In surveying smartphone users to understand how they use social media, a recent survey found close to 90 percent use Facebook every day. The platform is a clear leader, with Instagram (also owned by Facebook) coming in second at 49 percent. Meanwhile, 48 percent of smartphone users reported using YouTube everyday , 32 percent in the case of Snapchat and 31 percent for Twitter.
The survey has some very insightful data for understanding how social media apps are being used across all demographics. With this data, small businesses can engage with their audience at the right time and on the right platform with the content they are more likely to consume.
For small businesses looking to increase their social media presence and engagement, knowing when and who is more likely to respond to your marketing effort will yield better ROI.
Riley Panko, Senior Writer at small business information platform The Manifest, which conducted the survey, highlighted the importance of understanding how social media apps perform. In the report, Panko explains, “Understanding how social media apps succeed is important for any business seeking to build an app that requires user interaction.”
The survey questioned 511 smartphone owners who use at least three different apps every day to find out how they are using social media apps and what features and designs keep them coming back. The demographics of the group surveyed included 72 percent females and 28 percent males with ages split as follows: 18 to 24-years-old (15 percent), 25 to 34 (28 percent), 35 to 44 (21 percent), 45 to 54 (18 percent), 55 to 64 (12 percent) and 65 and over (5 percent).
Mobile Social Media App Statistics
By far, Facebook was the most popular social media platform with 87 percent of the respondents. When the data was broken down into age groups, Facebook continued to do well, with 85 percent of millennials and 93 percent of Baby Boomers saying they used the site daily on mobile.
Once they are on their favorite social media app, 35 percent spend 10 to 20 minutes while 34 percent said they use it equally throughout the day. When looking at times, 30 percent preferred evening use, 22 percent preferred afternoons and 14 percent liked mornings.
The most popular activities for mobile app users include consuming and interacting with content. Panko points out the survey results mirror the so-called “90-9-1” rule of social media, suggesting users consume content 90 percent of the time, interact with it 9 percent of the time and only share it 1 percent of the time. The survey data also reveals the percentage of people who actively participate and publish content, a mere 1 percent.
As to the type of content, 72 percent of users consume news on social media apps, with 64 percent searching for this content on Facebook, 11 percent doing so on Twitter and just 10 percent doing so on YouTube.
Applying the Data to Small Business
The report concludes by saying, “The majority of the time app users are only consuming, liking and favoriting content, as opposed to creating content themselves.”
If you are able to create the right content for your audience, you will get more eyes on your page, giving you a better chance for further engagement.
Images: The Manifest