Social media’s infiltration into the lives of internet users has been on the rise. The latest figures show that there are expected to be 4.89 billion social media users worldwide in 2023—a 6.5% increase from a year ago. It is also 2.2 billion more than the number of social media users in 2017, which represents a whopping 79.1% jump in just five years. The average annual growth rate over this period is 10.2%. Going forward, while the number of social media users will continue to increase, the growth rate is expected to plateau. The average annual growth rate from 2023 to 2027 is forecast at 5%. Despite the slowdown, it’s clear that social media will continue to be a part of consumers’ daily lives, with smartphones and mobile devices as the main driving force. As it stands, social media statistics show that more than nine in ten (91%) social media users use mobile devices to access social networks. Such statistics clearly show the growing trend and reliance of consumers on social media, indicating a clear opportunity for social media marketing opportunities for ecommerce businesses worldwide.
Social Media Usage by Region
The accessibility of affordable smartphones, Wi-Fi coverage, and improving networks play a massive role in increasing social media usage across the globe. Currently, more than half (59.3%) of the global population uses social media. Looking at how many people use social media by region, the three areas with the highest number of social media users are located in the world’s largest continent: Asia. Topping the list is East Asia, where nearly 1.2 billion people use social media. The number of social media users there makes up 14.9% of the global population. This should come as no surprise, considering the region consists of China, the world’s most populous country. South Asia is home to the second-highest number of social media users with 847.17 million users. This is followed by Southeast Asia with 506.3 million. Rounding out the top five are North America, where there are 434.93 million social media users, and South America, with 306.76 million users. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, the regions with the fewest social media users are the Caribbean with 24.71 million users and Central Africa with 21.13 million users.
