1. What were the top three social media sites, in terms of traffic, in 2022–23?
In 2022–23, the three most popular social media sites in the world, based on traffic and active users, were Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp. Facebook remained the largest platform overall, with billions of monthly active users across nearly every country. YouTube ranked second, serving as both a social platform and a global video search engine with over two billion monthly users. WhatsApp came in third, dominating as a social messaging platform that connects billions of users daily through chat, calls, and media sharing. Although TikTok showed explosive growth, the overall traffic and user base of Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp still placed them at the top during 2022–23.
2. How does each of the top social media sites work, and why do people use them?
Facebook operates as a full-featured social networking platform where users create profiles, connect with friends and family, share photos, videos, posts, and participate in community groups or business pages. People use it to stay connected, share life events, discover local happenings, and even shop via Facebook Marketplace. YouTube functions primarily as a video-sharing platform that allows users to upload, watch, comment on, and subscribe to content creators. Users turn to YouTube for entertainment, education, and self-expression, as it offers everything from music videos to instructional content. WhatsApp, on the other hand, is a mobile-based messaging service focused on instant communication through text, voice, and video. It’s favored for its reliability, encryption, and ability to reach users across the globe instantly. Together, these platforms serve different yet overlapping social needs — connection, information, and communication.
3. What are demographics, and why are they important in social media?
Demographics refer to the statistical characteristics of populations, such as age, gender, education level, income, location, and occupation. In social media, demographics are critical because they help businesses, marketers, and content creators understand who uses each platform and how to best reach those users. Knowing the demographic breakdown allows organizations to design targeted advertisements and campaigns that appeal to specific groups, whether by age, gender, or interests. It also helps social media platforms refine their features and algorithms to serve their core audiences better. Simply put, demographics are essential because they explain who is using social media and why those users engage the way they do.
4. Which demographics stand out among the three leading social media sites?
The user demographics of Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp differ in meaningful ways. Facebook continues to attract a wide range of users but has become more popular among adults aged 30 and older, as younger users increasingly migrate toward other platforms like TikTok or Instagram. YouTube, on the other hand, maintains a broad demographic appeal that cuts across all age groups, with its largest segment between 25 and 34 years old and a slightly higher percentage of male users globally. It is also extremely popular among U.S. teens, with more than 90% reporting they use the platform. WhatsApp’s demographics vary by region — it dominates in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, where users of all ages rely on it as their primary communication tool. Across all three platforms, mobile-first younger adults represent the most active participants, while Facebook continues to engage an older demographic base.
5. How much time do users spend on each of these social media platforms?
On average, people worldwide spend over two hours per day on social media, though the time varies by platform. Data from 2022–23 show that the global average user spends approximately two hours and twenty minutes daily across all platforms. YouTube users often spend close to 45 minutes to an hour per day watching videos, given the platform’s immersive nature. Facebook users average around 30 to 35 minutes per day browsing posts, stories, and groups, while WhatsApp users check messages throughout the day but generally spend less total time in one sitting. According to Smart Insights and Soax (2023), the global average across platforms is around 143 minutes per day, showing just how central social media use has become to daily life.
6. Which of the three social media networks is growing the fastest, and why?
Among Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, YouTube is currently experiencing the fastest growth in terms of both user numbers and engagement levels. Its success is largely driven by the global shift toward video content — users prefer short-form and long-form videos for entertainment, learning, and even shopping. YouTube’s ability to appeal across generations, combined with its accessibility on nearly every type of device, has helped it sustain strong growth even as other platforms plateau. WhatsApp continues to grow rapidly in emerging markets where mobile internet adoption is accelerating, while Facebook’s growth has slowed, particularly in North America and Europe. In short, YouTube’s flexible content ecosystem and dominance in video consumption make it the fastest-growing among the three, while WhatsApp grows steadily thanks to mobile messaging demand.
7. How are most users accessing these social media platforms?
The majority of users access Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp through mobile devices rather than desktop or tablet computers. Mobile phones now account for over 90% of all social media access worldwide. For example, roughly 63% of YouTube’s watch time comes from mobile devices, and WhatsApp is almost exclusively mobile-based. Facebook, although available on computers, is primarily accessed through its mobile app in most countries. The convenience, portability, and increasing affordability of smartphones have made them the dominant medium for social media engagement globally. This shift to mobile has influenced not only how people connect and consume content but also how platforms design their interfaces and advertising models.