Published 2027
Some businesses still treat social media as a “nice extra” rather than a core part of how they reach customers. The numbers tell a different story: social media is now one of the largest, most consistently used communication channels on the planet — and your customers are already there.
The scale, by the numbers
- 5.66 billion people are active on social media globally in 2027 — roughly 68% of the entire world’s population.
- 93% of the world’s internet users use social media every month, with the average person visiting 6–7 different platforms.
- People spend an average of 2 hours and 21 minutes per day on social media across platforms.
- 72.3% of online audiences use social media to research brands before making a purchase.
- Facebook remains the largest platform at over 3 billion monthly active users, while Instagram has also crossed the 3 billion mark, and TikTok has grown past 1.5 billion users globally.
Why “already there” matters more than reach alone
The relevance of social media isn’t just about how many people use it — it’s about where they use it in the buying process. Nearly three-quarters of shoppers now research brands on social platforms before buying, and a growing share use platforms like Instagram and TikTok as their primary product search tool instead of a traditional search engine. If your business isn’t visible and active where that research happens, you’re invisible at exactly the moment a customer is deciding whether to trust you.
The takeaway
Social media has moved well past being a marketing add-on. It’s a core channel for discovery, trust-building, and customer research — often before a customer ever visits your website. Businesses that treat it as essential infrastructure, not an afterthought, are the ones showing up when it counts.
Not sure where to start — or what’s working?
Every business’s ideal social media presence looks a little different depending on your industry and audience. Click here to get in touch for a free consultation, and we’ll help you figure out exactly where your customers are spending their time and how to show up there effectively.