However, if you already have a presence on Pinterest, your own Pinterest analytics can be even more important than platform statistics. According to Sprout Social’s Index, 60% of organizations are using their own social data on a daily basis to help make informed decisions.

Throughout this article we’ll cover Pinterest statistics from all categories: usage data, user statistics, demographics and more.

Table of contents

• Pinterest stats every marketer should know
• Pinterest user statistics
• Pinterest usage statistics
• Pinterest audience and demographics statistics
• Pinterest advertising and marketing statistics
• Pinterest traffic and engagement stats
• Pinterest stats for business

Pinterest stats every marketer should know

1. Pinterest is the 15th most-used social media platform

When it comes to users, Pinterest is the 15th most popular social media platform worldwide. The first four are, of course, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram.

While Pinterest may not be as giant as some of the other social media platforms, that doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. In fact, we have one compelling reason to have a presence on Pinterest as our next stat.

2. 45% of US users have an income of over $100k

Pinterest is a platform that’s perfectly poised for social commerce. Because nearly half of the platform’s users have an annual income of over $100,000, they’re ready to buy when they browse the platform for products.

3. Pinterest generated $877 million in revenue in Q4 of 2022

Pinterest’s Q4 is often its best quarter of each year, with it outperforming the first three quarters of the next year for the last three years in a row. The platform also generated $2.5 billion in revenue throughout the whole of 2021.

Pinterest is a profitable platform, which means it’s likely a stable platform. It’s a good idea to invest in a Pinterest marketing strategy so you can take advantage of this platform.

4. Pinterest has the highest ACSI score

ACSI is the American Customer Satisfaction Index. And from July 2021 to June 2022 Pinterest had the highest score with 76/100, tied only with YouTube. It’s good to hear that a platform you’re investing time (and potentially ad money) into has a highly satisfied user base.

Pinterest user statistics

5. Pinterest has 450 million monthly active users

Pinterest has nearly half a billion monthly active users. This is a small fraction of Facebook’s nearly 3 billion users, but Pinterest is steadily growing year after year (we have a stat for that, too).

6. Pinterest sees a 7.5% year-over-year growth

Pinterest has a healthy growth rate of 7.5% each year. It’s the third fastest-growing platform right now, behind Snapchat and LinkedIn. Facebook is still growing, but at a rate of 1.6% each year, and YouTube and Instagram are both losing users.

7. 84.6 million users are located in the U.S.

If you run a U.S.-based business, Pinterest might be a great option for you. The U.S. audience is by far Pinterest’s largest, with 84.6 million of its 450 million users located in the U.S. (18.8%).

The next four most popular countries for Pinterest are as follows:

• Brazil: 28.05 million users
• Mexico: 19.45 million users
• Germany: 15.88 million users
• France: 10.65 million users

Pinterest usage statistics

8. 80% of users say Pinterest makes them feel positive

The vast majority (8 in 10) of Pinterest users get a positive feeling from using the platform (no wonder it’s so high on the ACSI scale). 9 in 10 users also call Pinterest a social media oasis—whereas only 3 in 10 users say that about other social media platforms.

There are so many benefits of Pinterest, but the fact that its users are happy and at peace has to be a major one.

9. 85% of weekly users have made a purchase from Pinterest pins

Pinterest users are shopping on the platform—a whopping 85% of weekly Pinners have made a purchase based on a pin they saw from a brand. Creating boards that feature your products can help you get them in front of even more users, increasing the chances someone makes a purchase.

10. 85% of Pinners use the platform to start a new project

85% of users say they hit up the platform each time they’re going to start a new project. This might be for DIY inspiration, products to use or instructions on how to do something. But Pinterest is the place they go. Use this knowledge to your advantage when creating and sharing Pins.

Pinterest audience and demographics statistics

11. 76.2% of users are women

More than 3 in 4 users are women, with 17.2% of users men and 6.6% of users unspecified or another gender. If women are a big part of your target demographics, Pinterest is the perfect platform to find them.

12. Pinterest’s biggest audience segment is women aged 25-34

The largest portion of Pinterest’s audience is Millennial women aged 25-34, with that segment accounting for 28.5% of its global audience. The second largest segment was women aged 18-24, taking up over 18% of the user base.

13. Pinterest has 23 million Gen Z users

According to projections done in 2020, the platform should have around 23 million Gen Z users this year, accounting for around 5% of its entire user base. This is up from 16.4 million in 2020, so more and more Gen Z consumers are joining the platform.

Pinterest advertising and marketing statistics

14. Pinterest delivers a 32% better ROAS than other platforms

Pinterest ads have been shown to deliver a 32% higher ROAS (return on ad spend) than other digital platforms. This is especially the case with ads in the food or health and beauty industries. Get more bang for your buck by promoting Pins on Pinterest.

15. There are more than 5 billion monthly searches on Pinterest

Pinterest is essentially a visual search engine. And this is proven by the massive 5 billion monthly searches that occur on the platform. Pinterest SEO is a big part of success—using keywords in your pins, boards, profile and more. This can help make sure your pins show up better in search results.

16. Brands see 2.3x more efficient cost per conversion

Get a better ad performance than you do on other social media platforms. Pinterest ads generate a 2.3x more efficient cost per conversion than other social media sites.

Pinterest traffic and engagement stats

17. There are 945.3 million monthly visits to Pinterest

Pinterest received nearly 1 billion monthly website visits in May 2022, making it one of the more popular websites in the world. This means its users are visiting the site an average of 2+ times per month.

18. 44% of Pinterest’s web traffic comes from the U.S.

The U.S. is Pinterest’s most popular country, so it makes sense that nearly half of that traffic is coming from the United States. The next four countries that visit Pinterest.com most often in order are Brazil, India, Argentina and Colombia.

19. 97% of searches are unbranded

Nearly all searches on Pinterest are unbranded. This means people are searching for things like “brown sofa” or “floral wall art” rather than specific brands. This presents a great opportunity for your brand to be discovered. Pinners aren’t loyal to a single brand and instead are hoping to find new brands and products they can buy from.

20. Pinterest has one of the longest post lifespans

Most social media platforms have lifespans for their post that last only minutes to hours, depending on what time they are posted. However, Pinterest pins can have a lifespan of six months to a year. This means people can still see your pins months after you’ve shared it, creating a really stellar organic ROI.

Pinterest stats for business

21. Pinterest is the 5th most popular social commerce platform

The top five most popular social media platforms where online shoppers are most likely to make a purchase are:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Messaging apps
• Pinterest

This means your brand should be taking advantage of social selling capabilities on Pinterest so you can increase the number of conversions you receive directly from the platform.

22. 80% of weekly users have discovered a new product or brand on Pinterest

Pinterest is the perfect platform for businesses to get discovered. 4 in 5 users have found a new product or brand on Pinterest, likely resulting in a purchase or a follow. Promote your products on Pinterest to increase the chances that you reach a new audience member or potential customer.

23. Shoppers on Pinterest spend twice as much as shoppers on other platforms

Pinterest users spend 2x as much when shopping on Pinterest than they do when shopping on other social media platforms. This makes Pinterest an ideal platform for products with a higher price point, like furniture and designer clothing or accessories.

Don’t be shy about putting your products out there when it comes to Pinterest. Demographic data shows that Pinterest users have a higher income and are spending more on their shopping sprees.

24. Brands using a Pinterest Catalog get 5x more impressions on their products

If you needed one more reason to convince yourself to take advantage of Pinterest’s social selling tools, let this be it. Brands that set up their Pinterest Catalogs receive five times more impressions on their product pins than brands that don’t.

Use these Pinterest stats to inform your strategy

If these stats tell you anything, let it be that it’s time to get your social selling strategy set up. Learn how to sell on Pinterest so you can start generating even more sales and conversions through your chosen social media platforms.

The post 24 must-know Pinterest stats for marketers in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

That’s why it’s important to know what to post on each social media platform. So in this article, we’ll share the nine most valuable types of social media content according to marketers and how brands are using these formats to strike a chord with audiences.

The most engaging types of social media content in 2023

Keeping up with the latest in social media is a difficult task with all the different platforms, features and algorithms. That’s why we created The 2023 Content Benchmarks Report to help you identify the most valuable types of social media content.

In this report, we collected data from 729,000 public social profiles in 2022. Then, we analyzed trends to derive what types of social media content will inspire your audience and make them more likely to engage with your brand. Let’s take a look at which formats are most engaging.

1. Short-form video

Short-form videos are the most captivating type of social media content thanks to their capacity to break down and present information in less than one minute. Plus, the length makes it more shareable and ideal for social media.

You’re facing an audience that’s busier than ever. People are looking for immediate gratification with fast and entertaining content they can consume on the way. So a 15-minute video seems impractical when a one-minute video can do the job just as well.

Why short-form video works on social

About 66% of consumers find short-form videos the most engaging out of any other social media post types. And before you say it’s because bigger brands have the resources to produce high-end videos, the truth is successful videos don’t require unlimited time, resources or heavy editing.

According to our research, consumers find short-form videos 2.5x more engaging than long-form videos. So humor and relatability are enough to draw people to your brand. In fact, a survey shows that 34% of consumers like to see authentic, less-produced videos.

Additionally, short-form videos are perfect for different types of social media post ideas. From highlighting how to use your product or service to influencer collaborations and behind-the-scenes content.

Best social media platforms for short-form video

The popularity of TikTok videos, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts is evidence of their effectiveness when it comes to short-form video.

Both TikTok and Instagram have a variety of tools that help create short-form videos for free. You can record a few shots, add a soundtrack, use a filter and follow popular social media trends. Additionally, you can promote your content with native ad campaigns.

Even though YouTube Shorts are a recent feature from YouTube, they have become increasingly popular with 15 billion global daily views.

4 use cases of short-form video from Last Crumb

Last Crumb is a small business born in LA that bakes luxury handmade cookies. This brand stands out for using sassy language and an almost seductive tone to reach its audience.

Last Crumb uses short-form videos on TikTok and Instagram to encourage their audience to crave their cookies with:

1. Content relating their cookies to popular holiday celebrations. Last Crumb uses their holiday-themed videos to hop on relevant trends and conversations, prompting their audience to share their content with friends and allowing the brand to reach a wider audience.

   @lastcrumb

   There’s no better way to “I love you” than with a box of decadent cookies. @Sugar Pusher ® #LastCrumb #LastCrumbTikTok #LastCrumbCookies #cookietok #cookie #foodie #lastcrumbvalentines

   ♬ It’s A Wrap – Sped Up – Mariah Carey

2. Influencer collaborations to taste-test their cookies. In these videos, influencers unbox the luxury package and eat the cookies. This tactic leverages influencers’ loyal followings to generate interest within an untapped audience with “reviews” people trust.

   @lastcrumb

   @Keith Lee is back and this time, he went Platinum. #LastCrumb #LastCrumbTikTok #LastCrumbCookies #cookietok #cookie #foodie #lastcrumbtastetest #lastcrumbunboxing

   ♬ original sound – Last Crumb

3. Last Crumb’s destruction collection, in which the brand destroys their extravagant cookies, merge “demos” with entertaining content to show the delicious texture of the cookies to keep people watching and drive engagement.

   @lastcrumb

   It’s what’s on the inside that counts ❤️ #LastCrumb #LastCrumbTikTok #LastCrumbCookies #cookietok #cookie #foodie #smashorpass #lastcrumbvalentines #valentinesday

   ♬ Pass or Smash – 💜The Simple Touches💜

4. Last Crumb’s sandwich collection shows how you can make different luxury ice cream sandwiches with their cookies. This helps them stay connected with their customers by sharing recipes they might want to try the next time they order cookies.

