |
| Germany | 60.88 million |
| Thailand | 56.27 million |
| France | 48.71 million |
| South Korea | 46.09 million |
| Italy | 43.31 million |
| Nigeria | 38.47 million |
| Canada | 34.47 million |
| Bangladesh | 24.49 million |
Favorite Social Media Platforms based on Gender and Age Group
Instagram is overall the favorite social media platform among females among all age groups. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the most loved social media platforms among female internet users across all age groups:
| Social Media Platform | 16 to 24 | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 |
| 24.4% | 20.0% | 15.1% | 11.4% | 8.2% | |
| TikTok | 14.0% | 8.9% | 6.2% | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| 5.9% | 11.5% | 13.6% | 15.3% | 16.9% | |
| 12.8% | 14.3% | 15.7% | 18.1% | 21.2% | |
| Twitter (X) | 4.2% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.7% |
| 9.7% | 14.8% | 16.5% | 14.4% | 13.2% |
Most loved social media platforms among male internet users across all age groups:
| Social Media Platform | 16 to 24 | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 |
| 24.4% | 16.3% | 10.4% | 7.9% | 5.4% | |
| TikTok | 8.9% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.2% |
| 8.7% | 14.6% | 15.2% | 15.8% | 18.0% | |
| 15.8% | 15.6% | 18.4% | 19.8% | 20.6% | |
| Twitter (X) | 3.7% | 4.3% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 3.1% |
| 9.0% | 12.6% | 15.7% | 14.8% | 16.6% |
Wrapping Up
Based on the statistics mentioned above it’s clear that people, especially Gen Z and Millennials are spending more time on social media platforms than ever and these numbers are expected to keep on rising in coming years without any decline. Overall, people are spending a large amount of time on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook browsing various user-generated content for entertainment. The massive growth of social media has generated new opportunities for marketers to advertise their products and services among people using social media platforms.
