Social media has been changing and evolving for years. Look back to the days of MySpace, before Facebook even existed. Then Facebook stole the popularity, Twitter was growing in numbers and those were the only two platforms a social media user would name. Instagram came along placing emphasis on pictures being shared. Soon, Snapchat shocked everyone, launching a platform unlike to any other. Now, live video is taking over and platforms are constantly adjusting.
On this very day, we’re taking a snapshot of what’s happening in social media so years from now we can look back and reflect on how things have changed.
Who is using social media?
The Pew Research Center found that 86% of those aged 18 through 29 are social media users. In regards to those aged 30 through 49, 80% are on social media. Moving up to those 50 through 64, 64% are social media users and of those 65 and older, 34% are on social media.
According to Pew Research Center, about one-half of Instagram users and three-quarters of Facebook users visit those platforms at least once a day.
Who is skipping YouTube Ads?
In December 2016, LaunchLeap found out that 59% of U.S. millennial internet users skip YouTube ads as soon as possible. However, a good amount of those users, 29% to be exact, watch YouTube ads all the way through. This goes to show that if your ad is compelling enough, people will see it.
Who is using Instagram stories?
It is no secret that Instagram had a huge 2016. The platform now has over 600 million users. In the last six months of 2016, over 100 million users joined Instagram. They launched Instagram Stories, allowing instant and direct sharing of photos and video that expire in time. They also launched a direct messaging function and gave their users the ability to go LIVE on the app!
Are marketers using Snapchat?
Of all marketers, 64% have a Snapchat account but only 67% of those accounts are active, according to a report from research firm L2. They tracked 427 brands in a variety of categories for a total of ten months to monitor their activity. So despite being on Snapchat, some marketers aren’t using it as their way to reach customers.
Who is seeing Facebook Ads?
Facebook Audience Network is reporting serving ads to one billion people…each month. That’s a lot of eyeballs on a lot of ads! They noted that this is primarily a mobile audience, going to show that people are much more likely to be seeing your ads on their phone than they are to on their laptops.
If you’re looking to keep up with what is happening right now in social media for your business based on this information, make sure you take the following steps. First, know the difference between Snapchat stories and Instagram stories. Then master the basics of creating a Facebook ad. Lastly, check out the most important social media trends of 2016, as they will pave the way as we step into a new year of social media growth!
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