10 Social Media Marketing Stats Guaranteed to Surprise You

June 2, 2016

Whether or not you use social media yourself or for your business, every marketer is at least aware of its existence. How could you not be when a third of the world’s population are actively using it? High-performing marketers already understand social media’s importance to their brand – but why? These 10 stats are guaranteed to surprise you and prove the importance of social media marketing.

76% of US Internet Users Access at Least One Social Media Platform

That’s right: three quarters of American adults who use the Internet access at least one social media platform. And it’s not only driven by Millennials. Over the past 5 years we’ve seen growth across every age group. (Pew Research)

There Are 1.97 Billion Active Mobile Users of Social Media Globally

Of the 2.3 billion active social media users globally, 1.97 billion of them are active on mobile devices. To put it another way, 85% of all social media users are mobile. To stay relevant to a growing and increasingly mobile audience, marketers must be present in the same space with a relevant message. (we are social)

61% of Social Media Time Spent on Smartphones Is In-App

This figure is up 8% YOY and only poised to continue growing. Only 9% of time spent is via mobile web, and it makes sense. Apps are built for mobile functionality and consumers are looking for the smoothest experience possible. (comScore)

Web Users Spend 109 Minutes Per Day on Social Media

Translation: people spend over 7% of their day on social media. We’re obsessed, and our social media use will only increase as social media platforms integrate more functionality. These platforms have created an intersection between friends, business, and personal utility (how many websites can you login to now with your Facebook profile?). (MediaPost)

1 in 5 Minutes Spent Online Is on Social Media

This helps us look at social media engagement in a different light. Of all the time we spend online now – which is a lot – 20% of it is spent on social media. And with more features added to these platforms every day (think Facebook Live Video or Professional Services) they’re ensuring our devotion. (comScore)

80% of High-Performing Marketers Will Increase Social Media Spending

Not only will 80% of high-performing marketing teams increase their social media marketing investment this year, it’s also one of the most popular digital advertising strategies. Marketers must next determine the best ROI metrics to use to measure success. (Salesforce)

Social Media Will Make up 24% of Marketing Budgets by 2020

You just heard how marketers plan to increase social media spend – and it’ll make up 24% of many marketing budgets within five years. Though many marketers currently use social media for their business, it doesn’t mean they’re using social media to its full marketing potential. But they will be. (CMO Survey)

33% of Millennials Prefer to Communicate With a Business via Social

Millennials are mobile, and they now want to engage with your business where they spend their time: on social media. Businesses must be prepared to respond to these consumers in a useful and timely manner on these platforms. (You can even get a badge for responsiveness on Facebook!) (MarketingSherpa)

Mobile Social Media Marketing Will Generate 12 Billion Calls in 2016

People also want to call – and social media marketing on smartphones drive them to businesses. 12 billion calls will be driven to US businesses this year from mobile social media marketing, and this number is set to reach 36 billion by 2019. Can you track these calls back to social media and other digital channels like you can for clicks? (BIA/Kelsey)

82% of Marketers Agree Social Media Marketing Is Core to Their Business

It’s shocking to see how many marketers agree social media marketing is core to their business, yet still struggle to capitalize on its potential. Marketers finding success are those able to grow alongside the various social media platforms and continually adapt to where their customers spend their time. (Salesforce)

Bonus Stats

And here are a few bonus stats on engagement among four of the top social media platforms:

• Instagram: It’s the top-ranked channel marketers plan to invest more budget in. (MediaPost)
• Facebook: More than 8 billion video views per day occur on Facebook – though 85% are viewed without sound. (Digiday)
• Twitter: 72% of users who complain to a brand expect a response within an hour. (Lithium)
• LinkedIn: They’ve seen a spike in a number of younger users: the 18 to 24 age range has gone from 14% to 48%, while the 25 to 34 age range has overtaken 35 to 54 age range as the demographic with the highest penetration. (comScore)

Want to get customers calling and visiting your stores from social media? Register now for our webinar, Local Search & Facebook Advertising in a Mobile World: How Mobile Campaigns Drive Offline Sales.

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