   @lastcrumb

   A simple solution for when you can’t decide which cookie you want. #LastCrumb #LastCrumbTikTok #LastCrumbCookies #cookietok #cookie #foodie

   ♬ f urself in vegas – SHIMA

2. Images

Images are the second most valuable type of content out of the nine popular social media content categories. They’re also one of the types of social media most frequently posted across social networks.

Static images are absorbed and appreciated in an instant. The colors, composition, text (or lack of it) and other details give social users an immediate impression of your brand.

Why images work on social

Amongst the types of social media content, 61% of consumers find images the most engaging type of in-feed social content. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather look at a picture than read a thousand words.

Since mobile devices are equipped with high-definition cameras, and there are many free editing tools, anyone can embrace their inner photographer and graphic designer. This means social media marketers can create images for their content strategy without enlisting a ton of resources.

Best social media platforms for images

Instagram and Pinterest are platforms that naturally lend themselves to images. These social media platforms have unique advantages to leverage your visuals like filters, effects and editing.

Instagram started as an image-sharing platform and even though it has evolved to be much more, its content is still made of 87% images.

When consumers go to Pinterest, they’re looking for inspiration and creativity. In fact, 97% of all searches on the platform are unbranded, creating the perfect environment for audiences to discover your brand and spark their interest in a future purchase.

As a bonus, both platforms have social commerce features that allow you to tag products, transforming images into “shoppable” content.

3 use cases for image posts from Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma is known for its kitchenware, home furnishing and gourmet foods. It maintains a strong following, clear reputable brand identity and “shoppable” feeds across social platforms. They achieve that with sumptuous, vibrant images in the following ways:

1. Williams Sonoma uses top Pinterest trends to create Pins and carousels with colorful dishes and recipes. These images catch the eye of their target audience, enticing clicks to learn more about how to make the dish, which drives engagement and traffic to their website.
2. They support the full shopping experience on Instagram using eye-candy imagery and product tags. Thanks to these, consumers can get the product they like with a few taps, reducing friction to the final purchase.
3. Across platforms, they leverage their organic presence by using captions to enhance their image content and CTAs to their blog or online store to continue the buying journey.

3. Live video

The ongoing digital transformation has left businesses thinking differently about how they can engage with customers in real time. In 2020, Live video came out as a winner during the pandemic with live video viewers reaching 152.5 million (20.4% more than in 2019).

Why live video works on social

37% of consumers find live video the most engaging type of social media content. It enables businesses and creators to broadcast conversations, webinars, Q&As or other virtual events. And unlike text or image posts, where you wait for an interaction, live videos give audiences a chance to react in real time.

Live and simultaneous viewing also gives people a sense of community and togetherness. What’s even better is you can repurpose your livestream video to get more value from the content. For example, you could create multiple shorts or text snippets from your livestream for posts on other networks.

Best social media platforms for live video

Many platforms have livestream capabilities, but the best ones are Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live and LinkedIn Live.

YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn Live experienced a boom during the pandemic. YouTube and Facebook Live acted as entertainment for people. While LinkedIn Live allowed brands to reach and communicate with a professional network. On average, LinkedIn live videos get 7x more reactions than native videos.

According to Statista, 43% of US social media users aged 18-34 watched Instagram Live in 2021. That’s in part because the platform is designed to better your chances of followers joining you. When you go live on Instagram, your Live content appears at the beginning of Instagram stories.

How BuzzFeed uses live video to spark interest

BuzzFeed is a news and entertainment company that talks about viral topics. One of its branches, BuzzFeed Video, produces original video content about their articles.

From trying viral TikTok products to, home decor andor easy meal preps, BuzzFeed Video attracts a wide audience around pop culture. They use Facebook Live to bring their blog content to life and be part of the conversation on social. Jumping on viral trends or speaking directly to their audience’s interests enables them to stay relevant in real time and be an entertaining source of information that makes you want to come back for more.

4. GIFs/memes

GIFS and memes are a particular type of social media content favored by younger generations. When words can’t describe the mix of gestures and feelings we all relate to at some point, memes can add meaning to these situations.

These types of social media content assure your audience gets the message and helps your brand relate to your audience through comedic takes on daily life.

Why GIFs and memes work on social

Besides the fact that they’re shareable and enjoyable, their relatability makes it almost personalized content. Something that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver.

When people see personalized content, their immediate response may be to interact with it and share it with friends. That’s how memes become viral if they’re used with the right audience.

GIFs can have the same effect but are more dynamic due to their animated feature. This makes them an excellent way to start conversations with more than words and still leave an impression.

Best social media platforms for GIFs and memes

Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are ideal to post memes. But for GIFs, we recommend Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. If you post a GIF on Instagram, it will be added as a short video.

Memes drive engagement, that’s why Instagram users share over one million memes daily. They also drive traffic, as proved by a study from Social Media Today. They posted memes on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for a month, which increased their website traffic by 12%.

In the case of GIFs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have special features for sharing this type of content. Twitter and LinkedIn make it as easy as tapping on the “GIF” icon and selecting the GIF you want to share. And Facebook’s boomerang feature allows you to capture moments in a loop so you can create your own GIFs.

How ProWritingAid uses GIFs/memes to connect with their audience

ProWritingAid is an AI writing assistant software that corrects your grammar and style with automated suggestions. If you go to their Instagram profile, you’ll notice that their most engaging posts are memes from writers for writers.

They use memes to convey their audience’s common tasks, like finishing a book outline, the struggles that come with it and wholesome messages. This relatable content builds relationships with their audience by speaking to their pain points, while still providing comedic relief.

5. Text-based posts

It’s important for businesses to prioritize visual content, but they shouldn’t lose sight of the power of words. What’s more, 32% of consumers say text-based posts are still one of the most engaging types of social media content.

Written content needs the same attention, consistency and creative elements that you give other content formats. But developing a distinctive brand tone and voice that aligns with your visual identity will help your written content stand out from the crowded social chatter.

Why text-based posts work on social

According to our index, 34% of consumers follow their favorite brands on social to see the brand’s personality. And the most direct way to give that to your customers is with text posts.

Short-form video is reigning and an image is worth a thousand words. But that doesn’t mean text-based content is redundant. And that’s especially true for social media, where text-based content can be valuable for starting conversations that help you get to know your customers better.

Best social media platforms for text-based posts

Reddit, Twitter and LinkedIn are top-of-mind for text-based posts in the social media content categories.

Reddit is a great platform to engage in Q&As and get conversational with your fans. While LinkedIn is perfect to share thought leadership, articles and engage with your professional network.

Still, Twitter is by far the most popular platform for text-based posts. It’s perfect to share digestible bits of information, ideas and news. That’s why it’s always buzzing with conversations. And engaging in conversations that interest your audience can help you widen your reach and build a community.

4 use cases of text-based content from McDonald’s

McDonald’s is one of the most successful fast-food chains with millions of customers served each day. On Twitter, the brand uses text posts to communicate with fans in a relatable, casual and humorous voice that brings the brand down to earth. Specifically, they use these types of text posts to define their brand values and start conversations:

1. Asking their fans questions and encouraging them to engage in fun trends.

   what’s your drive thru hype song? there are no wrong answers

   — McDonald's (@McDonalds) February 7, 2021

2. Using Tweets to collect and act on the feedback shared directly from their community.

   about to present this to my boss do u guys have any feedback? https://t.co/yp3NreJaXy

   — McDonald's (@McDonalds) February 10, 2021

   Y’ALL WE DID IT. Hi-C Orange is coming back 💥 pic.twitter.com/wIaUa6vzPZ

   — McDonald's (@McDonalds) February 10, 2021

3. They don’t just post, wait for engagement and leave it at that. The brand addresses nearly every response they get.
4. McDonald’s cross-promotes their text tweets and repurposes them on other social platforms using graphic elements.
   if u can do this u can have my job

   Posted by McDonald's on Thursday, February 25, 2021

These examples show how McDonald’s uses text-based content as a way of building a community and engaging with them. Plus, this makes customers perceive the brand as approachable which builds trust.

6. User-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is content created by fans, consumers or users that brands repurpose for their feed. When consumers create content showcasing your products, they’re essentially giving you social proof and testimonials.

UGC has opened the doors for brands to reach a wider audience as people enjoy being part of a community. Also, UGC shows real-life uses of your products or services, which makes your followers more willing to try them.

Why user-generated content works on social

Of all the types of social media content, UGC is the most trustworthy. Consumers want to see real customers showing their experiences with your brand.

According to our 2023 content benchmark report, around 39% of consumers like to see testimonials or customer demos from the brands they follow on social because that’s the type of content they consider authentic. This creates trust, which ultimately affects the decision of 58% of consumers to pick a brand over a competitor, according to our Index data.

Also, you can take advantage of UGC to maximize your budget while reaching more consumers. When a user tries your product and posts about it, their followers may want to try it and post about it as well. This creates a chain reaction in which you reach the followers of your followers. Yet, over 93% of marketers aren’t using the full power of UGC, so there’s a lot of opportunity with this type of content.

Best social media platforms for user-generated content

Instagram and TikTok are the go-to social media platforms to find user-generated content. This is because both are highly effective for visual content, especially short-form videos. And since video content is best for showcasing a product over text or static images, 79% of marketers are willing to invest more in video leveraging authentic content (UGC) in 2023 according to the SOUGC report.

How L’Oreal Paris USA leverages UGC content with TikTok

L’Oreal Paris is a cosmetic brand that empowers women through beauty. They launched a TikTok contest to win $25,000 in which TikTokers had to upload a 15-second video showcasing their new telescopic lift mascara.

This tactic generated tons of UGC videos that fueled their brand awareness. Also, their mascara went viral on TikTok, promoting more sales. And they got lots of product demos for future campaigns.

7. Long-form video

Long-form video is the type of social media content you look for when you want educational and informative videos. Even though short-form videos are the most popular type of content, they lack the depth you crave when you’re genuinely interested in a topic. While videos that last longer are packed with information that builds authority.

Why long-form video works on social

Long-form videos are great for developing relationships with your audience. What’s more, 24% of consumers report long-form video content as the most engaging type of social media content.

Also, long-form videos are one of the best types of social media content to share educational topics. In fact, 93% of viewers use YouTube for educational purposes, and as of March 2021, users spent an average of 29 minutes and 36 seconds per visit.

Best social media platforms for long-form video

YouTube and Facebook are the most popular platforms for long-form content.

When you think about long videos, your mind naturally drifts to the giant online video-sharing platform we know as YouTube. And with good reason, as YouTube is designed to share videos of all lengths and keep people watching.

It’s also important to note that 71% and 51% of consumers expect to use Facebook and YouTube (respectively) more in 2023, according to our Index data.

How TED uses long-form video to connect with its audience

TED Talks discuss specific topics that move the world. Speakers present “Ideas Worth Spreading” from innovative research in their fields hoping to ignite imagination and give space to possibility.

TED’s long-form video content has become a worldwide phenomenon because the ideas click with people, giving them a feeling of belonging and community. But how does TED keep people interested in a 10+ minute video?

Because of storytelling!

The script of every TED Talk is packed with knowledge and information, but also strategic rhetorical questions, pauses and a bit of humor. The talks are meant to be stories that draw the listener in. So it’s all about how you present this information. YouTube creates the perfect space for this as it enables TED Talks to appeal to their audience through education and entertainment.

8. Audio

Social audio is about using your voice rather than comments, emojis or reactions to communicate. You record yourself talking about hot topics or experiences you think will interest your audience.

And the single best format for this type of social media content is podcasts.

