An Upturn in the Usage of Social Media Platforms

Statistics

According to the survey results from the Pew Research Center, social media usage has been crazy this year. Facebook and YouTube emerged as the most widely used social media platforms and have paved the way for others. Instagram gets the second lead as nearly half of the US population has started using it.

The latest survey in July and August shows that 82% of US adults claimed to be using YouTube. At around the same time last year, it was 72% of them. According to the latest research report, it is followed by Facebook, with which 70% of US adults are currently using it. This number is slightly more than the last year’s percentage (66%), while it was 68% in 2020. It slightly sweeps the study in 2019, which showed that 71% of US adults were using Facebook.

It is predicted that Facebook will plunge in terms of its monthly users this year, and it seems to be associated with the decline of the number of youngsters active on the platform. So, there is a possibility that the number of adults using Facebook might increase simultaneously.  

There is more development in the adoption rate of Instagram this year. 47% of US adults have claimed that they are using Instagram. It is a massive change compared to last year when only 41% of US adults were using it. In 2019, the percentage of US adults using Instagram was even lower at only 38%.

The next on the list is LinkedIn. It is the fourth most widely used social media platform out of 11. Most surprisingly, it is just ahead of a contender that is overgrowing. This year, 31% of US adults agreed to use this professional platform to explore career opportunities. It is a high percentage compared to the last 3 years (2527%).

As per the report, LinkedIn has successfully knocked out the up-and-coming TikTok, which is being used by 3 in 10 US adults. It shows that the app is continuously growing, as last year, only 21% of US adults were using TikTok. It was even lesser in 2020 and 2019, that is, 12% and 3%, respectively.

This rapid jump from 3% to 21% shows that TikTok has left Twitter and Snapchat behind in the raffle of “Who is more popular.” However, both Twitter and Snapchat are on the same track, as 27% of US adults have been using Twitter and Snapchat. Last year, only 23% of the respondents were using both of these platforms.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp showed more progress than last year when its usage was only 21% of the US population. Now, it is moving up this year, with 25% of US adults claiming to be using this messaging app for its convenience and ease. WhatsApp remains ahead of Reddit, which has also grown to 22%. However, there were only 17% of such respondents last year. In 2020 and 2019, the number of US adults using Reddit was even lower, that is, only 15% and 13%, respectively.

For the first time, US adults have mentioned using another social media platform, Nextdoor. 19% of US adults have reported that they are using it.

Finally, every 1 in 10 US adults said that they use Twitch, that is, only 9% of the respondents are currently using it this year. It shows a slight change in growth from last year when the respondents were only 7%. Previously, only 6% of US adults in 2020 and 5% in 2019 were using Twitch.

How Is Social Media Impacting Online Businesses?

Since it is evident from research that social media has grown over everyone, it’s not just changing the way of communication but also impacting how online businesses work. 

Here’s how social media is impacting businesses.

Easy Communication

The interaction between businesses and customers used to be limited. Now, social media has made interaction more frequent and abrupt. Customers can easily reach out to their brands through different social media platforms. This way, the brands also receive real-time feedback regarding their products which further help them improve their services without delay.

Not Erasable Data                         

Nothing is erasable on social media. So, it is both a good and a bad thing for businesses. They need to be extra careful while posting anything on any platform, as it will stay forever. They must share valuable posts if they want to impact their audience positively. Some brands don’t take this responsibility seriously, so they post something offensive. It further makes them suffer from multiple financial losses.

More Customer Power 

Now, customers have more power over brands or businesses. They know they have a platform to voice their opinions. Thus, it makes the brands more accountable and responsible toward the needs of their customers. They are pushed to become more conscious than they have ever been.

More Reach

Social media allows businesses to reach a bigger audience across the globe. They can now attract the attention of people from different parts of the world with less setup cost and more golden opportunities. So, thanks to social media, there are no boundaries between customers and brands.

Higher Competition

There is more competition on social media between different businesses. It encourages them to do better than each other to stand out. This way, customers get all the attention, increasing their satisfaction.    

Power of Word of Mouth

Social media helps spread the word quickly. People end up leaving reviews regarding different products and services they use. It doesn’t only help new customers but also keeps businesses aware of the improvements they need to make.

Related Posts