Report: 15 new users for social every second

There was a sharp uptick in social media usage throughout 2020, perhaps because of the global lockdowns that sent people to the digital space for interaction. According to data out from Hootsuite and We Are Social the social space grew to more than 4 billion uses worldwide, a 13% YoY increase in users.

by Kristina Knight

That growth rate accounts for roughly 15 new users to the social space per second; more than half (53%) of the global population is now using various social media sites.
One thing has remained mostly constant in the social space, however, the amount of time spent on sites per user. According to the research, the average consumer spends nearly 2.5 hours per day on social media.

"Increasingly, consumers connect with brands in the same way they do with their friends and family members, via social and messaging apps," said Tom Keiser, CEO, Hootsuite. "The pandemic has only accelerated this shift, with even laggard brands now moving to online interactions."

Other interesting findings from the report include:

• 45% of social consumers are between the ages of 16 and 64
• 40% report using social media for work purposes
• 91% report now using chat apps, including Facebook's WhatsApp platform
• Overall, consumers are spending about 7 hours per day using internet connected devices for various purposes, a 4% YoY increase in usage

"It's not surprise that in a year where many people all over the world spent weeks and months in lockdown, we've seen massive growth in social media and internet users," said Nathan McDonald, Co-Found & Group Chief Executive, We Are Social. "The pandemic has accelerated a shift that had already already begun, and 2021 is shaping up to continue in this vein."
More data from the report can be accessed here.

Tags: Hootsuite, social marketing, social marketing trends, social media trends, social media usage, social network usage