16 Social Media Marketing Stats You Should Know in 2026

The social media ad market is projected to reach $317 billion in 2026, and more than 5 billion people now use social media globally. Here are the latest social media marketing stats you need to know.

cKey takeaways

• Social media’s reach continues to grow, with 5.66 billion users worldwide and global social ad spending projected to reach $317 billion in 2026.
• Short-form video delivers the highest ROI of any video format, but marketers shouldn’t overlook static and carousel content when building their content mix.
• Social media is increasingly a product discovery and search channel, particularly among younger consumers: roughly 6 in 10 U.S. teen TikTok users use the platform for product reviews.
• Influencer marketing continues to attract investment, with 61% of marketers planning to increase their budgets in 2026 and nano-influencers generating particularly strong engagement.
• AI is reshaping social media creative and audience targeting, making it easier to scale and personalize campaigns while increasing the need for accurate, authentic content.

Monitoring social media marketing stats and trends can help you maximize your impact and stay relevant to the billions of daily active users.

Whether your audience is made up of habitual YouTube users, hangs out on TikTok, or shops on Pinterest, social channels offer unique opportunities to connect with existing and new audiences.

We compiled the latest social media stats to help you track important metrics, choose the right marketing channels, and build stronger marketing campaigns.

Ready to ignite impressions, likes, follows, and conversions, and build a cult following on social media? Keep reading.

16 social media marketing stats and trends

Gen Z loves to shop, Baby Boomers thrive on Facebook, video content reigns supreme, and Pinterest is a revenue-generating secret weapon.

Let’s take a deep dive into the data.

1. Ad spending for social media is on pace to hit $317 billion in 2026 (Statista)

Global social media advertising spend is projected to reach $317 billion in 2026, reflecting just how important paid social media has become for reaching potential customers.

Unlike search advertising, which typically reaches people after they actively search for a product, service, or solution, social media ads can introduce your brand to potential customers before they begin searching.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow advertisers to reach audiences based on signals such as interests, demographics, behaviors, and previous interactions with a brand.

Their algorithms can also use campaign and conversion data to help identify users who are more likely to take the desired action.

That gives businesses an opportunity to build awareness, generate demand, and stay top of mind throughout the customer journey — not just when someone is ready to make a purchase.

Next up: Is Facebook still relevant in 2026?

2. Facebook is (still) the most popular social media channel for marketers globally (Meta, via Backlinko)

Does that surprise you? Facebook seems to be on a social downslide, but don’t underestimate the age group that uses Facebook the most: Baby Boomers.

The platform boasts 3.07 billion monthly active users and 2.11 billion daily active users, and they like to shop.

Still, Statista mentions that despite the channel’s worldwide popularity, marketers plan to reduce their Facebook efforts in the near future.

Why is Facebook still a good spot to spend ad dollars? We like it for its affordability, visual impact for retailers, and relatively high engagement, especially for brands in the ecommerce, automotive, travel, and non-profit spaces.

3. Social media has already passed 5.66 billion users worldwide (DataReportal)

The sheer reach potential of social media makes it a valuable tool for exposure, a purpose guiding most marketing professionals.

The number of social media users worldwide continues to grow, giving brands access to an enormous potential audience.

That growth isn’t slowing down: users are up 4.87% year over year, with about 7.8 new people joining social media every second.

But the sheer number of people on social media doesn’t mean you’ll see success. We’ve seen plenty of social media campaigns that fall flat.

The best way to catch the snags? Conducting a social media audit. This process helps you itemize every aspect of your campaigns, from performance and audience analysis to cohesion across content.

With this insight, you’ll understand which social channels, content types, and schedules engage and convert your audience, and which fall short.

The end goal of a social media audit is to tweak your strategy to improve engagement and conversions.

Not sure where to start? We’d love to help.

4. Social media users now spend an average of 2 hours and 40 minutes online every day (Sprout Social)

All social media usage is rising. With internet users spending an average of 2 hours and 40 minutes across social platforms each day, and spread across an average of 6.75 different social networks a month, there’s never been as much opportunity for social media marketing as there is now.

That doesn’t mean brands need to be everywhere. With users spreading their attention across nearly seven networks each month, marketers should identify the platforms their target audience uses most and tailor content to how people behave on each one.

5. TikTok’s ad revenue is on track to hit nearly $44 billion in 2026 (Statista)

TikTok’s massive video audience continues to attract advertisers, with the platform’s ad revenue projected to approach $44 billion in 2026.

Its competitively lower CPM (cost per mille, or cost per one thousand impressions) can also make it an appealing option compared with other platforms.

But Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts pose significant competition.

