Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Mobile social media usage in the United States - statistics & facts
Constant connectivity in the palm of their hands is how Americans want their socials. Social media applications are the most frequently utilized type of smartphone app in the United States, and the amount of time spent on these services continues to increase. Additionally, YouTube and TikTok are providing Facebook with some much-needed competition in this leg of the social media race.
The Instagram brand is synonymous with content creators and picture-perfect images of influencer lifestyles. In 2023, there were over 177 thousand influencers in the U.S. that had 10 to 50 thousand followers on Instagram. Furthermore, there were over five thousand influencers on the popular photo and video sharing app who had over one million followers on the app in the examined period.
In 2024, 36 percent of adults in the U.S. were very concerned about the potential security and privacy risks associated with TikTok, and 27 percent reported to be somewhat concerned. In a 2023 survey, roughly three in four respondents found TikTok addictive, and around 27 percent of respondents noticed harmful mental health effects as a result of using the app.
Most Americans use social media apps on their phones, and the time spent on them continues to grow. Furthermore, platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are diverting attention from the longstanding market leader, Facebook.
Ready, steady, go!
As of January 2024, there were around 330 million internet users in the United States, and 240 million social media users. As of the third quarter of 2023, over 96 percent of U.S. internet users accessed the internet via their mobile phones. Additionally, the most used type of smartphone among U.S. mobile internet users were social media apps. The YouTube mobile app had the highest reach among users, with an audience reach of 74 percent. YouTube reigned supreme with the all-important Gen Z demographic too, while Instagram and TikTok held reaches of 85 percent and 78 percent, respectively.Instagram is in first place
Almost all social media users in the United States have heard of Instagram, and over half of the population were on the social media platform in 2024. Overall, 55.4 percent of Instagram users in the United States were women, and 44.6 percent were men. Additionally, 28 percent of U.S. Instagram users are aged between 25 and 34.The Instagram brand is synonymous with content creators and picture-perfect images of influencer lifestyles. In 2023, there were over 177 thousand influencers in the U.S. that had 10 to 50 thousand followers on Instagram. Furthermore, there were over five thousand influencers on the popular photo and video sharing app who had over one million followers on the app in the examined period.
Snapchat snaps back
In the U.S. Snapchat enjoys a brand awareness of over 90 percent. In addition, the U.S. is home to the second-largest Snapchat audience in the world, with 106.7 million users, after India with 202 million. Although the U.S. is not the leading audience in terms of users, it is by far where Snapchat generates most of its revenue. In 2023, Snap Inc reported an annual revenue of just over 2.9 billion U.S. dollars in North America. In Europe, the company generated an annual revenue of over 772 million U.S. dollars in 2023, and 881 million dollars throughout the rest of the world. Snapchat's average revenue per user (ARPU) was highest in North America in the third quarter of 2024, at 8.54 U.S. dollars. In Europe, this figure was 2.52 USD per user, while for the rest of the world it stood at 1.09 USD.TikTok takes the lead
TikTok was the most used app in the United States in the year 2023. Users spent over 45 hours per month on the app, on average. Overall, U.S. internet users spent over 26 hours per month using the YouTube app, and 17 hours and 19 minutes using the Facebook app. The app is massively popular with Gen Z and millennials alike. One-third of users in the United States were aged between 19 and 25 years, and 25 percent were between 26 and 32 years old. Moreover, the majority of users, 61 percent, were female.In 2024, 36 percent of adults in the U.S. were very concerned about the potential security and privacy risks associated with TikTok, and 27 percent reported to be somewhat concerned. In a 2023 survey, roughly three in four respondents found TikTok addictive, and around 27 percent of respondents noticed harmful mental health effects as a result of using the app.
Most Americans use social media apps on their phones, and the time spent on them continues to grow. Furthermore, platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are diverting attention from the longstanding market leader, Facebook.