Why audio content works on social

Around 32% of people in the US put their headphones on and listened to podcasts while in the car in 2022. A smart way of learning something new and passing the time when you need your eyes on the road. And sometimes people want information without the commitment of being in front of a screen for an hour.

Even though podcasts have at least a basic outline to plan their episode, most of the talking, expressions or personalities are genuine. This allows listeners to connect with the host, but the quality of the content is also important to prompt your audience to hear the next episode.

Best social media platforms for audio

Podcasts are best found in libraries like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be repurposed to fit your social media networks.

TikTok and YouTube are great platforms for podcasts as they can play long audio recordings, just like they do with video. You just need to add an image or film the recording of your podcast.

2 use cases of audio content from HerFirst100k

HerFirst100k strives to give women financial education and create a supportive community that thrives. Their podcast, The Financial Feminist, aligns with their financial freedom and community goals. Here’s how they repurposed their podcast on their social to achieve more visibility:

1. TikTok teaser videos that increase their reach and promote their podcast to get more subscribers.

   @herfirst100k

   Whatever she’s doing is working because @nadyaokamoto has redirected the attention to important issues like period poverty. #financialfeminist

   ♬ original sound – Tori Dunlap — Money Expert 💸

2. YouTube gives HerFirst100k a chance to address questions important to their audience on a platform they frequent. Also, it expands its reach beyond podcasting platforms by increasing their visibility on one of the popular search engines.

9. URL/links to other content

Using links helps you bring more followers to your website or other content. As the links are in your social media posts, it gives your audience easy access to content of interest and extends their experience with your brand.

URLs allow your brand to share more details, or go beyond the limits of character count within a social media platform with a single click.

Why URL/links to other content work on social

If you put a link in your social media posts to respective content on your website, you’re creating more opportunity to drive traffic to your site.

What’s more, when you promote a new product or service on social media, a link to the checkout or pricing page can help drive sales. It also reduces friction to purchase by making it easy to go from one platform to the next.

Best social media platforms for URL/link to other content

The best social media platforms for URL/links to other content are LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. On these platforms, linking to other content is as easy as including the link in the character field and posting it.

Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter emphasize your links by showing a thumbnail image in your posts. For Pinterest, the process is similar, but you can customize the thumbnail image by uploading an image, titling your pin and adding a description.

3 use cases of URL content from Sprout Social

Sprout Social uses specific platforms to expand the reach of their website content. They meet people where they’re at in the format they want to consume it. Here are three types of URL content Sprout Social uses:

1. Updates of newly added functionalities and integrations to get the attention of potential customers in the decisions stage. This can lead to sales but also drive engagement among current customers that enjoy the new features.
   
2. Social media articles in Sprout Social’s Insights blog which drives traffic to their website and more visibility when it comes to industry topics.
   

Find the types of social media content that work for your audience

Thanks to all these types of social media content, there are multiple ways for you to express your brand voice and make meaningful connections. And while best practices are a good starting point, your audience and brand are unique, so you need to find what works best for both.

Discover what type of content your brand should use on social media by taking our social media content mix quiz to find the ideal fit.

The post 9 popular types of social media content to grow your brand appeared first on Sprout Social.

Why “now,” though?

For starters, YouTube is the second most-visited site on the web, and when we’re spending up to six hours per day consuming video, the writing is on the wall. If you want to stand out on YouTube, you need to take advantage of as many promotional tactics as possible.

We’ll go into detail on each of these tactics for how to grow your YouTube channel and maximize your viewership. Whether you’re just getting started or want to see your numbers tick further upward, these tips are all fair game.

• What counts as a view on YouTube?
• Why are views important on YouTube?
• How to get more views on YouTube: 17 tips and tricks
• 4 resources for growing your YouTube channel
• How do you promote your YouTube channel?

What counts as a view on YouTube?

Views refer to the total number of times your video or channel has been watched. Each time a viewer plays a video and watches it for at least 30 seconds, YouTube counts it as a view. If someone watches your video several times, each time is counted as a new view. This applies across all devices whether a person watches via smartphone or desktop. This also applies to embeds and videos shared on social media like Facebook.

When someone visits your channel page, you receive a view. If you use YouTube Analytics, you can go to the Overview tab to see how many views your YouTube channel received over the last 28 days.

Why are views important on YouTube?

Views are important because they influence the YouTube algorithm. If you get more views, the algorithm will push your video out to more people. Views are also part of how you can make money on YouTube, which we all want to see a return on investment and increased revenue.

Views are also vital on YouTube because it’s a way to boost awareness and build brand affinity. It may take some time to achieve your target viewership, but you’ll need to connect with top-of-funnel prospects to help reach your goals in the long run.

How to get more views on YouTube: 17 tips and tricks

1. Write engaging, must-see titles

YouTube marketing is all about presentation.

Titles are make-or-break when it comes to your video’s performance. Ask yourself: are you presenting your content as “must-see” or “meh?”

The key to crafting killer titles is grabbing your audience’s attention without resorting to clickbait headlines. People crave content that’s entertaining, and they likewise want to know what your video is about from the word “go.”

For example, you can take a page out of the playbooks of YouTube giants like BuzzFeed and WhatCulture. Such videos often rely on listicles, question-based titles or hyperbole (“insane,” “…of all time”) to rack up the views.

Athlean X’s fitness-based videos are another good example. The channel’s content manages to sneak in relevant keywords in its titles while also coming across as conversational.

“Best-of” lists and “how-to” titles are always a safe bet, too. Food channel Tasty uses click-worthy titles like this:

The takeaway here is that you should definitely spend time mulling over engaging titles rather than sticking with the first idea that pops into your head.

In terms of specifics, many have observed that the optimal YouTube video title length should be around 70 characters. Meanwhile, tools such as CoSchedule’s headline analyzer recommends 55 characters for an engaging headline. CoSchedule’s tool isn’t specifically meant for video titles but is awesome for brainstorming YouTube-friendly titles to help promote your YouTube channel.

Publish on YouTube with Sprout Social

The opportunities are virtually endless on YouTube, and you can now publish to YouTube directly from Sprout.

Host long-form video on your channel, extend reach through YouTube’s extensive search capabilities, and track how your performance stacks up to other social networks.

Start a free trial to give our YouTube publishing features a try.

2. Optimize your videos for visibility

Here’s some food for thought: YouTube videos show up in 70% of the top 100 Google search results.

Heck, see for yourself. Any given product or “how-to” query on Google will return something from YouTube.

In fact, YouTube results sometimes even pop up before traditional blog posts or websites. Listen: YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world in and of itself. Just like people search for products and need problems solved via Google, the same rings true on YouTube.

Think of your YouTube videos like any other piece of content that needs to be optimized in terms of keywords, tags and so on.

In order to increase your chances of showing up, you’ll want to follow some of the best practices for YouTube SEO:

• Titles and description: Include target keywords in your titles and descriptions. You can use a tool like Keywordtool.io to help you find keyword ideas.
• Mention keywords in your video: According to Brian Dean of Backlinko, saying your target keywords in your video can help YouTube better understand what your video is about.
• Engagement: YouTube uses engagement (likes, comments, views) to help determine where videos rank in its search results.
• Categories: Use categories to help YouTube get a better understanding of who to show your videos to.
• Tags: In addition to categories, you can also add tags to your videos to give YouTube more context about your content. You can use quite a few tags, so add as many as you can think of.

Just like with SEO for your website, don’t keyword stuff. Use keywords when it makes sense, not just for the sake of having them.

3. Figure out what your audience wants

With any type of content you produce, you want to make sure it’s aligned with what your audience wants. Whether you’re writing a blog post or creating a video, start by getting to know your audience and what type of content they want to see from you.

If you’re just starting to promote your YouTube channel, take a look at your competitors or other video creators in your industry. Look at which of their videos get the most views and engagement. This will give you an idea of what topics your audience wants to learn about and what style of videos they prefer.

Another solution is to look at your YouTube Analytics if you’ve already uploaded videos. YouTube gives you detailed information on audience demographics, location, engagement and other helpful stats. You can also take your strategy a step further with YouTube reporting in Sprout Social and see how your content stacks up to other social videos you’ve produced.

Want to better understand your YouTube metrics? Download our video metrics cheat sheet to learn the most important metrics to track and get ideas for video content tailored to your marketing goals.

4. Engage with the YouTube community

Although you might not think of YouTube as a social network per se, the platform does represent a thriving community where users are engaging via content, profiles, “likes” and comments.

Sounds pretty “social” if you ask us.

As noted earlier, any sort of interaction with your viewers is seen as a positive signal to YouTube. If nothing else, engaging with your subscribers can help you foster a stronger connection with your audience. “Liking” comments only takes a few seconds, as does pinning a top comment as a sort of personal note to your subscribers.

For example, music channel Artists Of Morality regularly likes and responds to comments on its recent uploads. The channel’s creator regularly engages with subscribers to show appreciation and answer questions, too. She even posts a call to action or challenges in her pinned comments like in the one below:

Just as you’d respond to comments and engage with your followers on any other social network, YouTube is no different.

5. Customize your thumbnails

One of the simplest yet effective tactics to promote your YouTube channel is creating custom thumbnails. Think of your title and thumbnail as a sort of one-two punch to grab a viewer’s attention.

By default, YouTube snags a screenshot from any given video and uses it for the thumbnail. Unfortunately, sometimes the image it grabs will be a blurry shot of you adjusting the camera or a transition.

Not a good look, right?

Creating thumbnails yourself not only makes your videos look more appealing at a glance but also signals a certain sense of professionalism.

Thumbnails don’t have to be rocket science, either. You can even create a template with a particular font and style to make it more consistent and on-brand. This is made especially easy with the help of image creation tools such as Canva. Here’s a good example from Binging with Babish:

If you’re looking for simple social media templates to get started with Creator Studio, check out our free YouTube banners that you can download today!

6. Cross-promote your own videos on YouTube

Chances are you’re covering similar topics on YouTube that overlap with each other. To squeeze more out of your older content, make a point to cross-promote your videos when it makes sense.

For example, you can drop links in the description of a video and encourage viewers to check them out as a sort of call-to-action. Although some might be disappointed by the removal of YouTube’s annotation system, linking in your description encourages viewers to watch your videos all the way through without clicking away.

7. Target Google search results

As noted, YouTube is totally killing it when it comes to SEO.

And while you shouldn’t totally create content for search engines versus people, you should promote your YouTube channel with SEO in mind.

Specifically, product reviews, how-to’s and long-form (10+ minutes) videos covering keyword-specific topics tend to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). If you’re strapped for content ideas or want to capitalize on a trending buzzword in your industry, consider how you can do so through your YouTube channel marketing.

8. Run a contest or giveaway

If there’s one thing YouTube users love, it’s a giveaway. Host a YouTube contest or giveaway to encourage people to subscribe to your channel and engage.

To keep your contests simple, have people like your video, leave a comment and subscribe to your channel to enter.

Follow some of our best practices for running any social media contest:

• Make sure you’re following YouTube’s policies.
• Give away a gift that’s related to your brand: you want to attract more than just freebie-seekers.
• Get creative by incorporating user-generated content and other non-traditional entry requirements.

Be careful with hosting frequent YouTube contests, though. You want to make sure you’re getting results from your efforts: otherwise, you’ll end up wasting time, money and resources. After doing one contest, wait a while and look at your subscriber drop-off rate and engagement numbers. If you aren’t bringing in engaged subscribers, you could just be attracting people who want free prizes.

9. Encourage viewers to follow your series

A smart way to promote your YouTube channel is by creating a specific video series that covers a recurring theme or topic. For example, Sprout Social’s YouTube channel has a variety of different series that make up our YouTube presence, like our “Always On” videos.

