Social media statistics can be a useful tool for informing your strategy and planning your future content.
From influencer trends on Instagram, to audience stats on Pinterest, and Facebook shopping behaviors, there’s a ton of great metrics to pay attention to!
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We’ve rounded up some of the most interesting social media statistics we could find, all of which will help you understand your platform, your audience, and craft content that’ll stand out:
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Social Media Statistics: Instagram
Instagram is one of the best social platforms for growing a community, promoting your products and driving sales.
But with so many businesses tapping into Instagram to grow their business, it can be hard to cut through the noise.
To help you build a strategy that works for your brand, check out these social media statistics:
Instagram Statistics: Posting Trends
#1: The Best Time to Post on Instagram is Between 9am and 11am EST
Later analyzed over 12 million Instagram posts to figure out the best time to post.
After pulling the numbers from our huge database, we found that posting between 9am and 11am EST will get you more engagement!
#2: Worldwide Best Times to Post are in the Morning, Except for GMT
We wanted to take our best time to post analysis further, so with the help of influencer marketing platform Fohr, we discovered the global best times to post for PST, EST, GMT, and AEDT!
Here’s a quick outline of what we learned:
LA: 8:00am PST (16:00 UTC)
New York: 11:00am EST (16:00 UTC)
London: 7:00pm GMT (19:00 UTC)
Sydney: 8:00am AEDT (21:00 UTC)
Want to make it personalized? Now you can with Later!
Later’s Best Time to Post feature automatically calculates your 7 top posting times based on your best performing posts from the recent month:
Since every Instagram account is different, we wanted to create a feature that would give you your personalized best posting times — and that’s exactly what Best Time to Post does!
If you’re on one of Later’s business plans, which start at just $19/month, your best times to post will automatically be highlighted in your weekly content calendar, making it super easy to schedule your Instagram posts for when your audience is most active!
Instagram Statistics: Shopping Trends
For businesses, Instagram shopping posts are a great way to showcase your products and drive more sales.
Especially now, thanks to Instagram’s new checkout feature, which lets you buy products *directly* on Instagram without ever leaving the app!
So with this in mind, it’s time to make sure you’re using Instagram shopping posts as effectively as possible.
#3: 73% of Teens say Instagram is Best for Product Posts
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of teens say that Instagram is the best way to reach them about new brands or products — only 12% cite Facebook as the best way.
Source: eMarketer
#4: 130M Accounts Tap “Learn More” on a Shopping Post each Month
Instagram shopping posts make it easier for people to shop the products they find on Instagram by viewing “tagged” products in posts.
So you don’t want to miss that opportunity to make a sale — especially if there’s 130 million people tapping on shopping posts each month!
#5: Over 200M Instagram Users Visit at Least One Brand Profile Page per Day
Whereas personal profiles are all about the basics, with Instagram business profiles users get access to a ton of advanced features, like contact information, Instagram Insights, promoted posts, and the ability to schedule and publish your posts automatically with Later.
So it’s no surprise that over 200 million people tap on a brand profile each day!
And they’re obviously a great resource for users looking to learn more about their favorite brands and products. If you haven’t made the switch to a business profile yet, now’s the time!
#6: 90% Of Instagram Users Follow Active Shopping Brands
If 90% of your followers follow brands and businesses with shoppable posts, now’s the time to get in on the action and start creating some great content!
Learn how to set up shoppable posts for your business in this blog post!
#7: One-third of the Most Viewed Instagram Stories are From Businesses
If you’re not using Instagram Stories for business, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity, especially as over 30% of the most viewed stories are from businesses!
Not only are Instagram Stories fun and creative, but they’re one of the best ways to grow your engagement, build brand awareness, as well as drive sales!
Looking to optimize your Instagram Stories strategy this year? Take our free 45-minute Instagram Stories course to learn how to design beautiful stories and capitalize on all the latest features!
#8: 60% of People Say They Discover New Products on Instagram
Got a new product launch in the pipeline? Now’s the time to get planning your Instagram debut!
With 60% of Instagram users saying they discover a new product on the app, you might want to brush up on your product posts and new collection announcements!
#9: Over 50% Have Bought a Product or Service After Seeing it on Instagram
With so many ways to showcase a product (think IGTV demo videos, Instagram Live Q&As, shoppable Instagram Stories) there are tons of ways to encourage your followers to shop your collection!
From spotting a product or service, half of Instagram viewers might go on to purchase, so it’s worth the time and effort to show off your products!
#10: 81% Research Brands on Instagram
These days, more and more consumers are turning to Instagram instead of Google to search for a brand or business, and your Instagram profile is quickly becoming your new home page.
