Social Media 6 mins read

10 Social Media Statistics for 2022

Social media is an often overlooked means of marketing – especially by managers who are comfortable with more traditional techniques. As of this year, 92% of brands are using social media marketing to increase brand awareness, create stronger customer relationships, and generate leads.

If your brand is lagging in adopting social media as a marketing strategy, it’s time to adapt. We’ve compiled a list of ten social media statistics for 2022 that will help guide your social media strategy. Hint: use these to convince upper management of its value!

 

User-Based Social Media Statistics

1) There are 3.96 billion social media users worldwide–and that number is continuing to grow. (Oberlo)

This statistic signals a clear opportunity for social media marketing opportunities, as consumers continue to grow their social media usage. This number has increased about 39% since 2017, with an average annual growth rate of 6.7%. While this growth is expected to plateau slightly by 2025, consumers will continue to rely on social media to engage with brands.

 

2) The average social media user spends 2 hours and 25 minutes on social networks and messaging daily! (GWI)

Why is that significant? Well, there are 24 hours in a day and let’s assume 8 of them are spent sleeping. That leaves us with 16 active hours, 8 of which are often spent at work. We can infer that most people are engaged on social media for almost 30% of their free time. 

And yes, we know most people are scrolling during working hours, and very few people are getting 8 hours of sleep, which makes this number even higher.

The takeaway? If your brand is on social media and you’ve taken the time to build an audience of potential customers, they are available to see your content multiple times a day, each day.

 

 

3) 54% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials consider social media to be the top influence channel (over websites, email communication, and phone calls). (Pitney Bowes)

While Gen X and Baby Boomers still place a high value on email, phone communication, and website details, Millennials and Gen Z are placing more emphasis on social media channels. As a parallel, these are the same generations placing high importance on insights from influencer marketing campaigns

The reason is simple: social media is a more convenient sales channel. Most people are on social media at least once during the day, so why shouldn’t their shopping experiences be integrated with that time? For Gen Z in particular, convenience is a top goal.

 

Social Media Statistics on Customer Service Engagement

4) 76% of US consumers expect brands to respond to their social media messages within a day of reaching out. (Sprout Social)

A majority of customers who engage with brands on social media expect a same-day response. This is an important use of social media marketing, as meeting or exceeding this customer expectation can lead to increased brand trust and bigger sales. What’s just as important as customer service calls or emails? Catching them as close to the moment of consideration as possible.

Here’s where your brand can set itself above competitors: less than 25% of brands across all industries respond to customer inquiries on social media at all.  

 

messaging businesses on social media

 

5) Answering a complaint on social media can increase customer advocacy by 25%. (Convince and Convert)

Quick responses on social media result in more loyal customers. Across channels, customers are more likely to stick with a brand long-term when their service expectations are met. The best way to guarantee repeat customers and brand advocacy are with consistent and attentive customer management.

 

 

Statistics on Creating Authenticity with Social Media

6) 90% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands they will support. (Nosto)

Authenticity is a common thread in our recommendations for social media-engaged brands. It’s especially relevant when growing your audience, appealing to new customers, and working with influencers. Authenticity is important for almost 100% of social media consumers. Brands should use their social channels to demonstrate authentic experiences with their products or service and use consistent customer communication to enhance authentic relationships.

 

 

7) 51% of consumers say less than half of brands create content that resonates as authentic. (Nosto)

Here lies another opportunity to set your brand apart from the competition. Take a look at what other brands in your industry are posting across their social media channels and evaluate it objectively on its authenticity. Use these findings to increase the authenticity of your own content.

Social media users are savvy and they can sniff out authenticity (or lack thereof) from sales pitches with ease. This is especially important when deciding what type of content creator to work with for influencer campaigns. Knowing your target audience, your customer’s needs, and the way they interact with social accounts can exponentially help guide an authentic content plan.

 

Statistics Regarding Social Media’s Effect on Leads or Sales

8) 66% of marketers list lead generation and 57% list improved sales as benefits of social media marketing. (Social Media Examiner)

While increased exposure and traffic are listed as the top two benefits of social media marketing, lead generation and sales follow closely behind, according to Social Media Examiner’s 2022 Social Media Marketing Industry Report.

 

 

9) 79% of people say that user-generated content on social media significantly impacts their purchasing decisions. (Stackla)

What’s more authentic than content created by users who are actually interacting with your brand? We’re big advocates of influencer marketing, but user-generated content (UGC) can be utilized organically by your brand as well. 

An example of this could be reposting photos that feature or tag your brand’s social handle. Another example would be to create content using real customer reviews and encouraging customers to interact with your product while using branded hashtags. Increased UGC (when shown positively) can lead to an increase in leads.

 

 

10) Consumers are six times more likely to make a purchase from a product page that includes pictures from social media. (Sprout Social)

Here’s where cross-channel content is so important. UGC, customer reviews, and social shares should be integrated into your website to maximize purchase probability from customers. Creating a strong social media presence is great, but it may fall flat if your brand’s other channels aren’t reflecting some of that content. Think of social media content as a tool that makes your job as a marketer easier by finding ways to create cross-channel harmony.

Here’s an example from retail giant, Target, for a women’s clothing product page. As part of their review section, actual customer images are shown to give the customer the social proof they need to convert and purchase the item.

social media images on product pages

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About the author

Alexa Parker launched Crimson Park Digital in 2018 with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for digital marketing. With nearly ten years in the industry, she's been fortunate to learn from the best mentors, work on inspiring campaigns, and fine-tune her craft. Now, along with my team, she provides expertise to clients across the country and enjoys every day of it.