Series are a win-win for creators and viewers alike. For creators, you hold yourself accountable for creating fresh YouTube content and don’t have to rack your brain for ideas. For your audience, they have something to look forward to and likewise a reason to keep returning to your channel.

10. Embed your YouTube videos

Some of the best places to promote your YouTube channel are beyond YouTube itself.

Case in point, video content is proven to improve conversion rates and lower bounce rate on-site. If you want visitors to stick around a product page or blog post longer, embed a video (like we did below).

Remember: any opportunity you have to funnel your on site (or social!) traffic to YouTube is a plus.

11. Create playlists to organize your YouTube content

The more videos you create, the more difficult it becomes for people to navigate through your channel.

That’s why playlists are so important. Not only do playlists allow you to group your videos into categories to organize your channel, but also appeal to your viewers’ desire to binge.

For example, Beardbrand’s grooming channel has amassed hundreds of videos covering tons of topics. The channel’s various playlists help guide subscribers to relevant content without having to dig for it.

12. Increase engagement with calls to action

Sometimes simply asking for engagement is the best way to get your videos noticed, especially when you consider the immediacy and connection that video content can create.

Not everyone who enjoys one of your videos is going to remember to drop a like or become your subscriber, so it’s common to put these reminders in the description or in the video itself.

Especially if you’re an up-and-coming channel, there’s no shame in asking for some love directly. In fact, asking visitors a question to answer in the comments suggestion or to check out another video are perfect ways to keep the engagement rolling. You can likewise link to other videos or drop an external link to your site to serve as a sort of CTA.

13. Give live streaming a try

Live video is one of the biggest social media trends and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With apps like Facebook, Periscope and Instagram making it easier than ever to stream live video, more and more brands are getting on board.

YouTube has been offering live videos for years but has only recently started picking up steam. You can take a look at some popular YouTube Live videos to get a sense of how other brands are using the platform.

Some examples of how you can use YouTube Live are:

• Webinars
• Live tutorials
• Q&A sessions
• Product demonstrations

Don’t worry if your streams don’t go as smoothly as you’d like. Part of the fun (and risk) of live video is you never know what’s going to happen. The unpolished, organic nature of live video is exactly what makes it compelling. For more tips on how to get started with YouTube Live, check out Google’s introduction to live streaming.

14. Collaborate with other creators and brands

A tactic some of the biggest YouTube stars used to grow their following is collaborating with other users. Each collaboration gives you exposure to a new audience. And the best part is those new viewers are more likely to subscribe to your channel since you’re working with a content creator they already know, like and trust.

The key to a successful YouTube collaboration is finding the right partner. You want to collaborate with content creators that share similar passions with your brand so your video comes off as authentic. This now-classic collaboration between BuzzFeed and Purina is a prime example of a thoughtful collaboration that doesn’t feel overly promotional.

15. Run a paid YouTube ad campaign

With marketing in general becoming more pay-to-play, you always have the option to get more visibility through paid YouTube ads. YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to choose from:

• Display ads: These ads show up on the right-hand sidebar of videos, and are only available on desktop.
• Overlay ads: These are semi-transparent ads that are displayed on the bottom part of a video. They’re only available on desktop.
• Skippable and non-skippable video ads: These ads show up before, during or after a video. Skippable ads can be skipped after five seconds, but non-skippable ads have to be watched all the way through before the viewer can watch their video.
• Bumper ads: These are non-skippable ads that have to be watched before the viewer can watch their video. They can be a maximum of six seconds.
• Sponsored cards: These are cards that get displayed within relevant videos. You can use them to promote your products or other content.

For your ad creatives, you can either use an existing video or create something new for a specific campaign. The advantage of using an existing video is you can choose a clip you know has been effective in the past. If a video has already gotten a lot of views and engagement organically, running paid ads can amplify your results.

On the flip side, creating a new video for your ads will allow you to create a more targeted piece of content that you have more control over. For instance, you can create an ad with a specific call-to-action at the end to direct viewers to a landing page or another video. You can learn more about YouTube’s video ad formats here.

16. Regularly publish your YouTube content to social media

It’s no secret that video content crushes it on social media in terms of engagement and performance.

As a result, you should regularly promote your YouTube channel to your social followers to encourage them to become subscribers. As soon as a video goes live, make a point to let your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn know about it. You can likewise create snippets or previews for each social platform that also link to your latest production.

With the help of Sprout Social, you can schedule your content and cross-promote it without having to jump from platform to platform. Features such as ViralPost® can also help ensure that your content goes live based on when your social audiences are engaged.

17. Incorporate pre-production best practices

Put your producer hat on and incorporate some pre-production best practices. There’s a lot that goes into creating video before the camera records, but using these methods will streamline your content production.

• Create a contingency plan. What will you do if there’s an issue with your shooting location? What if your talent becomes sick? Proactively plan so you’ll be prepared for the worst.
• Plan the video concept from start to finish. Use a storyboard to outline each part of the video. Use this outline to mark visual jokes, animations, call to actions, etc.
• Create a shot list. A shot list will help you consider important details like lighting, location and camera angles. Once your script and storyboard is complete, make a list of every scene and note the action and dialogue required for each. Mark the type of setup you want (e.g. wide angle vs. a close up).

Streamlining your content production means you’ll likely be able to produce more video because your process is a well-oiled machine versus one that is always in need of repair. Having a set process will also help ensure each video is striking the right cord because you’ve taken the time to think through important visual details and logistics that will add value to viewers. Since you’ll be able to create more relevant videos, you’ll get more views over time.

4 resources for growing your YouTube channel

In addition to the 17 tips above, make sure you’re up on all things YouTube. Maximize your efforts with these guides:

• How to create a YouTube channel for business – Simplify setting up and perfecting your business channel.
• 11 Tips for writing YouTube descriptions – Differentiate your videos and ensure they’re super findable with optimized descriptions.
• YouTube SEO: How to boost your videos’ rankings – YouTube has become one of the world’s biggest search engines. Follow these tips to make sure you’re meeting audience needs.
• YouTube hashtags: How to use hashtags to increase video views – Demystify how hashtags work on YouTube and get more eyes on your videos.

And with that, we wrap up our guide to how to get more views on YouTube!

How do you promote your YouTube channel?

Growing a YouTube audience doesn’t happen by accident. And yes, it can certainly feel like a grind if your space is crowded with competition.

That’s exactly why it pays to have a variety of promotional tactics in your back pocket. Although some of the tips above require more effort than others, each one can help you get more eyes on your channel and more subscribers as a result.

If you’re ready to ramp up your YouTube presence and start seeing real business results, Sprout Social’s YouTube integration has features to help you seamlessly schedule and publish content. Plus, with our integration, you can dive even deeper into analytics to improve your video strategy.

The post How to get more views on YouTube: 17 ways to promote your channel appeared first on Sprout Social.

According to the Sprout Social Index, Instagram is among the “big three” social media platforms. With 49% of consumers and 59% of marketers planning to use it in the next 12 months, you can’t afford to not pay attention to the platform’s key statistics.

So let’s find out some of the vital Instagram statistics that will shape your strategy in 2023.

Table of contents

• Instagram stats to pay attention to moving into 2023
• Instagram user statistics
• Instagram usage statistics
• Instagram audience and demographics statistics
• Instagram advertising and marketing statistics
• Instagram Stories and Reels statistics
• Instagram for Business stats

Instagram stats to pay attention in 2023

• Instagram currently boasts 2 billion monthly active users. This makes it the fourth most used social media platform. And if you make use of the latest Instagram trends, you have the potential to exponentially grow your reach.
• It’s now the fifth most visited website worldwide. Although this puts it behind other platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it’s still one of the most popular social media sites.
• According to Insider Intelligence, Instagram generated $43.2 billion in ad revenue in 2022. This is a slight increase from 2021 when the platform’s ad revenue amounted to $42.1 billion.

Instagram user statistics

Understanding how people perceive and use the platform will help you devise best practices for Instagram to connect with them. These Instagram user statistics can give you a better look:

1. Almost every Instagram user uses it alongside other platforms

According to data from We Are Social, only 0.1% of Instagram users are unique to the platform. A large number of users use it alongside other social media platforms such as Facebook (82.9%), YouTube (75.5%) and TikTok (52.2%). That means having a solid cross-platform marketing strategy is crucial for your brand to succeed.

2. Only 25% of American users feel that Instagram protects their data and privacy

A study by Insider Intelligence found that trust in social media platforms dropped significantly in 2022. When it comes to Instagram, only 25% of American users feel that the platform protects their data and privacy. This makes it one of the lesser trusted social media platforms. But it’s still ahead of Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.

3. Posting/sharing photos and videos is the top activity

According to DataReportal, 69.7% of users use Instagram to post or share photos and videos. This makes it the top activity on the platform, indicating the desire for users to be creative and express themselves.

4. It’s the second most preferred platform for customer service

As more and more people turn to social media for customer support, Instagram is a popular channel choice. The 2022 Sprout Social Index reports that 35% of U.S. consumers use Instagram for customer service. This makes it the second most popular platform for customer service after Facebook.

Reviewing your brand’s customer service strategy on the platform could help you get ahead of the race and enhance the user experience.

Instagram usage statistics

How popular is Instagram in terms of usage? Let’s take a look at these Instagram usage statistics to find out:

5. There are 2 billion monthly active users on Instagram

Latest reports show that Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users. While not at the Facebook level, this is still huge for brands. It means there are billions of people you could potentially reach. With the right strategies to get more Instagram followers, these users could turn into loyal fans of your brand.

6. U.S adults spend 30 minutes per day on the platform

Over the past couple of years, video-based platforms like YouTube and TikTok have become a huge hit among social media users. At the same time, people are still spending a significant amount of time on Instagram. American adults spend about 30.1 minutes a day using the platform.

Instagram audience and demographics statistics

Looking at social media demographics helps you gauge which platforms your target audience is using. Let’s look at these Instagram demographic statistics to get a better idea:

7. Instagram is most popular among younger audiences

The platform sees the highest usage among people aged between 18 and 34. People within these age groups make up over 60% of Instagram’s user base. As such, the platform is ideal if your target audience consists of young adults and Millennials.

8. There are more male than female users

Instagram limits its gender-based reporting to male and female. And based on this data, there are more male users (51.8%) than female users (48.2%). However, the difference isn’t too drastic, meaning the platform isn’t inherently better for reaching a male audience.

9. India and the United States have the greatest number of users

Much like other platforms, India leads the way even when it comes to Instagram. The country has 229.5 million Instagram users. The United States comes next with 149.35 million users.

Instagram advertising and marketing statistics

Are you getting the most out of your Instagram advertising efforts? Is it even worth it to market your brand on Instagram? Here are a few Instagram stats to give you the answers you need.

10. Seeing an ad on Instagram gets people interested in a brand

According to internal Instagram data, 50% of users become more interested in a brand after they see an ad for it on Instagram. This speaks volumes about the power that advertising on Instagram has for your brand.

11. Feed ads have a higher click-through rate (CTR) than Stories ads

Brafton reports that the CTR for feed ads on Instagram range between 0.22% and 0.88%. Meanwhile, Stories ads have a CTR between 0.33% and 0.54%. These numbers suggest that in-feed ads have a higher potential to drive clicks than Stories ads. However, consider experimenting with different ad placements to see which one works best with your audience.

12. Instagram has the highest cost per click (CPC)

Instagram may have a competitive advantage over other social platforms when it comes to engagement. But that comes with a higher cost, especially when it comes to advertising. The average CPC for Instagram ads is a whopping $3.56 while platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest manage to keep it under $2.

