This may come as a surprise, but social media is no longer purely “social.” Researchers found that activities are increasingly centered around content, news, entertainment, and brand discovery rather than friends and family connections. Here, we learn how and why the shift is occurring.
Here, we take a look at five facts that show how consumers are changing their behavior when it comes to social media:
Red, White, and Social
The majority of Americans are on social media
73% YouTube
68% Facebook
35% Instagram
29% Pinterest
27% Snapchat
26% LinkedIn
24% Twitter
While YouTube is popular across all demographics, Gen X and Millennials are drawn to Facebook, while GenZ is more likely to use Instagram and Snapchat
Why We Social-ize
We still want to see what our friends and family are doing, but we also want to be entertained
Emerging Motivations (% Change from 2016)
Watch/follow sports 20% (+32%)
Fill spare time 39% (+21%)
Find funny/entertaining content 36% (+36%)
Declining Motivations
Share my opinion 29% (-23%)
Because my friends are there 31% (-12%)
General networking 33% (-11%)
Why We’re Sharing Less
Top three consumer concerns about social
1. Privacy
2. Taking up too much time
3. Negativity
Are We at Peak Social?
After years of successive growth, daily time on social has begun to level off. On average, here’s how much time each generation spends scrolling per day.
Hours
Gen Z 2.53
Millennials 1.59
Gen X 1.17
Boomers .50
The Future of Social Media
Although the reasons people use social may have shifted, it’s here to stay.
Consumers say they’re most comfortable using social for:
62% entertainment
52% news and current affairs
44% reading/leaving reviews on brands/products
43% researching products/ideas
43% buying/selling products
37% following brands/celebrities
31% activism/community events
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