Which social media channels are gaining and losing steam in 2024? [New Consumer and Platform Data]

As of late, it looks like everyone seems to be on social media. However make no mistake, not everyone seems to be on per channel

As a marketer, it is vital to know your viewers’s favourite social channels For instance, in case you’re promoting a retirement house, it is protected to go away Snapchat, the place solely 3.7% of customers are over 50.

HubSpot surveyed greater than 1,400 entrepreneurs all over the world to seek out out which social media channels are gaining steam — and that are falling behind. Learn on to find which platforms shall be hottest with entrepreneurs and customers in 2024.

Social media channels are gaining steam in 2023

Instagram

In accordance with SimilarWeb, the Instagram app has 1.64 billion customers, making it probably the most fashionable apps right this moment.

And Instagram is predicted to develop additional, and our survey outcomes present that it ranks first for the best potential progress in 2024, with 52% planning to extend their funding within the platform. 24% of social media entrepreneurs additionally plan to take a position extra in Instagram than every other platform.

Entrepreneurs’ affinity for Instagram is comprehensible, contemplating entrepreneurs in our survey stated the app delivers the best engagement and third-highest ROI of all social media platforms.

Another excuse for Instagram’s reputation amongst entrepreneurs is that the platform is main the way in which in leveraging the social promoting pattern. Instagram has probably the most superior in-app promoting instruments of any platform. Our survey exhibits that, in 2024, 84% of entrepreneurs imagine that customers will purchase extra merchandise by means of social media apps than by means of a model’s web site.

Entrepreneurs do not simply use platforms.

Whereas Gen Z visits TikTok probably the most, they rank Instagram amongst their favourite social media apps — as do millennials.

Instagram has additionally remained steadfast with an older viewers. Previously few months, 47% of Gen X-ers have visited Instagram, adopted by practically 1 / 4 of Child Boomers. Nonetheless, in case you are focusing on this viewers particularly, Fb or YouTube could also be a greater possibility.

On the advertising and marketing facet, greater than half of video entrepreneurs rank Instagram as the perfect platform for ROI, engagement and lead era. If you wish to dive additional into video advertising and marketing, Instagram is an fascinating possibility.

Fb

Fb can also be tied with Instagram for the platform anticipated to see probably the most progress in 2024. In accordance with our survey, 21% of social media entrepreneurs plan to take a position extra in Fb than every other platform and 53% plan to extend their funding, which is just a few 24% change from 2023.

Moreover, 40% of social media entrepreneurs plan to make use of Fb for the primary time in 2024.

Fb at the moment attracts 3 billion month-to-month customers, greater than its rivals. A excessive focus of its viewers belongs to Gen X-ers and Child Boomers.

Previously three months, 81% of Gen X-ers and 70% of Boomers visited Fb. On high of that, Gen X and Child Boomers rank Fb as their favourite social media app and probably the most visited app. In case your audience is made up of any of those generations, Fb is your greatest wager for a social media advertising and marketing marketing campaign to achieve them.

Now to the subsequent era — do millennials use Fb? Sure. Though it isn’t their most visited app, it’s their favourite app.

That being stated, engagement has dropped considerably for the Z viewers. Solely 53% visited Fb up to now three months, and solely 13% stated it was their favourite platform.

tick tock

TikTok is called Gen Z’s go-to platform – and the info backs it up. In truth, within the US alone, greater than half of Z’s subscribers are on TikTok. Additionally, Gen Z-ers say TikTok is forward of their favourite platforms, YouTube, Instagram and Fb.

It would not cease there: TikTok can also be choosing up steam with different demographics. 30% of TikTok customers shall be between the ages of 35 and 54 in 2024, a 7% improve from final yr. Utilization amongst child boomers remains to be low, with 16% having visited the app up to now three months, however that stated, their utilization continues to develop, with a 60% change in utilization from final yr (10% to 16%).

Whereas solely 34% of social media entrepreneurs use the platform, these utilizing TikTok are boosting their funding in 2024 – greater than entrepreneurs on every other platform. In truth, 60% of them will improve their funding in advertising and marketing on TikTok in 2024, and one other 34% will proceed to take a position the identical quantity.