13. Conversion rates range between 0.30% and 2.6% depending on reach

Brands with a higher reach on Instagram tend to see a higher conversion rate. Interestingly, the study found that reach rate is higher for brands with a smaller following size.

In fact, brands with fewer than 10,000 followers saw the highest conversion rate (2.6%). Meanwhile, some of the top-performing brands had an average conversion rate of 1%.

Instagram Stories and Reels statistics

Instagram offers a wide range of content types to choose from, with Stories and Reels being popular options. Check out these Stories and Reels statistics to see how these formats are performing:

14. Story reach rate is on the decline

According to a Rival IQ study, Instagram story reach rate declined between 2021 and 2022. This decline is consistent across all following sizes. However, smaller brands with fewer than 10,000 followers saw the least decline. Their Story reach rate dropped from 5.4% in 2021 to 4.8% in 2022.

Meanwhile, mid-size brands having 50,000-200,000 followers felt the biggest impact as their reach rate dropped to 1.6% from 2.4%.

15. Story retention rate declines as the number of frames increases

The same Rival IQ study found that the number of frames you post to your Instagram Stories determines how well you retain your audience. Story retention rate starts to dip below 75% after the sixth frame.

16. Short narrative-type Stories are the most popular format

When it comes to the types of Stories that people want to see, short narratives were the most popular. Thirty-five percent of consumers prefer these types of Stories with a mix of photos, videos and text. Stories with quizzes and polls were another popular option.

So if you’re running out of Instagram Story ideas, use these stats to brainstorm new ideas that engage your audience.

17. Reels have the highest reach rate

Unsurprisingly, Reels see the highest reach rate among all media types on Instagram. The Rival IQ study revealed that Reels boast a 14% reach rate while other media types see a reach rate between 9% and 10%.

In another study from Socialinsider, the average reach rate for Instagram Reels stood at 20.59%. This puts it far above other media types such as carousels, images and videos. In line with the Bazaarvoice report from earlier, accounts with the smallest following size saw the highest reach rates.

18. Instagram Reels boast an average engagement rate of 1.95%

In addition to an exceptional reach rate, Reels also see significant engagement. Based on the Socialinsider study, Instagram Reels have an average engagement rate of 1.95%. This puts it well ahead of other media types. So your brand could benefit from creating more Reels to attract and engage your target audience.

Instagram for business stats

So far, the benefits of Instagram for marketing your business are clear. Let’s further dive into these Instagram for business stats to really understand its value:

19. 70% of shoppers look to Instagram for their next purchase

Internal Instagram data reveals that 70% of shoppers look to the platform for their next purchase. Meaning this is where people go to find purchase inspiration and discover new products.

20. Following and researching brands is the second most popular activity

The DataReportal study from earlier found that many users follow and research brands and products on Instagram. It’s the second most popular activity on the platform with 62.3% of users engaging in it. So there’s a good opportunity to attract followers who want to hear what your brand has to say.

21. 90% of users follow a business

To further drive home the above point, 90% of users on the platform follow a business. This indicates that people aren’t hesitating to keep up with brands on Instagram.

Making the most of these Instagram stats

Based on these vital Instagram statistics, you can see where the platform currently stands and how people are using it. It’s clear that there’s no dearth of users who use the platform to follow and engage with brands. Plus, many consumers are also using Instagram to inspire their purchases and inform their buying decisions.

In short, there’s huge potential to tap into with the right strategy. Need help with this? Check out our guide on developing a powerful Instagram marketing strategy.

The post Instagram statistics you need to know for 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

And that’s why live streaming is becoming more common in B2B marketing. Enter LinkedIn Live, a native streaming platform for creators to broadcast in real-time.

From webinars to interviews and beyond, Live is a prime way to educate your B2B audience. We get it, many B2B marketers are totally new to the streaming world and what it entails.

That’s exactly why we put together this quick guide to getting started with LinkedIn Live.

Table of contents

• How to go live on LinkedIn step-by-step
• LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events
• Which types of presentations are best for LinkedIn Live?
• LinkedIn Live best practices and tips

How to go live on LinkedIn step-by-step

Let’s kick things off with the key steps of setting up your first LinkedIn stream.

Thankfully, the platform makes the process pretty quick and painless. You don’t need a bunch of technical know-how or equipment to get started.

1. Make sure you meet LinkedIn Live’s access criteria

If you’re not sure to apply to LinkedIn Live, don’t sweat it. No applications here.

LinkedIn Live is available to all creators and Pages. Granted you meet the platform’s broadcasting criteria, anyway. You simply need to tick the following boxes:

• A minimum of 150 followers/connections following for your account or Page
• Be located in a region approved for LinkedIn Live (aka not in mainland China)
• Have an account that’s in good standing with the platform (hint: no bans or violations)

Keep in mind that you can go live as either an individual (Creator) or as an individual on behalf of a Page. Individuals can’t stream to a Page and Pages can’t stream to individual profiles.

Simple enough, right?

2. Use the proper live stream equipment

If you can successfully host a Zoom meeting, you likely have the tools to go live on LinkedIn.

A dedicated webcam, microphone and reliable Internet connection are all standards for streaming. Depending on your hardware, onboard cameras and mics are sometimes subpar.

LinkedIn Live presentations don’t have to be pristine and polished. That said, try to maintain a sense of professionalism. We recommend testing your broadcast quality before trying LinkedIn Live. You can use a free, open-source tool like OBS to preview your streaming setup in action.

3. Pick your LinkedIn Live streaming service

Important: you cannot stream through LinkedIn Live events directly.

This is different from Instagram or TikTok where going live all happens in-app.

Don’t panic, though. LinkedIn does a lot of handholding to make it easy for creators to go live. You have two options:

1. Use one of LinkedIn’s preferred streaming partners to host your broadcast. This includes Restream, Socialive, StreamYard, SwitcherStudio or Vimeo.
2. Use LinkedIn Live’s video encoder tool to host your stream from an external platform. These platforms include Zoom, WebEx or OBS.

Deciding which method is “best” really depends on your tech stack and how-to. If you’re already comfortable with a tool like Zoom or OBS, start there. Generating a stream URL and key to connect your LinkedIn broadcast can be done in a matter of seconds.

4. Create a LinkedIn Event to attach your stream to

Many broadcasters choose to stream from LinkedIn Events versus Pages. That’s because Events makes it simple to schedule broadcasts and gather registrants.

Creating LinkedIn Live Event is a straightforward process. You’ll be prompted to fill out basic information about your broadcast. This includes the broadcast date, registration options and who’s presenting.

Once your event is created, you’ll be provided a custom URL to promote your presentation.

LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events

At a glance, Live and Events might seem identical. They’re not the same, though.

LinkedIn actually has a one-page breakdown to clear up the confusion. Here’s a summary:

• Live broadcasts can be streamed solely to Page followers or to private Event attendees
• Page streams are public and are heard more toward audience discussions and Q&As
• Events can only be accessed by attendees and are more “official”

In short, Pages are more community-focused. Live Events are ideal for more in-depth, formal presentations. Which you choose really depends on the types of streams you host.

Which types of presentations are best for LinkedIn Live?

LinkedIn Live is still growing as brands and creators experiment with new videos. Right now, creators are prioritizing:

• Webinars (traditional presentations, in-depth breakdowns of topics and trends)
• Panels and interviews
• Q&A sessions between communities

For example, interviews are popular among individual creators on LinkedIn Live. One-on-ones provide plenty of opportunities for unique discussions and perspectives. As an added bonus, going back and forth with someone means less time for silence.

Panels and workshops are likewise popping off on LinkedIn Live at the moment. Trends, tactics and strategy tips are always a safe bet for live presentations.

Educational webinars are likewise a safe bet. Niching down on topics is a smart move to attract relevant attendees.

LinkedIn Live best practices and tips

Recent video marketing statistics illustrate the demand for live video for consumers and brands.

That said, views on your LinkedIn Live presentation aren’t guaranteed by default. This is true even if you do have an established audience. Below are a few best practices to stick to.

Come up with a clear agenda for your stream

No surprises here, live streaming is not a place to freestyle.

Make a conscious effort to create some sort of skeleton or outline for your presentation.

If you’re totally new to video, consider a practice run-through and time yourself. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to rush through a presentation. The “one slide, one-minute” rule of thumb doesn’t always hold true.

On that note, make sure there’s enough meat in your presentation to hold viewers’ attention. LinkedIn Live is not the place for short-form streams. LinkedIn recommends a 10-minute streaming minimum for the sake of maximizing your audience. Most presentations are anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour.

Also, consider that having a clear agenda helps with promoting your stream. Establishing what topics you’ll cover beforehand make it easier to highlight the value you’ll provide to viewers.

Get your audience involved in the presentation

The beauty of live streaming is that it turns passive viewers into active participants.

The chat function in LinkedIn Live is perfect for getting your audience involved. You can pose questions to them, respond to comments or conclude your video with a full-blown Q&A.

Remember: live video is compelling because of interactions like these.

Another way to engage your audience is to field questions before filming your video. For example, you might ask followers on your Page if there’s anything they want you to cover.

Give your Live presentation an engaging title

Similar to YouTube, titles and thumbnails are crucial for earning viewers and attendees.

A title like “The Standout, Must-Need Skills for Digital Marketers” is a great example. The title works because it’s specific, value-packed and intriguing by design.

We naturally want to know what those skills are, right? Well, we’ll have to tune in to find out.

Food for thought: when you go live, attendees (and some followers) will automatically get a notification. With a compelling title, people will be more likely to tune in.

Actively promote your LinkedIn Live presence

Hosting a live stream can be a ton of work. Anything you can do to maximize viewers is a plus.

Getting the most mileage possible out of your presentation comes down to how you promote it. For starters, try to get as many people (attendees, employees, colleagues) to shout out your Live Event as possible. Rather than restrict your reach to a single Page or account, don’t be shy about spreading the word.

Also, LinkedIn features like topics and hashtags can earn your presentation more reach. Posting about your Live stream multiple times is fair game leading up to the big day. If you have the budget for them, you can also run Live clips as LinkedIn ads.

Speaking of which, make a point to give viewers ample time to plan and register. LinkedIn does some of the legwork for you by offering notifications and calendar slots for Live Events. If you have an email list, be sure to promote your presence there as well.

Once your broadcast is over, LinkedIn lets you share it on your Page or edit clips to promote in your feed. This highlights how LinkedIn Lives can be repurposed and treated as evergreen content.

Look at your LinkedIn analytics over time related to your Live videos over time. Then, you can determine whether your presentations resonate with your target audience. Note that in-depth analytics data is available for broadcasts to Page followers.

Are you ready to go live on LinkedIn?

Whether you’re a B2B brand or creator, LinkedIn Live is worth exploring if your goal is to educate your audience.

Using video content to cement your status as an industry expert is a smart move. This is especially true as many brands are still only experimenting with live streams.

Looking for fresh ways to level up on LinkedIn? Check out our comprehensive LinkedIn marketing guide if you haven’t already.

The post The ultimate guide to LinkedIn Live and how to use it appeared first on Sprout Social.

These LinkedIn Statistics will show you why it is the network for B2B marketers, to target motivated audiences in 2023.

We will bring you up to date on the value of LinkedIn as a network, and provide insight into how to expand your reach with statistics and data from trusted sources, including the Sprout Social Index™, Social Media Trends for 2022 & Beyond. The demographic data alone could be the key to planning your LinkedIn marketing strategy for 2023. 

Let’s dive in.

Table of contents:

• LinkedIn demographics statistics
• How many users are on LinkedIn?
• LinkedIn advertising and marketing statistics
• LinkedIn Engagement Statistics

LinkedIn demographics statistics

1. More men use LinkedIn than women

Worldwide, men tend to use LinkedIn more than women. As of January 2022, 57.2% of users were male and 42.8% were female. The numbers of users are skewed slightly higher to male in the United States, at 58%.

