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Marketing 2026

Social Media Marketing Statistics & Data

Comprehensive data on platform growth, engagement rates, advertising spend, and the strategies driving social media marketing performance in 2026.

31 curated statistics with source citations

5.17B

Global Social Media Users

5.38%

TikTok Engagement Rate

$276B

Social Ad Spend

2h 20m

Daily Social Usage

Social media has matured into the largest digital advertising channel worldwide, with over 5.17 billion users and platform-specific engagement rates that vary dramatically. Understanding these benchmarks is essential for optimizing campaign performance and budget allocation.

From TikTok's dominant 5.38% engagement rate to Instagram's evolving Reels-first algorithm, the social media landscape continues to shift. Brands that adapt to platform-specific trends and invest in short-form video content are seeing the strongest returns.

These statistics cover user demographics, engagement benchmarks, advertising spend trends, and platform-by-platform performance data to inform your social media strategy.

Global Usage & Growth

The scale and growth trajectory of social media adoption worldwide.

5.17 billion

Active social media users worldwide, representing 63.7% of the global population.

Source

2025

2 hours 20 minutes

Average daily time spent on social media per user globally.

Source

2025

6.7

Average number of social media platforms used by each internet user per month.

Source

2025

54.4%

Of social media users who research products on social platforms before purchasing.

Source

2025

4.7%

Year-over-year growth in global social media users, adding 227 million new users in 2025.

Source

2025

99%

Of social media users access platforms via mobile devices.

Source

2025

Platform-Specific Engagement Rates

Benchmark engagement rates across the major social media platforms.

5.38%

Average engagement rate on TikTok, the highest among all major platforms.

Source

2025

1.41%

Average engagement rate on Instagram across all content types.

Source

2025

0.07%

Average engagement rate on Facebook, continuing its multi-year decline.

Source

2025

0.05%

Average engagement rate on X (formerly Twitter) per post.

Source

2025

3.86%

Average engagement rate for micro-influencer content (10K-50K followers).

Source

2025

1.84%

Average engagement rate on LinkedIn for company pages.

Source

2025

2.6x

Higher engagement for Reels compared to standard Instagram posts.

Source

2025

Platform User Bases

Monthly active users across major social media platforms.

3.07 billion

Monthly active users on Facebook, maintaining its position as the largest social platform.

Source

2025

2.5 billion

Monthly active users on YouTube, the second-largest social platform globally.

Source

2025

2 billion

Monthly active users on Instagram.

Source

2025

1.58 billion

Monthly active users on TikTok globally.

Source

2025

1 billion

Monthly active users on LinkedIn.

Source

2025

611 million

Monthly active users on X (formerly Twitter).

Source

2025

Advertising Spend & Revenue

How brands are investing in social media advertising.

$276 billion

Projected global social media advertising revenue in 2026.

Source

2025

33%

Of total digital advertising spend that goes to social media platforms.

Source

2025

$7.19

Average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) across social media platforms.

Source

2025

$1.72

Average cost per click (CPC) on Facebook ads across all industries.

Source

2025

80%

Of marketers plan to increase their social media advertising budgets in 2026.

Source

2025

4.2x

Average return on ad spend (ROAS) for social media advertising campaigns.

Source

2025

Content Trends & Strategy

What types of content perform best on social media.

73%

Of marketers say short-form video is the most effective social content format.

Source

2025

87%

Of consumers want to see more video content from brands on social media.

Source

2025

55%

Of marketers now use AI tools to generate or optimize social media content.

Source

2025

3-5

Optimal number of weekly posts on Instagram for maximum engagement.

Source

2025

68%

Of Gen Z consumers say they discover new products through social media.

Source

2025

49%

Of consumers have made a purchase directly through a social media platform.

Source

2025

Methodology

Social media statistics are compiled from platform-reported data (Meta, ByteDance, Microsoft, X Corp), independent research firms (DataReportal, GWI, Statista), and marketing industry surveys (HubSpot, Hootsuite, Sprout Social).

Engagement rates are calculated as total interactions (likes, comments, shares) divided by follower count or reach, depending on the source methodology. All data points include year and source citations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people use social media worldwide?

There are 5.17 billion active social media users worldwide, representing 63.7% of the global population. This number grew by 4.7% year-over-year, adding 227 million new users in 2025.

Which social media platform has the highest engagement rate?

TikTok leads with a 5.38% average engagement rate, significantly ahead of Instagram (1.41%), LinkedIn (1.84%), Facebook (0.07%), and X (0.05%). Instagram Reels generate 2.6x higher engagement than standard posts.

How much do businesses spend on social media advertising?

Global social media advertising revenue is projected to reach $276 billion in 2026, representing 33% of total digital ad spend. The average CPM is $7.19 and average CPC on Facebook is $1.72.

What type of social media content performs best?

73% of marketers say short-form video is the most effective social content format. 87% of consumers want more video from brands, and Instagram Reels generate 2.6x more engagement than static posts.

How much time do people spend on social media daily?

The global average is 2 hours and 20 minutes per day across all social platforms. Users access an average of 6.7 different social platforms per month, and 99% use mobile devices.

What is the ROI of social media marketing?

Social media advertising campaigns average a 4.2x return on ad spend (ROAS). 80% of marketers plan to increase their social media budgets in 2026, and 54.4% of users research products on social platforms before purchasing.

How is AI being used in social media marketing?

55% of marketers now use AI tools to generate or optimize social media content. AI is being applied to content creation, audience targeting, scheduling optimization, and performance analytics.

Last updated: February 12, 2026

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