And just like the goal of your website is to convert visitors into customers, the goal of your Instagram profile should be to convert visitors into followers.
#11: Nearly Two-thirds of People Have Visited a Brand’s Website After Seeing it on Instagram
These days, Instagram is becoming even more important for businesses with 75% using Instagram to research a brand or product. It’s time to start optimizing your Instagram for more sales, followers, and awareness!
So when they do decide to visit your website, they’re already informed on your products and ready to tap “add to cart”!
#12: 97% of 18-29 Year Olds are More Like To Shop From UGC
UGC is an affordable way to share high-quality content that generates sales for your brand — it’s the social media equivalent of a word-of-mouth recommendation!
So it’s no surprise that younger generations are more likely to shop with brands that repost user-generated content on their social channels!
#13: Two-thirds Say That Instagram Enables Relationships With Brands
Instagram has a huge impact on how brands can connect with their followers, especially when it comes to building a relationship with the masses.
And both mega-brands and startups can have a brilliant community of loyal followers and fans that like, engage, and connect with each other through your Instagram platform.
Instagram Statistics: Users Trends
#14: Over 70% of Instagram Users are Under 35
If your target audience is 35 and under, it’s a sure-fire strategy to be on Instagram!
Source: Statista.com
#15: Instagram Videos Receive Twice the Engagement of a Standard Photo Post
Video is one of the best tools in a marketer’s toolbox, and thankfully Instagram has made video marketing more accessible for small businesses!
With Instagram Stories, Instagram Live, IGTV, and posting Instagram video posts to your feed, there’s endless ways to get more engagement (twice as much to be precise!) on your profile with video content!
#16: Half of Instagram Users Visit the Explore Page Every Month
The Instagram Explore page is a super-powerful feature for brands — it’s designed to help profiles and businesses gain more engagement and exposure on Instagram with very little effort.
And with a fresh new look, it’s easy to see why half of Instagram users tap into the Explore page each month.
Instagram recently released a brand new Explore page, adding new topic channels, a shopping feed, Instagram Stories, and a dedicated space for IGTV. You can learn more about the new features here!
#17: More People Than Ever Are Using Instagram
According to a study done by Facebook, people use Instagram more than they ever have before, with 44% planning to use it even more in the coming year.
So if you don’t have a clear Instagram strategy in place, it’s time to get planning!
Looking for some expert advice? We teamed up with Puno, content creator and founder of ilovecreatives and Peoplemap.co, to share her process to build your very own, personalized brand book — made especially for Instagram.
Social Media Statistics: Facebook
While the benefits of Instagram marketing are endless, it’s all too easy to forget about the powers of Facebook.
One of the original social media giants, Facebook still serves as an excellent platform for community building, product awareness, and driving sales.
Let’s look at some of the best statistics that can help your build a Facebook strategy:
#18: Facebook has 2.5B Monthly Active Users
Yes, that’s b for 2.5 billion!
With so many active members on Facebook, there’s an audience group to tap into, regardless of your brand or business industry.
#19: 500M People Watch Facebook Stories Every Day
While Facebook Stories hasn’t enjoyed quite the same success as Instagram Stories, it’s still proving to be a huge asset for businesses looking to grow their organic reach and stand out from their competitors.
And with 500 million people watching Facebook Stories every day, it’s easy to see why.
And one of the best ways to get started with Facebook Stories, one of the best ways to hit the ground running is to repurpose Instagram Stories for Facebook Stories.
You can learn how to quickly and easily repurpose your content for Facebook in this blog post!
#20: There Are More Than 6M Active Advertisers On Facebook
Facebook Ads can help you to find and connect with your ideal customers, increase brand awareness, and most importantly drive sales for your business. That’s why there are over 6 million brands using ads right now!
And while getting to grips with all Facebook Ads Manager’s settings and features can feel overwhelming, learning how to correctly set up your ads really pays off for both your Facebook and Instagram strategy. And you can learn how to do it in this blog post!
#21: Three-quarters of Brands on Facebook Will Pay to Promote Posts
And the best thing about promoted posts and Facebook ads is that you don’t need a huge budget to make it work! It’s simple, quick, and cost-effective — that’s why so many brands are using Facebook to promote a post!
All you have to do is set your daily or campaign limit, and let Facebook do the rest!
#22: Adding a CTA on an Ad Can Increase Click-through x3
A call to action on an ad is a powerful message — it encourages click-throughs and can make or break a sale with your audience.
If you haven’t started adding a CTA to your ad copy, now’s the time to get crafty with your captions to triple your click-through rate!
