Social Media Market: Statistics and Growth Trends

This article was written by our expert who is surveying the industry and constantly updating the business plan for a social network.

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The Dojo Business Team

A team of financial experts, consultants, and writers

We're a team of finance experts, consultants, market analysts, and specialized writers dedicated to helping new entrepreneurs launch their businesses. We help you avoid costly mistakes by providing detailed business plans, accurate market studies, and reliable financial forecasts to maximize your chances of success from day one—especially in the social network market.

What is the current global market size of social media (revenue and users)?

The global social media market in 2025 is about $307–$341 billion in annual revenue and 5.24–5.41 billion active users.

This equals roughly 68% of the world’s population using at least one platform each month and confirms a very large audience for any new social network business.

Revenue sits mainly in advertising, while creator subscriptions and payments remain smaller but growing parts of the mix.

Founders should size their TAM by segment (ads, creator tools, social commerce) and by target region before defining monetization rails.

You’ll find detailed market insights in our social network business plan, updated every quarter.

How fast will the social media market grow in the next five years (CAGR)?

Global social media revenue is expected to grow at about 13%–16.8% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.

Within the stack, social media management and tooling are projected to grow faster at ~21%–22% CAGR, reflecting demand from brands and creators.

By 2029–2030, aggregate revenue could reach the low- to mid-$600 billions in bullish scenarios, with upside concentrated in mobile video and performance formats.

Growth planning for a social network business should map to these pockets (short-form video, creator monetization, and retail integrations).

Get expert guidance and actionable steps inside our social network business plan.

Which regions and countries grow the fastest in adoption and revenue?

Asia-Pacific leads by share and growth, followed by North America and Europe, with strong momentum in South America and Africa.

Penetration is highest in markets like the UAE and Western Europe/US, while growth headroom is larger in India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa.

What are the latest demographic breakdowns (age, gender, income)?

Usage peaks among 16–34, with 16–24 using the most platforms monthly; gender gaps have narrowed and vary by platform and region.

Higher adoption rates occur in urban and higher-income segments, especially in North America and East Asia, though mass-market growth is mobile-led in emerging regions.

How much time do people spend on social media daily, and how is this changing?

Average daily time is about 2 hours 21 minutes in 2025, with short-form video driving incremental minutes.

Gen Z spends the most time and uses the most platforms; TikTok’s frequent users approach ~34 hours per month, while YouTube and Instagram also command long sessions.

Time-spent gains concentrate in vertical video and immersive discovery feeds rather than static feeds or desktop usage.

For a social network business, prioritize features that maximize session starts (notifications, remix prompts) and session depth (creator tools, watch-next).

We cover this exact topic in the social network business plan.

Which platforms dominate by users, engagement, and revenue?

A handful of platforms lead at scale—Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat—while X and Telegram serve specific segments.

Leaders combine massive reach with strong ad rails and deep creator ecosystems; engagement leadership increasingly mirrors strength in short-form video and live content.

What is the share of mobile vs. desktop usage, and how is this evolving?

Mobile accounts for well over 90% of access and a growing share of total time-spent across major platforms.

Mobile-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram are almost entirely accessed via smartphones, while Facebook keeps a meaningful but shrinking desktop base.

How important is advertising in revenue, and what are the spending trends?

Advertising is the dominant revenue source for social media and continues to expand in mobile and video formats.

Global social media ad spending keeps rising, helped by performance objectives, better attribution, and creator-led ad units.

Creator subscriptions, tipping, and premium/no-ads tiers are growing but still a smaller slice compared with ads.

New social networks should build privacy-safe targeting, conversion APIs, and creator ad products early to unlock ARPU.

This is one of the strategies explained in our social network business plan.

Which emerging technologies (AI, AR/VR, blockchain) shape platform evolution?

