With five billion-plus social media users – understanding usage patterns, engagement, and emerging trends is crucial to helping brands find their unique voice amidst the online chatter.

Meltwater, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, and We Are Social, the socially-led creative agency, have released Digital 2024, their latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide.

In a year full of digital milestones, Digital 2024 shows that active social media user identities have passed the 5 billion mark (5.04 billion), equivalent to 62.3 percent of the world’s population. The global total increased by 266 million over the past year – an annual growth of 5.6 percent.

The typical social media user now spends 2 hours and 23 minutes per day on their social platforms of choice, and uses 6.7 platforms each month. TikTok has the highest average time per Android user of any social platform globally, with an impressive 34 hours per month – while second and third place belong to YouTube and Instagram respectively. .

Digital 2024 shows that 16.5 percent of internet users between the ages of 16 and 64 consider Instagram their most loved platform, pushing WhatsApp into second place with 16.1 percent.

Digital 2024 is a 550+ page report that covers data points from across the entire online ecosystem, from social media to smart devices, gaming to social commerce.

Other key highlights from the report include:

• The typical internet user now spends 6 hours and 40 minutes online each day – up by 3 minutes per day, or 1 percent, year-on-year.
• Facebook – which celebrates its 20th birthday on 4th February – grew its global ad reach by more than 200 million over the past 12 months, delivering year-on-year growth of 10.5 percent.
• LinkedIn, Snapchat, WeChat, and Pinterest all reported strong user growth year-on-year.
• Digital ad spend grew by 10 percent year-on-year, with almost $720 billion spent on digital ads in 2023.
• Social ad spend increased by 9.3 percent to USD $207 billion, and investment in influencer activities increased by 17 percent.
• The typical internet user now spends 17 minutes per day less watching TV content than they did this time last year – a decline of 8.2 percent year-on-year.
• In a rich analysis of TikTok hashtags, Digital 2024 reports that TikToks tagged with #fyp (for your page) have amassed a total of 55½ trillion views – making it the platform’s top hashtag.

The typical social media user now spends 2 hours and 23 minutes per day on their social platforms of choice and uses 6.7 platforms each month.

About Meltwater

Meltwater empowers companies with a suite of solutions that spans media, social, consumer and sales intelligence. By analyzing ~1 billion pieces of content each day and transforming them into vital insights, Meltwater unlocks the competitive edge to drive results.

About We Are Social

A global socially-led creative agency, with unrivalled social media expertise. With over 1,300 people in 19 offices around the world, it delivers a global perspective to their clients in a time when social media is shaping culture.

(This article was adapted from a press release)