Top Social Media Platforms
To determine why it’s important to consider having an account on the most popular social media platforms, we must take into account the following aspects. According to the annual report of We Are Social, in 2023, there are 4.8 billion active users on social media, a 14% increase compared to 2022.
Creating communication channels for current and potential clients is crucial for businesses today, and social media provides that opportunity to understand what different users think and feel about your company or brand on each platform.
When deciding on which social media platforms to have an account on, it’s essential to consider the most used social media platforms in the country or region where your product or service is aimed, as well as the age of the users. Here are the most popular social media platforms according to the annual Statista report in 2023.
Most Popular Social Media 2023
According to the annual report of We Are Social for 2023, there are currently 4.8 billion active social media users worldwide. When it comes to deciding which social media platforms to have a presence on, it is important to consider the ones that are most popular in your region or target market. Here are the top 10 most popular social media platforms as of 2023:
- Facebook – 3.3 billones de usuarios
- YouTube – 3 billones de usuarios
- WhatsApp – 2.8 billones de usuarios
- Instagram – 2.4 billones de usuarios
- TikTok – 2 billones de usuarios
- WeChat – 1.3 billones de usuarios
- QQ – 1.2 billones de usuarios
- Telegram – 800 millones de usuarios
- Sina Weibo – 750 millones de usuarios
- Snapchat – 650 millones de usuarios
1. Facebook
Currently, Facebook has 3.3 billion users, making it the largest of the most popular social media platforms. According to the We Are Social study, 36% of users are 13 years old or older and more likely to be reached by advertising. Additionally, 56% of users are male and 44% are female. Furthermore, 98.3% of users access the social network from their smartphones, and 50.4% of users are English-speaking, followed by 15.6% who are Spanish-speaking.
2. YouTube
With 3 billion users, YouTube is the second most popular social media platform. According to the We Are Social study, 41% of users are between the ages of 16 and 24, and 68% of users are male. Additionally, 81% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are India, the United States, and Brazil.
3. WhatsApp
WhatsApp currently has 2.8 billion users, making it the third most popular social media platform. The We Are Social study found that 37% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 56% of users are male. Furthermore, 90% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are India, Brazil, and Indonesia.
4. Instagram
With 2.4 billion users, Instagram is the fourth most popular social media platform. The We Are Social study found that 35% of users are between the ages of 16 and 24, and 52% of users are female. Additionally, 92% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are the United States, India, and Brazil.
5. TikTok
TikTok has 2 billion users, making it the fifth most popular social media platform. According to the We Are Social study, 60% of users are between the ages of 16 and 24, and 61% of users are female. Furthermore, 90% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are China, the United States, and Indonesia.
6. WeChat
WeChat currently has 1.3 billion users, making it the sixth most popular social media platform. The We Are Social study found that 32% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 62% of users are male. Additionally, 92% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are China, Indonesia, and the United States.
7. QQ
With 1.2 billion users, QQ is the seventh most popular social media platform. According to the We Are Social study, 33% of users are between the ages of 16 and 24, and 57% of users are female. Furthermore, 79% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are China, Indonesia, and Thailand.
8. Telegram
Telegram has 800 million users, making it the eighth most popular social media platform. The We Are Social study found that 44% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 53% of users are male. Additionally, 70% of users access the platform on their mobile devices, and the top three countries with the most users are India, Iran, and Russia.
9. Sina Weibo
With 750 million users, Sina Weibo is the ninth most popular social media platform. According to the We Are Social study, 30% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 53 % are male while 47% are female. The majority of users (92.3%) access Sina Weibo via mobile devices, and the platform’s most popular content includes news, entertainment, and fashion.
10. Snapchat
With 650 million users, Snapchat is the tenth most popular social media platform. The majority of users are under the age of 30, with 61% of users between the ages of 18 and 24. Additionally, 55% of Snapchat users are female while 45% are male. The platform is primarily accessed through mobile devices, and its most popular content includes user-generated content such as photos and short videos, as well as news and entertainment.
Social Media Marketing Tips
- Know your audience: Understand who your target audience is and what social media platforms they are most active on.
- Create engaging content: Create high-quality, engaging content that is relevant to your target audience and encourages them to engage with your brand.
- Use visuals: Incorporate eye-catching visuals, such as images and videos, to capture the attention of your audience and increase engagement.
- Consistency is key: Be consistent with your posting schedule and ensure that your branding is consistent across all social media platforms.
- Respond to comments and messages: Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages in a timely and professional manner.
- Utilize influencers: Collaborate with influencers who have a large following in your industry to reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness.
- Utilize paid advertising: Use paid advertising to target your audience more effectively and increase your reach.
- Monitor your analytics: Keep track of your social media analytics to measure the success of your campaigns and adjust your strategy as necessary.
- Engage with other brands: Collaborate with other brands in your industry to increase your reach and build relationships with other businesses.
- Stay up to date: Keep up to date with the latest social media trends and updates to ensure that your strategy remains effective and relevant.