TikTok’s ownership uncertainty in the U.S. was resolved in January 2026, when a divestiture deal moved the app’s U.S. operations to a new joint venture majority-controlled by American investors, including Oracle and Silver Lake, closing the door on the ban that had been looming since 2024.

Despite the controversy, videos are quick converters, and you don’t necessarily need

TikTok to reap the benefits.

A strong takeaway here is the power of video across various platforms.

Facebook users spend over half of their time on the app watching videos and Instagram Reels generate double the reach compared to other posts.

Looking to slide into a money-making content gap? Video content is your ticket.

6. Reddit’s ad-reachable audience has grown to 606 million, and 74% of users say its discussions shape their purchases (Social Champ)

Reddit isn’t the first social platform most marketers think of, but it’s growing fast — expecting to reach 1.5 billion monthly active users in 2026, with daily active users up 19.3% year over year to 121.4 million.

Its advertising reach now extends to roughly 606 million people, and Reddit’s ad revenue hit $2.2 billion in 2025, up 69% year over year, with another 43% of growth projected for 2026.

The real draw for marketers is trust: 74% of users say Reddit discussions directly influence their purchasing decisions, and about 17% actively follow or research brands on the platform.

If your category has an active subreddit, that’s a warmer audience than a cold ad impression.

7. TikTok’s global user base has grown to 2.21 billion (Demandsage)

TikTok users are growing, even as its U.S. ownership story played out.

Demandsage puts TikTok’s total global user base at 2.21 billion, with 1.59 billion of those users reachable through TikTok’s ad platform, about 13.1% of the world’s population.

That reach, combined with TikTok’s comparatively low cost per thousand impressions, keeps the platform competitive with Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts for video ad dollars.

If a niche or younger audience is part of your strategy, TikTok remains one of the more efficient ways to reach them at scale.

8. Nano-influencers have the highest post engagement rate across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (Shopify)

Nano-influencers’ smaller audiences of 1,000 to 4,999 followers can translate into stronger engagement and more direct interactions between brands and users.

For brands, that makes follower count only one factor to consider when choosing creators — engagement rate, audience fit, and credibility may matter more.

That trust shows up in the broader numbers, too: 94% of organizations now say influencer marketing outperforms traditional digital ads, with brands reporting 2 to 3x returns (Sprout Social).

If you want to build brand awareness, boost traffic, enhance thought leadership, and garner more leads, nano-influencers take the lead.

9. 61% of marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing investment in 2026 (Sprout Social)

The trending power of influencers shows no signs of slowing down.

For marketers, increased investment also means increased competition for the right creators. Rather than chasing follower counts alone, focus on influencers whose audience, content style, and credibility align with your brand.

10. YouTube and LinkedIn keep expanding their reach, too (Demand Sage)

TikTok isn’t the only platform posting big year-over-year gains. YouTube has grown to 2.58 billion monthly active users in 2026, and LinkedIn has passed 1.3 billion members worldwide.

Both are worth a second look if your media plan is still built primarily around Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

YouTube’s scale makes it a serious long-form and Shorts video contender, while B2B marketers can connect with LinkedIn users who double as professional audiences and decision-makers.

11. Gen Z increasingly starts its search on social media, not Google (Sprout Social ; Adobe Express)

When you think of SEO, you think of Google. But marketers need to shift their SEO strategy to include social media apps as well, especially for a Gen Z and millennial audience.

Sprout Social says 41% of Gen Z now turn to social media first when searching for something, and 52% say they trust brand information they find on social over what they see from Google or AI tools.

That said, the picture is more complicated than a simple “Gen Z has ditched Google” narrative.

A January 2026 Adobe Express survey found the share of Gen Z who say they’re more likely to use TikTok than Google for search actually fell from 8% to 4% year over year, even though 65% still use TikTok for search in some capacity.

The more accurate read is that Gen Z has settled into multi-platform search habits, picking different platforms for different types of questions, rather than replacing search engines outright.

If you have branded keywords for Google, don’t stop there. Use them on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok as well.

12. Pinterest has grown to 619 million monthly active users, a record high (Statista, via Sprout Social)

Pinterest is a visual search engine, making it an ideal place for people to find new brands and products.

That shows up clearly in the data: 96% of Pinterest searches are unbranded, meaning people are actively looking for options before they’ve settled on a brand.

And once they find one, 85% of weekly U.S. Pinners say they’ve purchased something based on a brand’s Pin.

This pairs nicely with the fact that people who use Pinterest tend to earn more money, likely accounting for their higher monthly spending.

In fact, Pinterest reaches 40% of US households with an annual income over $150K.

That means Pinterest users are open to new brands and ready to make new purchasing decisions.

For a social media platform that is often overlooked, Pinterest has a whole lot of digital marketing opportunities to offer.

