Are social media demographics shifting?

Posted on October 13, 2021 in internet marketing, Internet Marketing Company, Link Building Service, Local Internet Marketing, Marketing, Mobile SEO, Online Marketing, Search Engine Marketing Services, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Marketing Services, Video Marketing, Video Optimization, Video Search Engine Optimization, web video marketing

Search engine optimization and social media marketing are the strongest weapons you have for branding and attracting customers. While your SEO remains a steady factor, it seems that social media demographics may be shifting. As the small business environment continues to try and find its feet, it may be critical to look at where any social media migration may be taking place. In some recently released research, the Pew Research Center seems to try and get a handle on where social media is right now. The following is taken directly from that data:

  • These findings come from a nationally representative survey of 1,502 U.S. adults conducted via telephone Jan. 25-Feb.8, 2021. YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the online landscape, with 81% and 69%, respectively, reporting ever using these sites. And YouTube and Reddit were the only two platforms measured that saw statistically significant growth since 2019, when the Center last polled on this topic via a phone survey.
  • Even as other platforms do not nearly match the overall reach of YouTube or Facebook, there are certain sites or apps, most notably Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, that have an especially strong following among young adults. In fact, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram (71%) or Snapchat (65%), while roughly half say the same for TikTok.

Growing share of Americans say they use YouTube; Facebook remains one of the most widely used online platforms among U.S. adults

  • Majorities of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram or Snapchat and about half say they use TikTok, with those on the younger end of this cohort – ages 18 to 24 – being especially likely to report using Instagram (76%), Snapchat (75%) or TikTok (55%).1 These shares stand in stark contrast to those in older age groups. For instance, while 65% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they use Snapchat, just 2% of those 65 and older report using the app – a difference of 63 percentage points.

Age gaps in Snapchat, Instagram use are particularly wide, less so for Facebook

  • Additionally, a vast majority of adults under the age of 65 say they use YouTube. Fully 95% of those 18 to 29 say they use the platform, along with 91% of those 30 to 49 and 83% of adults 50 to 64. However, this share drops substantially – to 49% – among those 65 and older.
  • By comparison, age gaps between the youngest and oldest Americans are narrower for Facebook. Fully 70% of those ages 18 to 29 say they use the platform, and those shares are statistically the same for those ages 30 to 49 (77%) or ages 50 to 64 (73%). Half of those 65 and older say they use the site – making Facebook and YouTube the two most used platforms among this older population.

Use of online platforms, apps varies – sometimes widely – by demographic group

  • While there has been much written about Americans’ changing relationship with Facebook, its users remain quite active on the platform. Seven-in-ten Facebook users say they use the site daily, including 49% who say they use the site several times a day.
  • YouTube is used daily by 54% if its users, with 36% saying they visit the site several times a day. By comparison, Twitter is used less frequently, with fewer than half of its users (46%) saying they visit the site daily.

-Written by Kevin Sawyer