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Writer's pictureRameez uddin

Top social media platforms 2024 & maximizing their impact guide.



As Facebook maintains its dominance as the top social media platform in 2024, other platforms are experiencing significant shifts in popularity.


Yet, for businesses leveraging social media for marketing, sheer popularity is merely one aspect to consider. Understanding the demographics of each platform and tailoring content accordingly is crucial. For instance, pinpointing the platform ideal for emotional content or recognizing Instagram's effectiveness for higher education marketing is key.


This isn't your typical rundown of platform statistics and demographics - but don't fret, you'll still get your dose of insights.


Table of Contents


  1. Overview of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2024

  2. Ranking of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms in the US in 2024

  3. Preferred Social Media Platforms for Marketers in 2024

  4. Insights into Facebook

  5. Intelligence on Instagram

  6. Nuggets of Wisdom on Twitter

  7. Lowdown on LinkedIn

  8. Tidings on TikTok

  9. Savvy Insights on Snapchat

  10. Updated Ranking of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2024

Updated Ranking of the Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2024 Comparing Statista's data as of July 2023 to the previous year's, here are the current global standings of the most popular social media platforms and their movement on the list since last year:


  1. Facebook

  2. YouTube

  3. WhatsApp

  4. Instagram

  5. WeChat

  6. TikTok

  7. Facebook Messenger [🔻2]

  8. Telegram [🔺1]

  9. Snapchat [🔺2]

  10. Douyin [🔻2]

  11. Kuaishou [🔺1]

  12. Twitter [🔺3]

  13. Sina Weibo [🔻3]

  14. QQ [🔻7]

  15. Pinterest [🔻2]


The leading social media platforms globally include Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Surprisingly, TikTok ranks sixth, while X (previously Twitter) sits at fifteenth place and LinkedIn doesn't make the cut.

While 80% of consumers interact with brands on social media, not all platforms cater to this purpose. Some are dedicated to instant messaging, while others enjoy immense popularity in specific regions like China.


Now, let's focus on the most popular social media platforms in the United States.


In 2024, Statista reveals the leading social media platforms for marketers:

1. Facebook

2. Instagram

3. LinkedIn

4. YouTube

5. X

6. TikTok

7. Snapchat


Despite LinkedIn's modest user base, it ranks third for marketers due to its professional networking focus, presenting a concentrated pool of prospects.


Let's delve into the marketing dynamics of each platform:


Facebook: A versatile platform suitable for various marketing strategies:


Local Marketing: With features akin to Google My Business, Facebook serves as a prominent local business directory, attracting 60% of users to local business Pages weekly. Utilize it to foster relationships, update customers, and engage with the local community.


Advertising: Although organic reach is limited (2.2%), Facebook rivals Google as a top digital advertising platform, reaching up to 36.7% of adults. It boasts a high average conversion rate (9.21%) and lower cost per conversion ($18.68) compared to Google Search.


Targeting Older Demographics: While the 25-34 age group remains dominant, the fastest-growing demographic for Facebook ad reach is aged 65+, experiencing a 25% increase in 2021.


Content Strategy: While photos and links dominate posts, videos can provide a competitive edge in engagement. Strategic content creation and video marketing can elevate brand presence.


Community Engagement: Despite low organic reach, businesses can leverage Facebook to engage with audiences, share announcements, and foster discussions, encouraging direct messaging and building relationships.


Top Industries: Facebook proves effective across industries, with notable success in beauty, fitness, jobs, education, employment, and job training sectors.

Each platform offers unique opportunities for marketers to tailor their strategies and engage with their target audience effectively.


Top 10 Social Media Platforms Compared



MAU*

Revenue

Launched

Headquarters

1

3 billion

Not specified

2004

Menlo Park, CA

2

2.5 billion

$29.24 billion

2005

San Bruno, California

3

2 billion

Not specified

2010

Menlo Park, CA

4

1.2 billion

Unknown

2016

Culver City, CA

5

750 million

$4.6 billion

2011

Los Angeles, CA

6

541 million

$4.4 billion

2003

Mountain View, CA

7

465 million

$2.8 billion

2005

San Francisco, CA

8

430 million

$400 million

2010

San Francisco, CA

9

<350 million

$12. 4 billion

2006

San Francisco, CA

10

100 million

Unknown

2023

Menlo Park, CA

Number of monthly active users worldwide, updated October 2024.


The Top 10 Social Media Apps By Monthly Active Users


Social media platform

MAU*

1

Facebook

3 billion

2

YouTube

2.5 billion

3

Instagram

2 billion

4

TikTok

1.2 billion

5

Snapchat

750 million

6

X (Twitter)

541 million

7

Pinterest

465 million

8

Reddit

430 million

9

LinkedIn

<350 million

10

Threads

100 million



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