Who Actually Uses Social Media?

We’ve talked a lot in the past about social media and how people are using it. And that’s important.

It’s also important to understand who is using it, so that you can build a strategy to reach your audience.

This article will be a little unusual in that it’s up to you to make it useful. But it will present some interesting findings that should be intriguing and – dare I say – helpful for you…

Who Uses Social Media?

Unsurprisingly, according to the Pew Research Center, young adults use social media the most. The numbers have increased substantially since 2005 and today sit at around 90%. Those within the 30-49 and 50-64 age range hover somewhere nearby this number (i.e. roughly within 20 points).

On the other hand, what you find surprising is that 40% of those 65 years and older also use social media today. This rose all the way from 13% in 2011. Depending on the product or service you sell, this might be something to take note of.

This means that nearly 70% of those between the ages of 18-64 (and typically more) use at least one social media site. Of those surveyed, YouTube was used the most (73%). Considering that YouTube is a video sharing platform, how could you use this information?

How Often Are People On Social Media?

More than 70% of users surveyed use social media at least weekly, with most interacting with it daily. With the exception of Twitter, more than half of all users said that they access social media daily. And I’m lumping many groups together – oftentimes the percentages are much higher!

Consider how you expect your ideal buyer to interact with you. If most people are accessing social media daily, is it wise to send out ads in that way? How do you plan to differentiate yourself in the way you engage customers/prospects? This is definitely worth thinking about.

And…that’s it! I told you this article was a bit unusual.

The data we’ve briefly reviewed is from 2019 (and prior), but can be immensely helpful to you.

Perhaps social media videos aren’t the best step for your company. Perhaps you’ve gained some new insight about a certain age group that you can utilize. Whatever your product or service, this new data will be something that you can process and use to make more informed future decisions.