Foreword

The world of social media evolves at a pace faster than the algorithms that drive it. Brands face the formidable task of staying updated with the latest platforms and resonating with audiences. It’s challenging, we understand. But we’re here to illuminate the most significant trends in this space, with a bit of help from our friends at Reddit, Snapchat, and Once Upon a Time.

Our mission is to help people everywhere gain a deeper understanding of each other and the behaviors of social media users. This report goes beyond platform usage statistics. It delves into the reasons behind social network use, explores their cultural impact, and examines how content expectations differ across platforms.

Ready to elevate your social media game? Let’s dive in.

Key Insights

Social Media is Revolutionizing News Consumption: More people are following news influencers than fashion influencers, with a notable increase in using certain social platforms to stay updated on current events. As trust in traditional media declines, individuals are seeking information through alternative channels.

Platform Reach vs. Cultural Relevance: Facebook leads in reach, while TikTok ranks eighth. However, TikTok climbs to third place in terms of cultural influence. Brands must stay updated with trends on TikTok, engaging with and responding to relevant content to amplify their message.

Short-Form Content Extends Beyond TikTok: Brands should consider Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts alongside TikTok for short-form content. Each platform has a unique audience, and sometimes long-form videos may be a better fit for specific content types.

Social Media Outshines Search Engines in Product Discovery: Social media significantly influences the purchase journey. Companies aiming for visibility need to create engaging content that sparks curiosity and inspires their target audience to explore their brand further.

Effective Influencer Marketing Hinges on Authenticity: Influencer marketing can drive substantial ROI when executed strategically. Beyond follower counts, influencers should resonate with their audience, appear authentic, and be perceived as experts, particularly in the beauty industry.

01 The social scene has changed

Social media has matured and stabilized. Barring another significant event like a global pandemic or the introduction of strict regulations in key markets, the overall time consumers spend on social platforms is unlikely to see significant fluctuations in the future.

Sure, we might observe new records among specific groups: for instance, social media usage among retired baby boomers has continued to climb since the pandemic, a trend we’ve previously detailed. Conversely, those worried about excessive scrolling may experience occasional drops in usage. However, these audience-level shifts are unlikely to significantly impact the overall global trend, which remains stable. That’s why our focus is on who is using each platform and how they are engaging with it, as these dynamics are evolving much faster.

Unlock the full insights and dive deeper into the latest trends in social media usage. Discover how different demographics are engaging with various platforms, and learn actionable strategies for your brand. Ready to elevate your social media game? Continue reading the full report.

The Table of Contents of “Social media trends: The highlight reel” Report :

• Key insights
• 01 The social scene has changed
• 02 Platforms under the Microscope
• 03 Video content – short, long, and everything in between
• 04 From scrolling to shopping: A love story
• Notes on Methodology

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Methodology

All figures in this report are drawn from GWI’s online research among internet users aged 16-64, or 16+. Our figures are representative of the online populations of each market, not its total population. Note that in many markets in Latin America, the Middle-East, and Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, low internet penetration rates can mean online populations are more young, urban, affluent, and educated than the total population.

Each year, GWI interviews over 960,000 internet users aged 16-64 in 53 markets via an online questionnaire for our Core data set. A proportion of respondents complete a shorter version of this survey via mobile, hence the sample sizes presented in the charts throughout this report may differ as some will include all respondents and others will include only respondents who completed GWI’s Core survey via PC/laptop/tablet.

When reading this report, please note that we focus on data from our ongoing global quarterly research, but also refer to our monthly Zeitgeist studies across 12 markets, our GWI USA data set, which surveys over 80,000 internet users in the US aged 16+ each quarter, and GWI Kids, which surveys 20,000 internet users aged 8-15 across 18 markets.

Throughout this report, we refer to indexes. Indexes are used to compare any given group against the average (1.00), which unless otherwise stated refers to the global average. For example, an index of “1.20” means that a given group is 20% above the global average, and an index of “0.80” means that an audience is 20% below the global average.