Social Media User Stats in the UK 2017
By the end of the decade, it’s expected that nearly 3 billion people will be using social media in one form or another. Whether you’re a Facebook aficionado, a Snapchat enthusiast or prefer the professional edge of LinkedIn, there’s no denying that these platforms provide businesses with powerful tools for customer engagement and brand awareness.
Social Media User Stats in the UK 2017: An Overview
Facebook UK Users
Facebook remains the leading social media platform for users in the UK, with around 33 million active users. It’s a staple for many and continues to dominate across demographics.
- User Demographics: The split between male and female users remains close to 50-50 in the UK, with a slight global skew towards more women. The largest age group is 25-34, making up 26% of users.
- Daily Engagement: 76% of UK Facebook users visit their timeline daily.
- Video Impact: Since the introduction of Facebook Live, video viewing has surged by 700%. Users engage with live content three times longer than with standard video.
- Top Discussion Topics: Family matters, friend interactions, outdoor activities and food are the most popular subjects.
Twitter UK Users
With approximately 20 million active users in the UK and 328 million worldwide, Twitter is the most popular social messaging platform after Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
- Age Demographics: 64% of users fall within the 18-29 age range.
- Income Stats: 62% of users have a household income exceeding £48,000 per year.
- Usage Insights: Just 1% of users are responsible for 20% of all Twitter posts.
- Mobile Access: 80% of users access Twitter via their smartphones.
- Brand Interaction: Nearly 75% of users have a favourable view of a brand when it responds personally, but 60% expect a quick reply, typically within an hour.
- Engagement with Media: Tweets with images see 18% more click-throughs and 150% higher retweet rates.
YouTube UK Users
YouTube continues to reign as the leading video-sharing platform, boasting over 1.5 billion global users. It’s more popular among men (62%) than women (38%).
- Age Demographics: 49% of viewership comes from the 25-44 age group.
- Popular Content: Music remains the most searched category, accounting for 789 million searches worldwide.
- Video Marketing: Half of online marketers believe video offers the best return on investment (ROI).
- Engagement Tip: Videos shorter than 2 minutes typically receive the highest engagement.
- Shareability: Social video content generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined.
Pinterest UK Users
Pinterest has about 150 million users globally, with an estimated 5% of the UK’s online population on the platform. It’s evolved to attract a younger audience, with over half now aged between 18-29.
- User Base: 60% of users are women, although male user numbers are growing.
- User Intent: Two-thirds of users join to express creativity.
- Shopping Influence: 50% of online shoppers visit Pinterest for inspiration, and 30% make purchases after searching the platform.
- Business Insights: Only 10,000 businesses globally use Pinterest’s Buyable Pins, but promoted pins are seven times more effective at driving purchases than traditional marketing.
Instagram UK Users
The UK’s active user base on Instagram is between 14-20 million, while the global figure is 800 million. Despite its potential, Instagram is sometimes overlooked by smaller businesses due to its lack of direct sharing features and competition from Snapchat.
- Age Demographics: Almost 90% of users are between 18 and 49.
- Engagement Boost: Adding a single hashtag can increase engagement by 12.9%.
- Video vs. Photos: Videos receive twice the engagement of photos.
- Best Time to Post: Wednesday at 5pm sees the highest engagement rates.
- Daily Use: Half of Instagram’s users log in every day.
Google+ UK Users
Despite multiple revamps, Google+ struggles to compete with platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Although it boasts 2.2 billion registered users worldwide, only 9% actively post content.
- UK Demographics: 70% of users are aged 18-34, and 70% are men.
- User Purpose: 54% log in to keep in touch with friends and 42% engage with brand content.
- Engagement: Average time spent on Google+ is just 7 minutes per month.
- SEO Benefit: Content shared on Google+ can help improve search engine ranking.
LinkedIn UK Users
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals, with 20 million users in the UK. It’s particularly popular for B2B networking and job searching, though only 20% opt for a premium account.
- Profile Tip: Including a headshot makes your profile 21 times more likely to be viewed.
- Demographics: 56% of users are men, 44% women.
- Growth: The fastest-growing demographic is students and recent graduates.
- Mobile Access: 60% of users access LinkedIn via mobile.
- Average Usage: Users spend around 17 minutes per month on LinkedIn.
- B2B Value: Nearly 80% of marketers see LinkedIn as a prime source for B2B leads.
Snapchat UK Users
Snapchat’s popularity continues to rise, particularly among younger demographics. Although exact user numbers for the UK are not disclosed, 71% of users are under 34, and 45% fall between 18 and 24. Users under 25 spend an average of 40 minutes daily on the platform, more than on Instagram.
- Gender Split: 70% of users are women.
- Content Type: 65% of users share images, with selfies being the most popular.
- Market Penetration: 25% of mobile phone users are on Snapchat.
- Stories Feature: Half of Snapchat users utilise the Stories function.
- Usage Reasons: 37% use the platform for creativity, 27% to keep in touch with friends and family, and 23% find it easier than texting.
Social Media User Stats in the UK 2017
These statistics from 2017 highlight the diverse landscape of social media usage in the UK, providing valuable insights for businesses aiming to refine their social media marketing strategies.
