Top 10 Social Media Platforms

Social media is a pillar of many people’s daily lives.

The Digital 2022 April Global Statshot Report found that there are 4.65 billion social media users on the planet. That’s 58.7% of the global population, many of whom are using social media as a primary source of information.

From news (and disinformation) to lifestyle tips, decision-making to product research, social media users can gather all the information they need, without ever leaving their platform of choice.

And it’s not just in the U.S. (though 84% of Americans use at least one social media network). China now has more than 1 billion social media users, despite still having roughly 415 million citizens without internet access.

For marketers, these are more than just eye-catching numbers – they’re potential customers. And if you have a proper social media strategy, they can become realized customers.

Unfortunately, it’s not just as easy as hanging out your shingle on Facebook and waiting for the business to come rolling in.

1. Facebook

Screenshot by author, May 2022Headquarters: Menlo Park, CALaunched: 2004Monthly Active Users: 2.9 billionFounders: Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes

2. YouTube

SEJ Youtube home pageScreenshot by author, May 2022

Launched: 2005

Headquarters: San Bruno, California

Monthly Active Users: 2.2 billion

Revenue: $28.8 billion (2022)

Founders: Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, Chad Hurley

The original video social media platform, YouTube maintains dominance in that market. It is currently the second most used platform with 2.2 billion monthly active users.

The potential for reach on YouTube is unrivaled, with 81% of U.S. adults using the platform. The numbers can’t be ignored.

YouTube has a strong user base across all age groups. This includes the difficult-to-reach 65+ demographic, 49% of whom use the platform, second only to Facebook.

3. WhatsApp

Screenshot by author, May 2022Launched: 2009

Headquarters: Menlo Park, California

Monthly Active Users: 2 billion

Revenue: $5.5 billion (2022) estimated

Founders: Brian Acton, Jan Koum

WhatsApp remains the most popular social messaging app, way out in front of Facebook Messenger.

The closed messaging app might not seem the obvious choice for brands. But consider that SMS has a 98% open rate compared to 20% for email. It’s a captive audience. And, unlike SMS, WhatsApp messages are free to send.

If you use WhatsApp for customer service and retention, you probably already realize its potential for brands is huge and distinctly under-leveraged.

4. Instagram

Screenshot by author, May 2022Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA

Launched: 2010

Monthly Active Users: 2 billion

Founders: Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger

Revenue: $24 billion (2022)

Instagram is a social network where product-based businesses, influencers, and coaches can thrive.

Since introducing shoppable posts in 2018, the potential ROI for product-based businesses is higher than ever – not only can B2B’s connect with a massive audience, they can link the product information and sales straight from the Gram.

If your target demographic is under 35, Instagram is a gold mine: 67% of 18-24-year-olds use Instagram, with 67% of Generation Z and 58% of Millennials using the app daily.

5. TikTok

Screenshot by author, May 2022Launched: 2016Headquarters: Culver City, CaliforniaMonthly Active Users: 1 billionFounders: ByteDance Ltd, Zhang Yiming, Toutiao

Revenue: $11 billion (2022)

TikTok bills itself as “the leading destination for short-form mobile video” with a company mission to inspire creativity and bring joy.

TikTok has certainly struck a chord as it’s the youngest app to market but has already seen incredible growth.

In 2017, after only one year, the app became the fastest growing app worldwide.

Despite attempts to ban TikTok in the U.S. and being banned in India, as of 2021, the app had been downloaded more than 3 billion times globally.

6. Snapchat

Screenshot by author, May 2022Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA

Launched: 2011

Monthly Active Users: 538 million

Founders: Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, Daniel Smith, David Kravitz, Leo Noah Katz

Revenue: $1.06 billion  (2022)

If your target demographic is young, you definitely want to get in on Snapchat.

The most active users on Snapchat are 13-year-olds, and they’re spending upwards of 30 minutes a day on the app.

Snapchat is a haven for user-generated content, behind-the-scenes videos, exclusive offers, and influencer takeovers.

7. Reddit

Screenshot by author, May 2022Launched: 2005

Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Monthly Active Users: 430 million

Founders: Steve Huffman, Alexis Ohanian, Aaron Swartz

Revenue: $289.9 million (2022)

Reddit heralds itself as “the front page of the internet,” and according to Alexa rankings, Reddit is one of the top 20 most-visited sites.

Reddit has a unique blend of content and community, with more than 2.8 millioncommunities or subreddits, dedicated to every topic imaginable.

With so many niches, there’s a place for every brand and business – it’s a matter of finding the niches where your potential customers are active and diving in.

8. Pinterest

Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Monthly Active Users: 444 million

Founders: Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra, Evan Sharp

Revenue: $574 million (2022)

Some of the most popular content on Pinterest includes fashion, food, decor, wedding, workout, and DIY-related pins.

In addition, anything with rich visuals can thrive on Pinterest.

Notably, 60% of Pinterest users are female. If you have a predominantly female audience, that’s a compelling reason to invest time in social media marketing on Pinterest.

That’s not to say that men aren’t on Pinterest – it has a male audience percentage of 40%.

9. Twitter

Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Launched: 2006

Monthly Active Users: 217 million (2021)

Founders: Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone, Noah Glass

Revenue: $1.2 billion (2022)

Unlike other social media platforms, Twitter saw a decrease in the number of users in the past year. This may be attributed to the banning of former president Donald Trump and fears of conservative censorship.

As of this writing, the site is in the process of completing a $44 billion sale to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. This announcement led to large fluctuations in follower numbers as the political makeup of the users changed, a process Twitter referred to as “organic” in nature.

10. LinkedIn

Launched: 2003

Monthly Active Users: 830 million (2022)

Founders: Reid Hoffman, Konstantin Guericke, Allen Blue, Jean-Luc Vaillant, Eric Ly

Revenue: $8.05 billion (2020)

Within its massive network of professionals, you’ll find more than 61 million users in senior positions on LinkedIn.

If you’re looking for decision-makers who have the power to hire your company, stock your product, or partner with you, LinkedIn is the place to be.

Did you know that the average LinkedIn user has an income more than $2,000 above the national median? Or that 50 million people use it to search for jobs every week?

~ Iyre Renee 🤍