Note: Sprout Social acknowledges gender beyond male and female; we are presenting the stats as reported by the source. Statista limits its gender reporting to male and female.

2. Members in the US are generally older than global users.

LinkedIn usage statistics on age of users vary globally. As of January 2023, 60% of global users were aged 25–34, representing younger millennials. Those between the ages of 18–24, mid-range Gen Z, made up 20.4% of LinkedIn users while only 2.9% of people over 55 were using the platform. No statistics were provided for users aged 35–54.

In the US, as of December 2022, 31% of users were older millennials between the ages of 30 and 39. Those aged 40–49 made up 23% of the user base, while almost 20% were primarily within the Gen Z cohort at 18–29 years old. No statistics were provided for users aged 50 and over.

So although the Gen Z user cohort appears consistent both globally and in the US, users in the United States alone tend to be a bit older.

3. At least half of LinkedIn’s members’ households earn more than $75,000

LinkedIn demographics indicate that more than half of users have higher incomes. A December 2022 survey indicated that 53% of LinkedIn users in the United States had a high monthly household income. The year before, Pew research showed that 50% of LinkedIn users had a household income of more than $75,000. That 2022 survey found that 29% of users’ households would be considered middle-income, while only 17% would be considered low-income.

This correlates with the Pew study which found that 21% of US users’ income was between $50,000 and $74,999 and 21% was between $30,000 and $49,000. Only 12% of LinkedIn users had an income of less than $30,000.

4. More than half of LinkedIn’s members have at least a bachelor’s degree

These LinkedIn numbers are not surprising when we consider the LinkedIn members’ education statistics. In December 2022, one-third of LinkedIn members had a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and another 23% held a master’s degree or its equivalent. Just 2% had a secondary-level education. This is an 8% decline in high school users from February of 2021.

5. LinkedIn is favored by suburban and urban dwellers

A Pew research study determined that 30% of LinkedIn users lived in urban centers, 33% lived in the suburbs and only 15% lived in rural areas.

How many users are on LinkedIn?

6. LinkedIn has more than 900 million members in 200 countries and regions

The question of LinkedIn usage statistics was answered in LinkedIn’s second quarter of fiscal year 2022 update. The number of current members is in excess of 900 million. And 3 new members sign up every second!

At this time, there are over 61 million companies listed on LinkedIn.

7. There are more than 199 million members in the US alone

As a country, the United States clearly represents the most members on LinkedIn. However, as a region, Asia Pacific (APAC) has the most members at 227 million. North America, or NAM, is next with 220 million members, then EMEA, Europe, the Middle East and Africa is next with 210 million. Latin America (LATAM) is last on this list with 109 million members.

LinkedIn is available in 26 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Turkish.

8. Most desktop traffic to LinkedIn comes from the US

With these LinkedIn numbers, it’s no surprise that the largest share of desktop traffic to LinkedIn comes from the US. As of May 2022, 31.28% of this traffic came from the United States, 7.08% came from India and 5.99% came from the United Kingdom. Brazil and Canada rounded out the top 5 with 4.39% and 4.11% respectively.

9. More than 137 million US LinkedIn members use the platform daily

In December of 2022, data indicated that 69% of US users were on LinkedIn daily, 15% used it several times a week and another 5% used it once a week. LinkedIn’s most up-to-date statistics do not contain data on the number of monthly average users (MAU). But, it was projected that in 2022 MAU in the US alone would reach 66.8 million, a 2.1 million gain over 2021.

Also, App Ape reported that 48.5% of US LinkedIn app audiences were monthly average users in 2021. In that same year, 17.1% of US Android LinkedIn app owners used the app daily.

10. The average visit to LinkedIn is just over 7 minutes long

There were 1.7 billion visits to LinkedIn in December 2022, a 16.86% increase over November. The average visit lasted 7.27 minutes and, on average, 7.66 pages were visited. These LinkedIn stats refer only to desktop traffic.

LinkedIn advertising and marketing statistics

11. The #1 platform for B2B marketers

According to a study by LinkedIn, it’s the leading platform for lead generation. And, 4 out of 5 of its 900 million members drive business decisions. That’s over 720 million members! Even when membership was only 850 million plus, LinkedIn reached 180 million senior-level influencers. And, a LinkedIn audience has twice the buying power of the average online audience.

Compared to other social channels, 82% of B2B marketers obtain their greatest success with LinkedIn. A staggering 93% of B2B marketers used LinkedIn for organic social marketing in the 12 months preceding October 2021. And 77% said they saw their best organic results from LinkedIn. Of the 77% of B2B respondents who used paid social media platforms, 75% chose LinkedIn in that same time period, saying it produced the best results. So, it’s not surprising LinkedIn generated 3.8 billion in ad revenue in 2021, which revenue is expected to increase to 7.7 billion by 2026.

12. Ads on LinkedIn do especially well

Ads on LinkedIn garner a 33% increase in purchase intent for brands. When they advertise on LinkedIn, brands can see a 2–3x lift in their brand attributes. Marketers experience a conversion rate up to 2x higher on LinkedIn. And audiences that have been exposed to brand and acquisition messages on the platform are 6x more likely to convert.

13. Highly effective channel for lead generation

LinkedIn is rated as the most effective channel for driving high-quality leads by 40% of B2B marketers. In fact, 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation and 62% say it produces leads for them. It only makes matters better that LinkedIn’s cost per lead is 28% lower than Google AdWords.

And, 35% of B2B marketers ranked LinkedIn as the most important social media network overall in 2021. With all that LinkedIn has to offer marketers, it’s no surprise that 97% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content marketing.

According to the latest LinkedIn statistics, the platform has an audience reach of 199 million users in the US alone.

LinkedIn engagement statistics

14. Complete your LinkedIn page

Pages with complete information get 30% more weekly views. LinkedIn best practice is to fill in all the information including your logo, overview, organization information and so forth. Don’t forget, members can search you by keywords, so the more complete and relevant your page is, the better. Companies that have done this and are active on their pages see a 5x lift in page views, a 7x lift in average impressions per follower and an 11x lift in clicks per follower. And, companies that post on LinkedIn weekly will see a 2x higher engagement rate.

15. Listicles and LinkedIn Polls seem to do best on LinkedIn

Text-only posts should not be ignored. They are still quite common on LinkedIn and can do a lot to engage your target audience when employed strategically. The character limit for posts has changed to 3000 in 2023 which can be anywhere between 500 and 1000 words. Use hashtags. They can be searched on LinkedIn, bringing users straight to your content.

An independent study of 3000 posts on LinkedIn found that long-form content of 1900-2000 words get the most views, likes, comments and shares on LinkedIn. And if those posts were broken up by 5, 7 or 9 headings they gained 50%, 33% and 47% more views than a single heading post, respectively.

Listicles, especially “how-to’s” do very well on LinkedIn. The independent study found that a “how-to” post performs 31.5% better in terms of LinkedIn analytics than all other types of posts.

LinkedIn Polls help you engage with your audience because they get to give their opinions about the questions you pose. Use them to learn about pain points, what they’re looking for from your brand and more. Your question should be engaging and relevant. You can give up to four answer choices. Use the number that will best allow your ideal audience members to share their opinions. Not only do these polls engage your audience, but you can learn a great deal about them to help you in your future marketing efforts.

This LinkedIn Poll by Sarah Johnston got 6,290 votes and 160 comments.

Imagine what you could do with the right question.

16. Images have a marked effect on engagement

Using images in your posts results in a 98% higher comment rate compared to text-only posts. And for ads with a single image, larger images of 1200 x 627 pixels garner up to a 38% higher click-through rate. In the case of images, sometimes more is better. Custom collages of 3–4 images in a post perform particularly well for companies. And the independent study mentioned above indicated that posts with a single image are over 2x as engaging as a text-only post. Posts with 4 images are almost 4x as engaging and those with 8 images are almost 10x as engaging. Further, having 8 images is nearly 4x as engaging as a single image post.

17. Video is becoming more impactful on LinkedIn

Video gets 5x more engagement on LinkedIn. Users will engage with video ads for nearly 3x longer than other types of ads. Since videos are often watched without sound, it’s a good idea to add captions to attract and engage your audience. And, show them what you want them to see within the first 10 seconds before you lose their attention. LinkedIn’s research shows that members are 20x more likely to share a video on LinkedIn than any other type of post. Plus, 73% of B2B marketers say that video positively impacts their marketing return on investment.

According to LinkedIn, you can use YouTube videos too, and they will play directly in your feed, generally resulting in a share rate of 75%.

Video is so versatile. You can share just about anything. It doesn’t only have to be ads. You can share your brand values, news, and information on upcoming events or opinions on social issues that matter. In fact, data from the Index indicate that 71% of consumers think it’s important for brands to raise awareness and take a stand on sensitive issues. This is a great way to engage with and grow your audience, especially if you take advantage of the many tools available to you on LinkedIn.

People tend to favor short-form videos, which they find 2x more engaging than long-form videos. And, according to the Index, 34% of consumers want to see authentic, less-produced videos. Only 26% would like to see polished, highly produced video.

LinkedIn Live videos get 24x more engagement than static posts. Live stream also gets 7x more reactions and 24x more comments than other videos.

You can keep up with this influx of comments from LinkedIn Live using Sprout Social’s Smart Inbox, one of its social media management tools. The Smart Inbox consolidates all of your incoming messages in one place so you don’t have to go from platform to platform to engage with your audience.

LinkedIn recommends that you have a moderator for your live streams and plan to stream for at least 15 minutes to allow your followers time to join. Your audience will keep building as you stream. Use #LinkedInLive in your stream description as well as any other relevant hashtags. This will help you grow your audience beyond your followers.

18. LinkedIn features help you extend your reach

The minimum audience size to run an advertising campaign on LinkedIn is 300 members, but you should shoot for 50,000 or more for text or single image ads. You can increase your reach by using LinkedIn’s “lookalike audience” feature.

This targets people or companies with similar characteristics to your matched audience segment. Using this feature can increase the size of your original audience by up to 15x, not including your original matched audience.

And, you can extend your reach further with the LinkedIn Audience Network feature. It delivers your single image, carousel and video ads beyond your LinkedIn feed to users on third-party apps and sites.

Over 9 million users have turned on LinkedIn Creator Mode since it was launched at the beginning of 2021. Using Creator Mode allows you to grow your reach and influence by helping you establish thought leadership through the content you create and share.

To learn more about the tools you can get access to through creator mode, including LinkedIn Live, visit LinkedIn Creator Mode Help/Answer.

Creator Mode can have a profound impact for marketers. Thought leadership is critical to 79% of potential buyers in determining which providers they want to learn more about. And 70% of potential B2B buyers say LinkedIn is one of the most trusted sources of that information. Another 75% say thought leadership helps them determine which vendors to choose.

Thought leadership is important to 90% of B2B decision makers. Almost half of all C-suite executives will spend at least one hour per week engaged with this type of content.

Improve your LinkedIn marketing strategy in 2023

In 2022, LinkedIn was ranked number 7 in the top ten fastest-growing brands worldwide, based on brand value growth (68%). It was one of only two social media networks in the rankings; YouTube was the other. And LinkedIn’s tools, such as Creator Mode and Audience Network, help you to extend your reach and engage new audiences.

As these LinkedIn statistics and data have shown, executives, decision-makers, buyers and marketers are all networking and growing their businesses on LinkedIn.

Isn’t it time you used LinkedIn for business? Sprout has all the tools you need to do so effortlessly, including the Smart Inbox to help you keep the conversation going smoothly across social platforms.

