New knowledge in Pew Analysis Heart’s 2025 survey reveals how People use on-line platforms, how these patterns are shifting, and what this implies for manufacturers aiming to strengthen digital engagement. Use behaviours various sharply by age, gender, race and ethnicity, schooling, and political affiliation, so advertising and marketing determination makers ought to adapt their methods to match the altering panorama. This text distils some insights and interprets them into sensible actions for advertising and marketing groups.
Platform dominance and total use
The information confirms that YouTube and Fb stay the 2 essential social media platforms amongst US adults, with 84% utilizing YouTube and 71% utilizing Fb. Instagram is the one different platform with use by at the very least half of adults (50%). In the meantime, TikTok (37%), WhatsApp (32%), Reddit (26%), Snapchat, and X have extra modest however significant consumer bases.
Motion factors for entrepreneurs
- Allocate advert spend proportionally: Guarantee YouTube and Fb stay core pillars of your paid technique, given their broad attain.
- Put money into vertical content material on Instagram and TikTok for youthful and extra engaged audiences.
- Diversify for area of interest communities: Think about Reddit and WhatsApp for segmented campaigns and community-led campaigns.
Progress tendencies in platforms
4 platforms – TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Reddit – have proven notable development not too long ago. TikTok use has risen from 21% in 2021 to 37% in 2025; WhatsApp has climbed from 23% to 32%; Reddit from 18% to 26%. YouTube and Fb stay secure on the high, however aren’t rising in attain.
Motion factors
- Manufacturers focusing on youthful or extra digitally dynamic audiences ought to improve funding in TikTok and Instagram.
- WhatsApp and Reddit can be utilized to experiment with conversational advertising and marketing or interest-based outreach.
- Presence on Fb and YouTube ought to proceed.
Age-based variations in platform use
Age is the strongest determinant of platform alternative. Underneath 30’s are extra doubtless to make use of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Reddit, with 80% of 18-29 year-olds utilizing Instagram in contrast with simply 19% of these 65+. YouTube and Fb are the one platforms utilized by a majority in all age teams.
Motion factors
- For Gen Z and millennials, concentrate on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Reddit; Fb and YouTube for Gen X and Boomers.
- Adapt tone and elegance: Youthful audiences count on authenticity and humour; older audiences need worth and readability.
Variations in gender, race, ethnicity, schooling
Girls are extra doubtless than males to make use of Fb, Instagram, and TikTok, whereas males are within the majority on Reddit and X. Racial and ethnic variations are notable: Hispanic, Asian, and Black adults are extra doubtless than White adults to make use of Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp. Adults with a better stage of schooling use Reddit, WhatsApp, and Instagram at above-average charges.
Motion factors
- Localise messaging for multicultural audiences: WhatsApp and Instagram must be core channels for culturally focused messaging.
- Get gender-informed: TikTok and Instagram for campaigns focusing on ladies; Reddit for male-oriented segments.
Political segmentation and platform desire
Political affiliation influences platform use: the Left leans towards WhatsApp, Reddit, TikTok, Bluesky, and Threads, whereas Republicans are extra doubtless to make use of X and Fact Social. Though X use has shifted politically over time, the platform nonetheless performs a definite albeit baneful function within the social ecosystem.
Motion factors
- Deploy political-segmentation cautiously: For manufacturers participating in civic or issue-based promoting, platform alternative can considerably affect reception. So, if a model operates in policy-adjacent sectors (finance, power, healthcare), adapt your media combine based on platform demographics.
Each day use and engagement frequency
Each day engagement varies broadly in platforms. Round half of US adults go to Fb and YouTube day by day, with significantly excessive depth on Fb (37% a number of instances a day). TikTok boasts 24% day by day use, particularly amongst under-30s. X’s day by day use is much decrease at 10%. Youthful adults are considerably extra lively day by day on YouTube and TikTok, whereas middle-aged customers are essentially the most frequent day by day guests to Fb/Meta.
Motion factors
- Prioritise high-frequency platforms for always-on content material: Fb and YouTube for constant visibility.
- TikTok for peak engagement: Brief-form, time-sensitive content material performs nicely with youthful, day by day customers.
- Fb audiences desire fewer, extra invaluable posts; youthful TikTok audiences count on fast, trend-led content material.
What the findings imply for advertising and marketing leaders
The social media setting wants agility. Customers’ digital behaviour is fragmented alongside demographic and cultural strains. Advertising leaders ought to decide to a diversified channel portfolio, phase their markets, and experiment with rising platforms (Threads, Bluesky, and area of interest communities), significantly the place early adopters collect.
It’s necessary to think about content material codecs based on age group, prioritising short-form video for youthful audiences, and value-focused codecs for older ones.
Briefly, demographic variations are strategic alternatives, not tactical particulars.
(Picture supply: “Speeches, London Copyfighters’ Drunken Brunch and Speaking Store speeches at Audio system’ Nook, Hyde Park, London” by gruntzooki is licensed underneath CC BY-SA 2.0.)
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