It is also value noting that TikTok has the best engagement price of any social platform, averaging 55.8 minutes per session per day. Briefly, TikTok’s edible content material is addictive for various age teams.

YouTube

YouTube has a person base of two.4 billion+ folks and over 34 billion month-to-month visits, based on information we obtained from SimilarWeb.

YouTube is fashionable with Z, Millennial and Gen X audiences alike. Previously three months, 68% of Millennials watched YouTube, adopted by 69% of Gen Z, and 65% of Gen X. For child boomers, YouTube is their second favourite social media app after Fb.

YouTube was additionally a high favourite amongst video entrepreneurs, and based on HubSpot’s Video Advertising and marketing Report, greater than 1 / 4 of video entrepreneurs deliberate to put money into YouTube greater than every other platform. Additionally, entrepreneurs say that YouTube affords the best ROI in 2023.

Social media channels are dropping steam in 2023

Tumblr

After quite a few acquisitions and near-revivals, Tumblr has but to construct on the recognition of the early to mid-2000s. In accordance with our report, Tumblr is hottest with Millennials, however solely 13% have visited the platform within the final three months.

Surprisingly, Gen Z visited Tumblr at about the identical price (10%). In truth, a report by Quartz discovered that 61% of latest Tumblr customers in 2022 had been underneath the age of 24. This raises an vital query: Is one other revival across the nook?

Whereas it is nonetheless too early to name, I like to recommend specializing in platforms that pull sturdy numbers for the viewers you wish to goal, and experimenting with those who do not.

Twitch

Whereas Twitch is the highest canine within the live-streaming area, all main streaming platforms — together with Twitch, Fb Gaming and YouTube Dwell — have seen declines in whole hours watched over the previous few years. For instance, Fb gaming alone noticed a -59% YoY change in hours watched.

Picture supply

23% of Millennials, simply 12% of Gen Z and 9% of Gen X have visited Twitch up to now three months.

When is the perfect time to submit on social media?

Whereas social media platforms will proceed to evolve out and in of favor with customers and entrepreneurs, one factor stays fixed – timing is the whole lot. No matter which platform you select to put money into, realizing the perfect time to submit is vital to extend your model’s visibility.

To remain on high of a posting schedule, social media entrepreneurs advised us they use a social media schedule or calendar after they submit content material (72%). Instruments like HubSpot’s social media administration software program can successfully make it easier to create and execute the fitting social media scheduling technique; Nonetheless, realizing when to submit will make it easier to improve engagement.

For instance, social media entrepreneurs working in Japanese Commonplace Time reported 6-9pm as the perfect time to submit.

Alternatively, entrepreneurs in Pacific Commonplace Time stated that 3-6 pm produced the perfect outcomes.

Nonetheless, an important recommendation I may give about the perfect time to submit is that it is determined by your viewers and when they’re most lively on social media. For instance, in case your viewers is most on-line after work hours, you will not be posting for anybody in case you share most of your content material within the morning.

• Fb: 12-3 pm, 6-9 pm, and 9 am-12 pm
• YouTube: 6-9 pm, 12-3 pm, and 3-6 pm.
• X (previously Twitter): 12-3 pm, 6-9 pm, and 3-6 pm
• Instagram: 12-3 pm, 6-9 pm, and 3-6 pm
• LinkedIn: 3-6 pm, 9 am-12 pm, and 12-3 pm
• TikTok: 6-9 pm, 3-6 pm, and 12-3 pm

Moreover, entrepreneurs say Saturdays and Fridays (respectively) are the perfect days to submit throughout social media platforms.

Again to you

One query stays: Which channel is greatest to your social media advertising and marketing? Do you have to persist with mature platforms like Fb and YouTube or check the waters with newer platforms like TikTok?

In the end, your determination ought to depend upon one vital issue: your audience. Placing your viewers on the middle of your social media technique means prioritizing the platforms that can attain them most successfully.

And bear in mind, social media advertising and marketing is all about experimentation. There is no have to commit to at least one platform for the remainder of the time — actually, it may be helpful to run facet assessments on totally different platforms to see what outcomes you get.