13. Short-form video now delivers the highest ROI of any video format (Sprout Social)

Sensing a theme here? Video marketing is on the rise.

In fact, 44% of people would rather learn about a new product or service through short-form video.

That trend keeps compounding: 92% of marketers plan to keep video spending flat or increase it in 2026, and short-form video now delivers the highest ROI of any video format, at 41%.

Short-form videos offer the opportunity to be engaging, while remaining authentic (and funny!). A winning combo for audiences scrolling on their mobile devices.

14. 92% of Instagram users globally are under 45 years old (HubSpot)

Instagram’s user base still skews heavily toward younger audiences, with 92% of users worldwide under age 45.

For marketers targeting Gen Z, millennials, and younger Gen X consumers, that makes Instagram an especially valuable channel for building brand awareness and driving engagement.

Consider prioritizing visual formats like Reels, Stories, creator content, and even live streaming to connect with your younger audience.

15. WhatsApp is the world’s favorite social media platform (DataReportal)

WhatsApp may be best known as a messaging app, but it ranks as the world’s favorite social media platform among users aged 16 and older.

According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report, 17.4% of social media users globally name WhatsApp as their favorite platform, followed closely by Instagram at 16.4% and Facebook at 13%.

For marketers, this is a good reminder not to limit your social media strategy to traditional feeds.

Messaging apps like WhatsApp are a major part of how people use social media, particularly among older audiences: Instagram is the favorite among users ages 16–34, while WhatsApp takes the top spot starting at age 35.

16. Roughly 6 in 10 teen TikTok users use the platform for product reviews (PEW Research)

TikTok isn’t just an entertainment platform for teens. Roughly six in 10 U.S. teen TikTok users say they use the platform for product reviews, according to Pew Research.

Product research is less common among teen Instagram users and even less common on Snapchat.

For marketers targeting younger demographics, this highlights TikTok’s growing role in product discovery and purchasing decisions.

Brands can use authentic video content, creator partnerships, and customer reviews to reach users while they’re actively researching products.

Social media forecasting: what the experts say

We asked HawkSEM Senior SEM Manager Cristin Barta and SEM Manager Heather Luna which social media trends they’re paying attention to heading into 2027.

AI is making social creative easier — but authenticity matters

AI is making it easier for brands to produce more social creative, personalize content, and develop new campaign assets quickly. But that efficiency comes with a potential downside.

“AI is allowing for easier creative builds, which can be good and bad,” says Barta. “It’s easy to create lots of stuff and personalize it, but it can also get sloppy and not look real.”

Luna has noticed a related authenticity problem: social videos that appear to show products available at major retailers when they’re actually only sold through the brand’s website.

As AI makes this type of creative easier to produce, she cautions brands against sacrificing accuracy for speed.

AI-powered audience targeting will keep getting smarter

Creative isn’t the only area where AI is changing social media marketing.

“AI-built audiences just keep getting smarter,” says Barta.

Social platforms increasingly use machine learning and campaign data to help advertisers find users likely to take action.

This shifts some of the work from manually defining narrow audiences toward giving platforms strong creative, conversion signals, and campaign goals.

Don’t abandon static and carousel content for video

Video dominates many of today’s social media conversations; but that doesn’t mean every post needs to be a Reel, Short, or TikTok.

“I see so many companies doing video and neglecting carousel and static content,” says Luna. “I still see value in those, so I think they just need to be reminded to have a good mix.”

Rather than chasing a single format, brands can test a mix of video, carousel, and static creative to learn what resonates with their own audience.

The bottom line

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, even Reddit — phew.

It’s no secret that gaining a social media presence is an enormous undertaking. After all, the statistics, figures, and trends are constantly evolving.

For small businesses and big businesses alike, this doesn’t mean trying to maintain a presence on every platform. Focus on the channels your audience actually uses.

Each of these mobile apps comes with unique challenges and nuances for every target audience across the world’s population.

Plus, shifts in politics, customer behavior, and costs will constantly challenge today’s social media marketer. Use these statistics to stay ahead of the changing tides and build marketing efforts that reach the right audience.

We’ve seen firsthand the revenue potential of a solid social media marketing strategy, from exponential traffic increases to sky-high conversions.

From social media marketing to search engine marketing to content marketing, the team at HawkSEM can help grow your marketing strategies and increase your revenue YOY.

Ready to get down to business with social media marketing? Let’s talk.

A note on our sources

Every statistic above is sourced from named, publicly available research and industry data, including original research from platforms and organizations such as DataReportal, Pew Research Center, Pinterest, Sprout Social, HubSpot, and others. Statistics were last verified in August 2026.

This article has been updated and was originally published in May 2023.