The post LinkedIn statistics for marketers in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

We gathered 30 statistics to help you understand YouTube’s place in your video marketing strategy. Whether you’re looking for user insights, YouTube search trends or historical facts and figures, we’ve got you covered.

• YouTube data and channel statistics
• YouTube users
• Advertising on YouTube
• YouTube organic search statistics
• YouTube usage statistics
• YouTube growth
• YouTube marketing statistics

YouTube data and channel statistics

Before getting into general YouTube stats, let’s get personal. If you currently manage a presence on the platform, you can check your channel statistics using YouTube analytics. (Also, if you don’t have a brand account on YouTube, now’s a great time to create a channel.)

Access the YouTube analytics tool by going to studio.youtube.com or by clicking your profile icon and selecting “YouTube Studio.”

Once you’re in YouTube Studio, you can click on “Analytics” in the left hand panel to access your YouTube performance analytics. There are several reports available but if you’re just looking for a general overview of channel performance, check out the Channel Overview Report.

The Channel Overview Report will provide you with a graph measuring how your views, watch time and subscriber count are trending over time. On social media, consistency is key. If you’re updating your channel at a regular cadence, you should see gains in channel growth over time.

If you’re noticing a dip, check out these creative approaches to promoting your YouTube channel.

YouTube users

When launching a video marketing strategy, you need to know if the platform’s demographics match your target audience. Let’s cover some of YouTube’s main demographics.

1. YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users

YouTube is visited by nearly a quarter of the world’s population, boasting two billion monthly active users. It’s fair to assume that YouTube has a diverse user base and your business can likely connect to your target audiences.

2. India has the largest YouTube audience, followed by the United States and Brazil

There are approximately 467 million active YouTube users in India, making it the network’s largest audience by country.

High-speed internet became widely available in India in 2016, and internet usage has flourished there ever since. This speedy adoption has contributed to the rise of Indian YouTube stars like T-Series, who is one of the most subscribed YouTubers on the platform.

3. English and Spanish are amongst the most popular languages used on YouTube

More than half (66%) of the content from YouTube’s top 250 channels is produced in English, followed by Spanish (15%) and Portuguese (7%).

4. The largest age group using YouTube is between ages 15-35

About 77% of internet users between ages 15-35 are on YouTube, along with 73% of users aged 36-45, 70% of users aged 46-55 and 67% of users aged 56+.

YouTube’s popularity with Gen Z makes sense; they came of age alongside the network and its top creators, like Emma Chamberlain and David Dobrik.  Aside from entertainment, research shows that Gen Z also turns to YouTube as an educational tool.

5. YouTube users skew male

Roughly 53.9% of YouTube users are men and 46.1% are women. (There’s no data on other genders available at this time.)

6. YouTube users are more likely to have a college education

A Google-commissioned Nielsen study found that YouTube users are more likely to be college educated compared to the general population.

Advertising on YouTube

YouTube ad campaigns pack a visual punch that generate responses from consumers of all ages. If you’re wondering whether they’re worth the investment, let’s dig into some YouTube ad stats.

7. YouTube generated $7.9 billion in ad revenue in Q4 2021

YouTube is a promising advertising platform for brands, generating over $7.9 billion in advertising revenue in the fourth quarter of 2022 alone.

8. Consumers find YouTube ads to be more relevant than linear TV advertising

YouTube ad targeting capabilities create a highly tailored experience for the end user. According to a 2022 study, 59% of respondents agree that YouTube ads are more relevant than ads on linear TV or other streaming apps.

9. Vertical video can increase conversions per dollar

Vertical video—meaning video filmed and viewed in portrait mode, rather than landscape—has exploded in popularity on the platform since the launch of YouTube Shorts. People have been watching YouTube on a variety of screen sizes for quite some time. Now, marketers have the tools they need to optimize for mobile viewing.

Tailoring YouTube ads to adhere to content consumption preferences can drive a noticeable lift in ROI. Vertical creative assets delivered 10% to 20% more conversions per dollar on YouTube Shorts when compared to landscape assets.

10. The most viewed ad of 2022 is a promotion for Amazon’s Alexa home speaker

The minute-long Big Game ad features SNL star Colin Jost and actress Scarlett Johansson.

YouTube organic search statistics

YouTube has its own algorithm and search engine optimization rules to get your content seen. Let’s get into a few stats related to YouTube search.

11. YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world

Alphabet, Inc. has cornered the market on search. YouTube follows Google as the second-largest search engine in the world, generating more search queries than Bing, Yahoo, AOL and Ask combined.

This shows how important YouTube SEO is because the platform is also a video and information search tool.

12. 35% of the top global YouTube searches in 2022 are TV related

Turkish television hit Duy Beni nabbed the third highest spot on a 2022 list of top global YouTube searches, making it the most searched for TV show of the year on the platform.

13. The top 5 global searches on YouTube

The top five global YouTube searches of all time are “minecraft”, “TikTok”, “comedy”, “tik tok” and “ASMR.” Two out of these five searches are related to the short-form video giant, TikTok.

14. Gen Z turns to YouTube to dive deeper into their favorite TV shows

According to an Ipsos survey, 60% of Gen Z viewers use YouTube to find content related to TV shows and movies they recently watched.

YouTube usage statistics

Understanding how the platform is being used will inform incorporating YouTube into your marketing strategy.

15. YouTube Shorts earn more than 30 billion daily views

Since its launch in 2021, YouTube Shorts has become a vertical video staple. It’s home to 1.5 billion monthly active users, earning more than 30 billion daily views.

16. TV is YouTube’s fastest-growing screen size

Thanks to connected smart home devices, viewers are enjoying YouTube content beyond the confines of a laptop. Viewers watch more than 700 million hours of YouTube content on TV daily, making it the fastest-growing screen size for content consumption.

17. People watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube video content each day

Not only does YouTube have a large user base, but they also have a highly engaged one with over 1 billion hours of video content being viewed each day.

With the right video content strategy and optimizations like YouTube descriptions, any brand can find an audience for their videos.

18. The most popular YouTube channel has over 200 million subscribers

The most popular YouTube channel is T-Series, with over 230 million subscribers. The next most popular YouTube channels are YouTube Movies, Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes, SET India and Music.

19. The most viewed YouTube video of all time is “Baby Shark Dance”

Parents, this one is probably more than familiar. The viral hit took off in 2016 and shot to the top of the list of most viewed YouTube videos of all time. The video has more than 12 billion views, as of February 2023.

YouTube growth

YouTube has grown quickly since its inception in 2005. Considering the video platform was initially meant to be a niche dating site, its wide appeal use as a video juggernaut is nothing short of remarkable. Let’s look at a few stats to see just how much growth it’s achieved over the past 17 years.

19. The first YouTube video was uploaded on April 23, 2005

YouTube founder Jawed Karim uploaded the very first video to the platform. It was called “Me at the zoo,” and was a 19-second video that has now generated over 221 million views.

20. In 2006, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion

Just a year and a half after the youtube.com domain was bought, Google acquired the video-sharing platform for $1.65 billion. At the time, Google believed they overpaid to acquire the platform. But considering YouTube ad revenue was $8.6 billion in just the last quarter, we know now that Google got a steal.

21. YouTube rolled out video ads in August 2007

YouTube ads have been around almost the entire lifespan of the company. Ads rolled out in August 2007, just 10 months after Google’s acquisition.

22. YouTube is the second most visited website in the world

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world, behind only Google. This means that audiences are frequently referencing YouTube for everything from entertainment to how-to videos.

23. YouTube is available in over 100 countries and 80 languages

Another great statistic showcasing the wide range of users is that YouTube’s video platform is available in over 100 countries and is localized into 80 different languages.

You can reach a wide variety of demographics and even publish video content in various languages to bolster an international marketing strategy.

24. Over 500 hours of video content are uploaded to YouTube every minute

Don’t get lost in the noise. Over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, so you need a strategy to ensure your video gets seen.

Plan a focus keyword, strategically craft your video title and description and don’t forget about search optimization. You can even incorporate hashtags into your YouTube video content to signal what topics your video is related to.

25. There are more than 51 million YouTube channels

Over 51 million YouTube channels have been created, growing 36% in the last year.

Out of those 51 million+ channels, 306,000 YouTube channels have more than 100,000 subscribers, 29,000 YouTube channels have more than 1 million subscribers and 700 YouTube channels have more than 10 million subscribers.

YouTube marketing statistics

Let’s take a look at how marketers view YouTube. Knowing how other companies are positioning their strategies can help decide your team’s next steps.

26. There’s a prioritization disconnect between marketers and consumers

According to The Sprout Social Index™ 2022, half of consumers (51%) plan on spending more time on YouTube over the next 12 months. In terms of popularity, it’s second only to Facebook.

On the other hand, only 35% of marketers anticipate leveraging the platform over the next year. This disconnect creates a clear opportunity for savvy brands looking to gain a competitive advantage.

27. 22% of marketers are using YouTube Stories

YouTube Stories, the platform’s answer to ephemeral content, came out in November 2017. As of now, 22% of marketers have incorporated YouTube Stories into their strategy.

Unlike Instagram or Facebook Stories, YouTube Stories expire after seven days, as opposed to 24 hours. If you want to test out the feature, we recommend using them as a promotional tool for recently added content. Give your followers a peek at what to expect from your latest video so they can decide whether they’d like to see more.

28. Influencer follower count impacts engagement rate

YouTube influencers with between 100,000 and 1,000,000 followers had the highest engagement rates, amounting to just over 4%. YouTubers with between 1,000 and 5,000 followers had the lowest engagement rate on average, at 2.05%.

These averages are good to keep in mind, but they shouldn’t be the end all and be all of your YouTube influencer marketing strategy. Remember: Micro-influencers can speak more effectively to a niche target audience than some of the biggest names on the platform.

29. YouTube is the first stop in the social shopping journey

YouTube has some serious sway when it comes to social commerce. According to research from Google and Ipsos, 80% of shoppers who watched a video related to a planned purchase said they watched it at the beginning of their shopping process.

YouTube is home to several content formats that allow consumers to research interests alongside their favorite creators. Whether it’s a haul video, a “shop with me” vlog or something else entirely, these videos provide consumers with a more authentic look at the value they can get from a purchase.

30. There are penalties for over-tagging

According to Google’s Help Center, if a YouTube video or playlist has more than 60 tags, all of the hashtags on that content will be ignored.

A little bit goes a long way when it comes to YouTube hashtags. We recommend using one to two hashtags in your video title and three to five hashtags in your description. Anything more can appear spammy, turning away potential viewers.

Ramp up your YouTube marketing strategy

Demographic data and usage trends are the foundation of any network-specific social media marketing strategy. Combine these YouTube stats with your channel-specific metrics to create a blueprint for success in 2023.

Keep building on your strategy with our complete guide to YouTube marketing. It’ll give you all the strategic tips you need to take full advantage of this social media powerhouse.

The post 30 YouTube statistics to power your marketing strategy in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.

With TikTok analytics, you will see how users are engaging with your content, where your followers are located, their age demographics, when they’re most active and other metrics. These insights will help you craft content that connects with your target audiences and expands your reach. It can also give you a clear answer into whether your efforts are paying off.

In this guide, we break down how to access and understand your TikTok analytics.

Navigate the article:

• What is TikTok Analytics?
• Why are TikTok analytics important for your business?
• How to access native TikTok analytics
• TikTok insights and metrics to monitor
• Viewing TikTok analytics with Sprout Social

What is TikTok analytics?