#23: 78% Discovered Products on Facebook They Later Purchased
Still not sure about the sales power of Facebook?
A 2018 study found that 78% of Americans have found products on Facebook that they later purchased.
#24: 10M Messages Between Brands and Customers are Sent Each Month
Facebook Messenger is proving to be a great tool for customer engagement and support.
From checking in on a delivery, to product setup help, having a support system in place via Facebook Messenger can be a real asset to brands.
#25: 73% of Customers Prefer Support via Live Chat on Facebook
When it comes to getting the answers you need (and quickly!) 73% of customers prefer using Facebook Messenger live chat over other forms of communication, because of how easy and instant it is.
#26: There are over 300K Active Bots on Facebook
But they’re the good kind of bots — Facebook Messenger Bots!
Messenger bots are hugely valuable to businesses and can be programmed to perform all kinds of tasks — everything from customer support to building brand awareness and even acquiring new customers! And now there are over 300K bots helping Facebook users ever day!
Never heard of a Facebook Messenger bot? We’re explaining what they are, how they work, and looking at 6 interesting ways that you can leverage Facebook Messenger bots for your own business in this blog post!
Get on top of your Facebook strategy with Later — plan, schedule and automatically publish to your business page for free!
Social Media Statistics: TikTok
Everyone’s buzzing about TikTok’s addictive Gen Z content, but beyond those fun dance videos, there’s a whole new world of video marketing.
TikTok is packed with cool video editing features and effects that make it one of the most versatile and easy-to-use editors out there.
And thanks to the app’s massive growth, TikTok has perfected the art of short-form video editing — and brands have finally started to take notice!
Here are a couple of key statistics to take notice of if you’re thinking of joining the TikTok empire:
#27: TikTok has 800K Monthly Users Worldwide
TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms ever – it currently has over 800K monthly users worldwide!
So if TikTok hasn’t been on your radar yet, now might be the time to get tapping!
#28: The Average Daily Time Spent on TikTok is 45 Minutes
TikTok makes for some seriously addictive content, and while video styles might be repetitive with challenges and dance routines, it hasn’t stopped people from scrolling — for an average of 45 minutes every day!
#29: Two-thirds of TikTokers are Under the Age of 30
While the majority of users might be made up of Gen Zers, that hasn’t stopped brands from all industries getting involved.
From Fenty Beauty, to The Washington Post, brands are making TikTok’s quirky video format work for their audience.
#30: Only 4% of Marketers Have Started Using TikTok
While TikTok is growing rapidly, not that many marketers are using TikTok yet — making it a great time for brands to get involved.
A recent study found that only 4% of surveyed businesses have incorporated the platform into their social strategy.
Social Media Statistics: Pinterest
With the right strategy, Pinterest can be a super-powerful tool for your business.
You can build a strong community that engages with your content, drive brand awareness, click-throughs, and ultimately product sales.
Tailoring your content strategy to Pinterest is a great way to tap into that new audience and community — it just takes a little time and dedication.
Here are a few Pinterest statistics to help build a killer strategy for your business:
#31: 72% of Pinners are Female
Pinterest’s demographic is unlike any other social platform.
With a strong female audience set, with a good purchasing power, the Pinterest demographic is here to browse and research, so you’ve tapped into the right audience if you want to drive sales.
#32: 4 out of 5 Pinterest Users are on Mobile
Thanks to its super scrollable UI, Pinterest makes for the perfect app setup and most users prefer it. Most Pins are vertical and fill the whole screen, so there’s no missed opportunity for showing off your products on Pinterest!
#33: 79% Say Brand Content on Pinterest is Useful
Showcasing your products on social media can often feel too pushy or sales-y. But on Pinterest, more than three-quarters (79%) say that brand content on the platform is useful!
#34: Half of Pin Impressions are Made on the Home Feed
The Pinterest Homepage is where you go to find inspiration, from both the profiles you follow, and other accounts the Pinterest algorithm thinks you might like.
So it’s no surprise that half of the impressions on pins are made on a user’s home feed.
This means that algorithmically-targeted advertising could be a key way to reach new markets through the home feed.
#35: 48% of Pinterest users in the US use the Platform for Shopping
With almost half (48%) of Pinterest users in the US using the platform specifically for shopping, e-commerce businesses can really take advantage!
#36: Users are 39% More Likely to Shop a Brand if They saw it on Pinterest
Nearly 40% of users are more like to shop a brand’s products if they saw it in action on Pinterest! A stat like this means that Pinterest has a strong influencer over a user’s shopping decisions.