• Generative AI: accelerates creation (auto-editing, scripts, dubbing) and increases content supply; requires robust detection and moderation.
• Recommendation AI: strengthens relevance and retention via multimodal models; demands transparent controls to preserve trust.
• AR/VR: early but growing (lenses, immersive rooms); monetization nascent yet promising for brand activations and virtual goods.
• Blockchain/Web3: experiments in identity, creator ownership, and decentralized social graphs; adoption uneven and compliance-sensitive.
• Safety Tech: AI-driven policy enforcement, age-gating, and provenance signals to meet regulatory and brand-safety requirements.

How are short-form video platforms and features reshaping engagement and growth?

Short-form video is the leading driver of engagement and incremental time-spent in 2025.

TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts concentrate creator energy with easy editing, remixing, and algorithmic discovery that reduce follower-dependence.

Advertisers shift budgets to skippable and creator-led formats, lifting e-commerce conversion and app-install performance.

New social networks should prioritize short-video creation and remix primitives, strong audio libraries, and brand-safe ad placements.

It’s a key part of what we outline in the social network business plan.

What are the main challenges (regulation, privacy, user trust)?

• Regulation & Compliance: privacy laws (e.g., GDPR/DSA-style), age-appropriate design, and platform liability increase operating complexity.
• Trust & Safety: misinformation, harassment, and deepfakes require scalable detection, appeals, and transparency reports.
• Data & Targeting: signal loss post-ATT/cookies demands server-side APIs and consent-centric measurement.
• Competition: incumbents copy features quickly; differentiation must be structural (graph, format, or utility).
• Monetization Pressure: balancing ad load with user experience and creator payouts is a constant trade-off.

Which industries are driving the fastest growth in social media marketing and ads?

Retail/e-commerce, consumer goods, entertainment, finance, healthcare, and travel are top ad spenders on social platforms.

Performance-driven verticals (retail, apps, DTC) push video and creator formats, while brand verticals (CPG, entertainment) lean on reach and sponsorships.

Finserv and healthcare require higher compliance and brand-safety standards but deliver strong ARPU when addressed well.

New social networks can win by offering vertical-specific formats (e.g., catalog feeds, shoppable live, HIPAA/PCI-aware flows).

This is one of the many elements we break down in the social network business plan.

What is the share of mobile versus desktop usage across major platforms, and how is it evolving?

Mobile usage is already dominant and growing across all leading platforms, while desktop is consolidating into pro/brand workflows.

Mobile-first creation and consumption patterns are reinforcing vertical video, live, and social commerce—key for new social network businesses.

Founders should build native apps first, then layer desktop dashboards for creators, advertisers, and community managers.

Device-aware ad formats and low-bandwidth streaming optimizations are critical to maximize reach and ROI.

This is one of the strategies explained in our social network business plan.

How significant is short-form video in ad growth and user behavior?

Short-form video now leads both engagement and ad growth on social platforms.

Its algorithmic discovery reduces the need for large follower graphs, helping new creators win quickly and keeping feeds fresh.

Advertisers favor short video for attention capture and measurable outcomes, especially in mobile app growth and retail performance.

New social networks should architect ranking, safety, and commerce rails specifically for short-video virality and brand suitability.

We cover this exact topic in the social network business plan.

What are the best-fit monetization models for a new social network in 2025?

Ads remain core, but diversified revenue—creator subscriptions, tipping, and commerce—improves resilience.

Performance video, creator marketplace fees, and social commerce take-rates can stack into healthy blended ARPU if built privacy-first.

Premium tiers (ad-light or ad-free) and verification bundles add incremental margin but require clear value.

Map monetization to your core format from day one, and test aggressively with cohort-level LTV/CAC tracking.

Get expert guidance and actionable steps inside our social network business plan.

Conclusion

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. We accept no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.

Sources

1. DataReportal – Social Media Users
2. Statista – Digital Population Worldwide
3. Statista – Social Media Advertising Outlook
4. StatCounter – Social Media Stats
5. We Are Social – Global Digital Report 2025
6. Research and Markets – Social Media Market Report
7. Fortune Business Insights – Social Media Management Market
8. Smart Insights – New Global Social Media Research
9. Grand View Research – Social Media Management
10. Statista – Networks Ranked by Users