Social media marketing worldwide - statistics & facts

Social media marketing usage and metrics

According to a recent survey, social media was among the three most popular digital marketing channels worldwide in 2020, with 83 percent of responding marketing specialists using it as part of their digital campaigns. When asked about the main benefits of social media marketing, increased exposure, traffic, and lead generation were listed by a majority of surveyed marketing experts, while direct communication between brands and consumers is another invaluable advantage. In early 2021, the average global online shopping order value that stemmed from social media platforms grew to reach 81 U.S. dollars. While this figure was significantly lower than the order value referred through search or e-mail, its growth highlights the vast potential of social media as a commercial playing field. There were an estimated one billion social media ad impressions in early 2021, and while the click-through rate (CTR) of social media ads has not increased since the 2020 holiday season, technological advances and ongoing personalization and targeting efforts will likely make brand discovery and shopping on social media even more appealing in the future.

What are the top social media marketing platforms?

Facebook was voted the leading social media platform for marketing in 2021. Roughly 93 percent of surveyed marketing experts stated that they used the site for promotional purposes, which comes as no surprise, considering Facebook’s extensive global user base. Another social media platform that has turned into a lucrative marketing destination is Instagram. The Facebook-owned app allows businesses to promote their products and services through various formats, ranging from photos and tags to Stories and Reels. Users can easily be forwarded to brand websites or an integrated shopping tab, highlighting the platform’s increased focus on brand cooperation. Instagram has also propelled the influencer marketing movement, with more creators now partnering with brands than ever before. That said, an ever-increasing share of companies also turns to TikTok to boost brand exposure and tap into current trends. TikTok is one of the fastest-growing brands worldwide, and seeing that social media marketers always look for ways to connect and communicate with consumers, an app with impressive download and engagement figures can just do the trick.

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