So it’s worth spending some time crafting some super pinnable products Pins to your board!
#37: Three-quarters Of Content Saved On Pinterest Comes From Businesses
From fashion and travel, to homeware and pets, there’s a Pinterest board for every interest.
And more than likely, there’s plenty of Pins from brands in the mix too!
#38: 9 out of 10 Pinterest Users Say The Site Is “Filled With Positivity”
Pinterest is filled with feel-good content, so it’s worth bearing that in mind when planning out your Pinterest content calendar.
Whether it’s useful hacks, tips, and advice, or super-simple recipes and motivational quotes, think about filling your Pinterest feed with lighthearted content — it’s obviously a popular option!
Did you know that you can schedule your Pins with Later — for FREE? Start planning and scheduling your pinnable quotes with Later now!
Social Media Statistics: Influencer Trends
If you’ve spent even a few minutes on social media, there’s a good chance you’ve come across an influencer post.
Once a small space with just a few key players, influencer marketing is on pace to become an $8 billion dollar industry in 2020.
And while Instagram is by far the best performing platform for brands to reach new audiences quickly, new apps like TikTok could shake up how brands work with influencers in the future.
Here are a few key stats you should know about influencer marketing:
#39: 63% Of Consumers Say That They Trust An Influencer
Influencer marketing removes the barriers of traditional advertising because customers are introduced to your brand from a trusted source (the influencer) on an authentic, casual platform (Instagram).
So it comes as no surprise that 63% of consumers say that they trust an influencer more than they’d trust what a brand says about themselves.
#40: Over 50% Have Bought a Product After an Influencer Endorsed it
When an influencer recommends a product or service on their channels, it can come across as a trusted recommendation from a friend. And over 50% have trusted a recommendation so much, that they’ve gone on to purchase!
This is obviously hugely advantageous to brands — it gives them direct access to target markets for just a fraction of what they’d pay for a traditional ad.
#41: 89% of Businesses Back the ROI of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is the new norm, and one of the most rewarding ways to promote your brand.
With the right influencer strategy, you could find a huge return on your investment. In fact, a huge majority (89%) of businesses say that ROI for influencer marketing is the same or better than standard marketing channels.
#42: Influencer Captions are Getting Longer & Average at 70 words
According to the research by Fohr, the average caption length has more than doubled since 2016.
And by 2020, our feeds will be filled with an average caption length of 405 characters — which averages out to be 65-70 words!
#43: The Number of Hashtags in Influencer Posts has Quadrupled Since 2016
There’s no denying that using relevant, targeted hashtags on your posts is still one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram.
And for brands working with influencers, this can translate into more engagement, more followers, and more customers for your business.
Fohr reviewed influencer posts over the last 4 years and learned that the average number of hashtags in an influencer’s post has almost quadrupled!
#44: Micro-influencers (<25k Followers) Have the Highest Engagement Rates
Micro-influencers have the highest engagement rates (averaging at 7%) on their feed posts!
In fact, influencers with 0-25K followers had higher engagement rates regardless of their genre, target audience, or topics.
Discover the all-important influencer marketing stats in our free download: The State of Influencer Marketing in 2020, with analysis and key takeaways from thousands of influencer posts!
Social Media Statistics: Worldwide Trends & Data
Social media marketing shows no sign of slowing down, especially with the rise of new apps like TikTok and Byte!
But the social landscape continues to change (and often at a rapid pace!) so it’s worth keeping an eye on the global trends of the market.
Here are a couple of worldwide social trends to keep in mind:
#45: 81% of SMBs Have at Least 1 Social Media Channel
Whether that’s sharing videos on YouTube or creating a global community over Facebook, small and medium businesses are committed to at least 1 social media platform to market their business.
#46: 70% Say They Have Shared a Brand’s Video On Social Media
Video makes for some super shareable content and it’s engaging and a quick and easy way to share information.
And with platforms like Instagram and TikTok taking a “video first” approach, we predict that number is only going to rise.
#47: Over 50% of Consumers Report Watching Product Videos Before Purchasing
When it comes to informing consumers about your products, video is the best medium. And consumers tend to agree.
Over half of consumers reported that watching product videos makes them more confident when purchasing something online. So it might be time to introduce more product demos and tutorials into your social media toolbox!
Social media statistics and trends are undoubtedly quick to change, but knowing and understanding the current landscape can seriously help you map our strategy.
Whether you’re going to branch out into a new platform like TikTok or take your influencer marketing to the next level, these social media statistics will help you get there.
Don’t forget — you can plan, schedule and post to multiple platforms at once with Later! Sign up today to get your content calendar organized!
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