Social Media Management Tools
SocialGest: A social media management tool that includes scheduling, publishing, and analytics features, and integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
TopicFlower: A social media management tool that helps you discover relevant content and schedule posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Sprout Social: A social media management tool that includes scheduling, engagement, and analytics features, and integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Later: A visual marketing platform that helps you plan, create, and schedule your social media content, with a focus on Instagram.
Agorapulse: A social media management tool that includes scheduling, monitoring, and reporting features, and integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.
CoSchedule: A marketing calendar that helps you plan, organize, and schedule all your social media content, as well as other marketing activities.
Canva: A graphic design platform that includes templates for creating social media posts, as well as other marketing materials.
MeetEdgar: A social media scheduling tool that recycles your evergreen content and automatically schedules it across your social media channels.
SocialPilot: A social media scheduling and management tool that allows you to manage multiple social media accounts, collaborate with team members, and track analytics.
Loomly: A social media management tool that includes scheduling, publishing, and analytics features, and integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google My Business.
How to Increase Social Media Engagement
- Post high-quality, relevant content: The key to increasing social media engagement is to create and post content that resonates with your audience. Make sure your content is high-quality, visually appealing, and relevant to your target audience.
- Use hashtags: Hashtags can help your posts get discovered by a wider audience. Research popular hashtags in your industry and incorporate them into your posts.
- Respond to comments and messages: Make sure to respond to comments and messages promptly and in a friendly manner. This shows that you value your audience and encourages them to engage with you more in the future.
- Host giveaways and contests: Hosting giveaways and contests can be a great way to increase engagement and attract new followers. Make sure the rules are clear and that the prize is relevant and desirable to your audience.
- Collaborate with influencers: Partnering with influencers in your industry can help you reach a wider audience and increase engagement. Choose influencers with a relevant following and work with them to create content that resonates with their audience.
- Analyze and optimize: Use social media analytics to track your engagement metrics and identify what’s working and what’s not. Use this data to optimize your content strategy and improve your engagement over time.
– Best social media platforms for business
- Facebook: With over 2.7 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a popular social media platform for businesses to connect with their audience, share updates, and run targeted ads.
- LinkedIn: As a professional networking platform with over 740 million members, LinkedIn is ideal for B2B businesses and individuals who want to network, share industry news and insights, and establish themselves as thought leaders.
- Instagram: As a visual platform with over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is great for businesses that want to showcase their products and services through visually appealing content.
- Twitter: With over 330 million monthly active users, Twitter is a real-time platform that allows businesses to engage with their audience, share news and updates, and participate in trending conversations in their industry.
– Social media marketing strategies
- Define your goals: Before starting any social media campaign, it is important to define your goals. Whether you want to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or boost sales, your goals should guide your strategy.
- Know your target audience: Understanding your target audience is key to creating effective social media marketing campaigns. Research your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors to create content that resonates with them.
- Develop a content strategy: Creating and sharing quality content is essential to engage your audience and drive traffic to your website. Develop a content strategy that includes a mix of curated and original content that aligns with your brand’s values and goals.
- Use paid social media advertising: Paid social media advertising can be an effective way to increase reach and engagement. Utilize targeting options to reach your desired audience and test different ad formats to see what works best for your business.
- Leverage user-generated content: User-generated content (UGC) can be a powerful way to build brand loyalty and social proof. Encourage customers to share their experiences with your brand and feature UGC on your social media channels.
- Monitor and measure your results: Use social media analytics tools to monitor and measure the performance of your campaigns. Analyze metrics such as engagement rates, reach, and conversions to determine what’s working and what’s not, and make adjustments accordingly.
– Best social media management tools
SocialGest: A comprehensive social media management tool that offers features like social media scheduling, monitoring, analytics, and reporting.
Sprout Social: A powerful social media management tool that provides features like social media scheduling, engagement, and analytics.
TopicFlower: A social media management tool that offers advanced analytics features, including sentiment analysis and competitor benchmarking, as well as social media scheduling and monitoring.
Agorapulse: A user-friendly social media management tool that includes scheduling, monitoring, and reporting features, and integrates with major social media platforms.
Later: A visual marketing platform that offers features like social media scheduling, content creation, and analytics, with a focus on Instagram.
Loomly: A social media management tool that includes features like social media scheduling, content creation, analytics, and collaboration, and integrates with various social media platforms.
– Tips to increase social media engagement
- Know your audience: Understand your target audience’s preferences, interests, and behaviors to create relevant and engaging content.
- Post consistently: Keep a regular posting schedule to maintain a strong presence on social media and keep your followers engaged.
- Use high-quality visuals: Use eye-catching images and videos to make your posts stand out and capture your audience’s attention.
- Encourage interaction: Ask questions, run polls, and encourage your followers to share their opinions to increase engagement.
- Respond to comments and messages: Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages in a timely and friendly manner.
- Collaborate with influencers: Partner with social media influencers to increase your reach and credibility and attract new followers.
Experience in digital marketing since 2006. University professor and researcher, and Professor at IEBS in the area of Digital Marketing and CRM, in the past I was a professor at the Simón Bolívar universities and in the postgraduate course in Marketing for companies at the Central University of Venezuela, professor Guest in various digital marketing and social media marketing courses at ISUM and QLU, Topicflower partner and Social Gest ambassador.