With global active Internet users now totaling 3.175 billion—nearly half of the world’s population (7.357 billion)—the possibilities for a business online are stronger than ever before. With 2.206 billion active social media users—a global penetration of 30%–you might find yourself asking why any company wouldn’t be connecting online.
What’s your social media plan for the new year?
No matter the size of your business, no matter your industry, no matter your audience, there is something to be gained in the social media world if you approach the right platforms with the right tactics.
Whether you want to build your authority and your SEO, attempt viral content marketing efforts, or maximize your ecommerce potential, social media is more powerful than ever.
At a glance, here’s what you need to know right now.
The top 6 social media networks of 2015
Facebook Statistics
- 11.5 billion monthly active users (Facebook Investor Report, November 2015)
- 72% of adult Internet users are on Facebook, 62% of the total adult population (Pew Research, August 2015)
- Facebook continues to have the most engaged users. 70% log on daily, including 43% who do so several times a day (Pew Research, August 2015)
- 794 million users login daily via a mobile device (Facebook Investor Report, November 2015)
- 91% of millennials (15-34 year olds) are on Facebook (American Press Institute, March 2015)
- Thursdays, Fridays, and weekends have the highest levels of engagement for posts (Coschedule, 2015)
- 3pm earns the most clicks (Coschedule, 2015)
- 1pm earns the most shares (Coschedule, 2015)
Twitter Statistics
- 320 million monthly active users (Twitter, December 2015)
- 23% of adult Internet users are on Twitter, 20% of the total adult population (Pew Research, August 2015)
- 38% of those on Twitter use the site daily (Pew Research, August 2015)
- 80% of active users use Twitter via mobile device (Twitter, December 2015)
- B2B performs 16% better during business hours (Quick Sprout, 2015)
- B2C performs 17% better on weekends (Quick Sprout, 2015)
- The best time to tweet is 5pm at the end of the workday (Kissmetrics, 2015)
- Midweek or weekends are the best days for retweets or click-throughs (Coschedule, 2015)
LinkedIn Statistics
- 400 million registered users (LinkedIn, December 2015)
- Students and recent college graduates are LinkedIn’s fastest growing demographic (LinkedIn, December 2015)
- 25% of adult Internet users are on LinkedIn, 22% of the total adult population (Pew Research, August 2015)
- LinkedIn’s daily users increased from 13% to 22% between September 2014 and April 2015 (Pew Research, August 2015)
- The best days to post to LinkedIn are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with Tuesdays earning the most shares and clicks (Quick Sprout, 2015)
- Before and after the workday (7:30-8:30am and 5:00-6:00pm) are the best times to post (Elle & Company, 2015)
Google Statistics
- Only 9% of Google’s 2.2 billion users post content, but this still makes nearly 200 million active Google+ users (Business Insider, January 2015)
- 13% of U.S. small businesses use Google+ (eMarketer, April 2015)
- 64% of B2B marketers in North America use Google+ to distribute content (eMarketer, February 2015)
- 90% of people on Google+ will view but not interact with content (Coschedule, 2015)
- However, posting regularly on Google+ can be a valuable SEO strategy.
- Posting mid-morning (9-10am) will gain the most views (Fast Company, 2015)
Pinterest Statistics
- 100 million users (Venture Beat, September 2015)
- 31% of adult Internet users are on Pinterest, 26% of the total adult population (Pew Research, August 2015)
- “The proportion of Pinterest users who visit the platform daily rose from 17% in September 2014 to 27% in April 2015” (Pew Research, August 2015)
- 67% of Pinterest users are under 40 years old (Pinterest, September 2015)
- Male Pinterest users grew 120% in 2015 (Pinterest, September 2015)
- 87% of Pinners have purchased a product found on Pinterest (Pinterest, September 2015)
- 46% of users visit Pinterest at least weekly (Buffer, April 2015)
- The worst time to post to Pinterest is during work hours, and the best time is on Saturdays (Coschedule, 2015)
Instagram Statistics
- 400 million monthly active users (Instagram, 2015)
- 28% of adult Internet users are on Instagram, 24% of the total adult population (Pew Research, August 2015)
- “59% of Instagram users are on the platform daily, including 35% who visit several times a day. This 59% figure reflects a 10-point increase from September 2014 when 49% of Instagram users reported visiting the site on a daily basis” (Pew Research, August 2015)
- 90% of Instagram users are under 35 (Science Daily, June 2015)
- 15.5 million of Instagram’s users are teens (Expanded Ramblings, 2015)
- Posting a video at 9pm earns 34% more reactions (Coschedule, 2015)
- 2-3pm and 8-9pm are the optimal times to post (Coschedule, 2015)
Overwhelmed with data? We understand.
Want more? For details on how social media has changed over the past twelve months, visit see our Social Media Statistics 2014.
Social media networks gained 176 million users in the past year. How your business creates and manages your social media presence can be a tricky decision, but whichever strategy you decide upon, make sure you approach it with the latest knowledge in hand.
Happy sharing, posting, and tweeting, everyone!