Social Media Demographics: Who’s On Which Platform?

Managing a social presence is crucial for digital marketers. But it’s important for brands to focus on the platforms that make the most sense for their objectives. To learn about where your brand can best engage with your ideal consumer base, read the below social media demographics.

Facebook Welcomes A Variety Of Consumers

Facebook has more than 1.52 billion daily active users (DAUs) as of December 2018, and Facebook Messenger has more than 1.3 billion monthly active users (MAUs). Facebook is a growing social media giant that’s holding strong, despite some continuing controversy. Here is Facebook’s demographic profile.

Facebook User Profile: Age

A wide array of Americans use Facebook regularly. Although Gen Zers often refer to the site as “for old people,” 76% of 12- to 17-year-olds use Facebook regularly, and 81% of young adults (ages 18-29) are Facebook users. Across all U.S. adults, 68% report they’re Facebook users, and 75% of those individuals use the site daily.

Facebook User Profile: Gender

74% of women reported they use Facebook compared to 62% of men.

Facebook User Profile: Ethnicity

Only 67% of white U.S. adults say they use Facebook, while 73% of Hispanic individuals and 70% of black consumers report they use the social media site.

Facebook User Profile: Education

77% of U.S. consumers who have a college degree use Facebook. However, 60% of U.S. adults with high school or less as their highest level of education are on Facebook, showing Facebook is very much for the masses.

Facebook User Profile: Income

Three-fourths of individuals who make $75,000 or more use Facebook, 66% of people with household incomes less than $30,000 are also on the Facebook platform.

Instagram Serves A Larger Share Of African American Users Than White Or Hispanic Users

Instagram (IG), owned by the Facebook Company, has more than one billion users and 500 million DAUs as of a 2017 IG announcement. Instagram also hosts more than eight million business profiles, which makes IG a powerful option for digital marketers.

Instagram User Profile: Age

71% of Americans between 18 and 24 years old use Instagram, and nearly 80% of these users check the platform daily. More than half of Instagram users (55%) between 18 and 24 check the app multiple times per day. More than 300 million users check Instagram Stories every day.

Instagram User Profile: Gender

39% of women are Instagram users whereas only 30% of men are Instagram users.

Instagram User Profile: Ethnicity

While 43% of African Americans use Instagram, 38% of Hispanic and 32% white U.S. citizens use the app.

Instagram User Profile: Education

Slightly less than half (42%) of individuals with college degrees use Instagram.

Instagram User Profile: Income

30% of Americans who make less than $30,000 use Instagram.

42% of Americans who make more than $75,000 and 42% of Americans who make $30,000-$49,999 use this visually-focused social platform.

32% of individuals who make $50,000-$74,999 use Instagram.

Twitter Is Popular Among Younger Men And Women

Twitter has a smaller consumer base than Facebook, but because almost one in four Americans use Twitter, this social platform should not be overlooked.

Twitter User Profile: Age

Twitter is most popular with younger consumers, as 45% of 18 to 24 year olds use the platform while only 33% of 25 to 29 year olds use Twitter. Twitter usage decreases the older the generations get; only 8% of 65-year-olds have Twitter accounts.

Gender

Twitter is slightly more popular with women than it is with men. 24% of women use Twitter while 23% of men use the site.

Ethnicity

While one in four African American and Hispanic consumers use Twitter, one in five white internet consumers use the site.

Education

Almost half (45%) of individuals who have college degrees use Twitter News.

Income

20% individuals who make less than $30,000 use Twitter while 32% individuals who make more than $75,000 use Twitter.

LinkedIn Focuses On Young Professionals

LinkedIn differs from other social media platforms in one specific way. LinkedIn is primarily focused on making professional connections and career networking. Almost 80% of the 546 million LinkedIn members consider professional networking to be “an important part to their career success.”

Age

33% of consumers between 30 and 49 years old use LinkedIn while 29% of consumers between 18 and 29 years old use the platform.

Gender

25% of both men and women report they use LinkedIn.

Ethnicity

LinkedIn is most popular with black professionals as 28% of black individuals use the platform, followed by 26%white individuals and 13% Hispanic individuals.

Education

According to LinkedIn, more than 46 million students and recent college graduates use the social networking site.

Income

24% of individuals who make more than $50,000 use LinkedIn and 45% of U.S. adults who make more than $75,000 use the platform.

Snapchat Is Perfect For Young, Tech-Focused Consumers

Snapchat, a visual platform, is the place for instant photo and video sharing and is most popular with younger consumers. This social media app hosts roughly 187 million users.

Age

78% of 18 to 24 year olds use Snapchat and most of them visit the app multiple times a day.

Gender

Snapchat is more popular with women than with men. 42% of women between 18 and 29 years old have Snapchat accounts while only 31% of men between 18 and 29 use the platform.

Ethnicity

Snapchat is most popular with black consumers, as 36% of black individuals use the platform, followed by 31% of Hispanic consumers and 24% white consumers.

Education

College students are more likely than non-students to use Snapchat. 53% of college students reported using Snapchat.

Income

23% of individuals who make less than $30,000 use Snapchat while 33% of individuals who have an annual income of up to $49,000 use Snapchat. Roughly one third of higher income individuals use the app.

If your brand is looking for a young, tech-focused audience, Snapchat may be the best way to reach your ideal consumers, but if you’re looking for a more educated, career-focused consumer, LinkedIn may be ideal. But, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If one platform has downtime, you’ll be glad you took the time to build an audience base on different social media sites.

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