TikTok analytics refers to the data collected from content to help content creators and brands track the performance of videos. It includes video metrics, such as views, likes, comments and shares, as well as information about your profile and followers. Along with your creativity, leveraging analytics is key to creating your TikTok marketing strategy.

Why are TikTok analytics important for your business?

You’re probably familiar with the experience of balancing social media trends while growing your brand’s following and engagement. Managing social’s fast-paced nature can be tough, especially if you have limited resources. Using TikTok for business analytics is a must because it helps you keep up with trends, but it also requires you to dive deeper to differentiate your audience and identify their specific behaviors and preferences.

Here’s some of our other top reasons using TikTok analytics for business is so important:

1: Create a data-driven content strategy

TikTok analytics will help you create a data-driven TikTok marketing strategy by pinpointing your most engaging videos and uncovering information about your audience, like when they are the most active and their location.

The insights you receive can inform your content topics, best posting times, potential content creators and influencers to collaborate with, relevant trends and more.

2: Connect with your target audience

The community-oriented nature of TikTok allows brands to cater to their niche and target audience. TikTok analytics gives you the insights needed to create content that resonates and engages your target audience. And, if done correctly, you can optimize your strategy for conversion as well.

For example, you can view hashtags to determine relevant trends or to inspire TikTok challenges and campaigns.

3. Prove return on investment

TikTok analytics can provide the evidence you need to prove your return on investment. And if you’re able to create a compelling data story, it’ll be easier to justify a need for more resources for your campaigns.

How to access native TikTok analytics

Like other social media apps, TikTok offers native analytics. Here’s how to access TikTok analytics via mobile and desktop.

How to access TikTok analytics from mobile

1. Tap the profile icon in the bottom right-hand corner.
2. Tap the three vertical lines in the top right corner and click Creator Tools.
3. Tap Analytics.

How to access TikTok analytics from desktop

1. Log into your account by going to TikTok.com. (You can also go to tiktok.com/analytics if you are already logged in).
2. Hover over your profile icon, then select View Analytics.
3. On the TikTok homepage, hover over your profile icon and select Business Suite.

4. This will take you directly to the Analytics section of your account.

TikTok insights and metrics to monitor

Here’s a breakdown of what’s available in native TikTok analytics:

TikTok Account overview

TikTok has four primary analytics sections: overview, content, followers and LIVE. Within each of those categories are sub-categories of analytics.

Video views

This area shows you a bar graph of how many views your videos have received in the last seven days. You can also view video engagement for the last 28 days, 60 days or set a custom date range to get a better understanding of your growth, and any fluctuations or trends.

Profile views

This section reveals the number of profile views over your desired date range (last seven, last 28, last 60 days or a custom date range), which can help you identify the type of content that’s driving people to your profile.

The overview tab also shows you:

• The number of likes, comments and shares for each video
• The number of comments you’ve received
• The number of videos you’ve shared

TikTok follower analytics

The third tab in your TikTok analytics is all about your follower stats. Seeing exact followers on TikTok and in-depth information about audience demographics is always helpful to ensure your content is resonating with your target audience and supporting follower growth.

Followers

This area tells you the total number of accounts that follow you along with your net followers. Net followers show the number of new followers minus the number of unfollows in the last 7 days.

Growth rate

This tells you the number of followers you gained or dropped against the previous date range.

Gender

A basic pie chart with the percentage of your followers by gender.

Age demographics

This section breaks down your followers by age group.

Top countries and cities

This section highlights the top five countries and cities your followers are located.

Most active times

This part of TikTok analytics shows the average times your followers are active. You can view these times by hours and days. Ideally, you’ll want to post your content before daily user activity peaks.

Using this information strategically will help you determine the best times to post on TikTok to reach the most followers. Pay attention to the tallest bars in the graph to see when most of your followers are online, then base your TikTok posting schedule around that.

TikTok content analytics

The next tab in your TikTok analytics is the content tab. This section shows more specific information about the actual TikTok content you’re publishing, including your most viewed video. All content metrics are available for the previous seven days only.

The content tab also shows you some of the same information you can see in the overview—total likes, comments and shares.

Video posts

Here you’ll see views at a glance for the last nine videos that you posted in the last seven days. You’ll also get a glimpse into whether you stayed on par with your post frequency from the previous period, or if you posted more or less content.

Trending videos

This section shows the top nine videos with the fastest growth in view numbers over the past seven days.

Video views by section

In this section, you’re able to see how people found your video, whether it was from your profile or if it appeared on their For You feed.

Video views by region

This section gives you insight into the region your video reached and where viewers are from so that you can see exactly where your content performs best.

Average watch time

This is the average length of time people watched your videos—a good indicator of whether your videos are engaging to audiences. You will also see how often users stayed until the end to watch your entire video.

Total play time

This is the cumulative watch time for all users who viewed your video, a helpful metric for comparing the performance of your videos.

TikTok LIVE analytics

If you click on the TikTok LIVE tab, you will be taken to the LIVE Center. If you’ve hosted live videos in the past 28 days or week, in LIVE Center you’ll be able to see insights such as:

• Total views: The number of viewers for your live videos within your selected date range.
• Total time: The time you’ve spent hosting live videos within your selected date range.
• New followers: TikTok users who began following you while you were hosting a live video within your selected date range.
• Top viewer count: The highest number of live video viewers at one specific time within your selected date range.
• Unique viewers: Viewers who watched your live video at least once (even if a viewer replays your video, they are counted only once).
• Diamonds: Virtual gifts that users may send you—you can exchange these for money through TikTok.
• Viewer ranking: The viewers with the highest gift count and watch time.

Also, consider checking out the LIVE Academy to learn tips and tricks for livestreaming on TikTok.

Viewing TikTok analytics with Sprout Social

Leveraging TikTok native analytics can improve your content strategy, but you will uncover even more insights by analyzing data in a tool like Sprout Social.

Sprout’s automated, presentation-ready reports take the manual work out of reporting, and make it easier to compare your performance on TikTok to your other networks. Sprout’s TikTok integration helps you:

• Compare your results over time: While TikTok’s native reporting shows you metrics over the past 60 days, we’ll keep all of your historical TikTok data once it’s connected to Sprout. This enables you to view month-over-month or year-over-year comparisons to track how your videos perform over time.
• Measure everything in one view: Evaluate all of your TikTok-specific metrics in one view with a dedicated TikTok Profiles Report.
• See how TikTok compares across social networks: Want to see how TikTok performs against similar content (e.g. Instagram)? Look at your post performance across networks in the same report automatically.

Use TikTok analytics to grow your business

Now that you know how to navigate TikTok’s analytics dashboard, you’ll need to make sure you’re keeping an eye on the rest of your social media as well. It can be challenging and time-consuming to combine data from multiple native analytics reports across every social platform. Add in the task of keeping up with trends on top of making creative content and you’ve add a lot more responsibility to your plate.

That’s where Sprout Social comes in—our social media management tool can help you keep track not just of TikTok, but other networks too like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Our platform’s deep analytics and automation will save you time, so you can have more space to be creative and experiment.

Keep up with what consumers most want out of short-form video with our TikTok integration.

The post The complete guide to TikTok analytics appeared first on Sprout Social.

Brands that are truly “killing it” on TikTok are creating content that’s as entertaining as it is authentic–making the audience feel closer to the brand. This trends away from the often polished and perfect posts we’re used to seeing from businesses on other social media platforms.

This 45-minute discussion will cover: 

• How your business can gain value from TikTok 
• TikTok audience insights and its potential for your business
• Impactful TikTok marketing tips you can begin implementing now

Featuring speakers from Sprout Social:

The post How to Unlock the Power of TikTok for Your Business appeared first on Sprout Social.

Despite a year of significant change, Twitter is still the first platform people turn to for breaking news in 2023. To tap into the hub of current events and trending conversations, you have to dig into Twitter analytics to understand how people use the platform. This includes staying up-to-date on the latest Twitter statistics that can shape your approach.

Doing so will help you better understand your target audience. According to The 2022 Sprout Social Index™, 36% of consumers will pick a brand over a competitor if they feel understood, up from 21% in 2021.

While platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram might have more users, Twitter’s audience is active, engaged and plugged-in, and brands should consider it a valuable channel to connect with their audience.

Check out these 23 Twitter statistics to inspire and guide your social media strategy this year.

• General Twitter stats every marketer should know
• Twitter usage statistics that prove the platform’s impact
• Twitter user statistics to help reach your audience
• Twitter statistics for advertisers
• Twitter stats businesses need to inform their strategy

General Twitter stats every marketer should know

1. Monthly active users: 436 million

2. Worldwide usage ranking: 14th most popular social media network

3. Revenue: $5.08 billion

4. Ownership: Privately held

Twitter is at a unique crossroads. For one thing, new ownership has spurred renewed interest in the platform and increased user activity. As of January 2023, Twitter has 436 million monthly active users (MAU), up from 366 million in December 2022. Despite still trailing other networks like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok, this growth indicates rapid and notable increases in user activity. (Pro tip: Use Twitter analytics tools to measure your brand’s unique audience performance.)

On the other hand, uncertainty over the platform’s financial health looms. In its last yearly earnings report in Q4 2021, Twitter reported earning $5.08 billion in annual revenue, up 37% from the previous year. By Q2 2022, Twitter earned $1.18 billion in quarterly revenue—a decrease of 1% year over year—and reported total quarterly costs and expenses equal to $1.52 billion, according to the company’s final earnings release. No updated revenue data has been reported since Twitter was privately acquired.

But don’t count Twitter out during this time of transition. As the 14th most popular social media network in the world, it remains a major player in the social media game.

Twitter usage statistics that prove the platform’s impact

5. Monetizable daily active users: 237.8 million (55% of total users)

6. Average daily usage: 34.8 minutes/day

7. Worldwide daily engagement ranking: Third most-used social network

According to Twitter’s final earnings release, each day 237.8 million monetizable users log into the app, which is 55% of all Twitter users. On average, these users spend 34.8 minutes on the platform. For perspective, users only spend 30.1 minutes per day on Facebook, the platform consumers anticipated they would use most, according to our Index data. Twitter still trails TikTok and YouTube, but as the third most popular app for daily use, there’s no denying Twitter has the potential to help brands grow their communities by gaining new, highly-engaged followers.

Twitter user statistics to help reach your audience

8. Gender: 56.4% male, 43.6% female (Note: Sprout Social acknowledges gender isn’t binary, but our data sources limit their reporting to male and female)

9. Age: 38.5% between 25–34 years old

10. Location: US, Japan and India

11. Cross-platform usage: Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook

12. Education level and income: One-third are college educated and make more than $75,000 annually

13. Sentiment trends: Negative sentiment toward glitches, some new features, user privacy and proposed paywall, but positive overall toward Twitter’s legacy

To maximize your chance of reaching your target audience on Twitter, you need to understand the demographic breakdown of its user base. The platform tends to sway male, with 56.4% of users identifying as such. It’s most popular with people between the ages of 25 and 34 years old, and least popular with teens. Users within this age range are also most active on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

One-third of Twitter users are college-educated and make more than $75,000 annually, highlighting the platform’s highly-educated and high-earning base. Countries leading in Twitter usage include the US, Japan and India.

Twitter’s core users loudly express their feelings about the platform. In recent months, they have raised concerns about platform glitches, new features, privacy and proposed paywalls. While sentiment has ebbed and flowed, most users are pulling for the platform to regain its wings—like this Tweet from a Twitter fan showcases.

Twitter statistics for advertisers

14. Annual ad revenue: $1.41 billion

15. Cost per engagement: Increased 39% from 2020 to 2021

16. Ad engagement: Decreased 12% from 2020 to 2021

17. Ad view time: 26% higher than other leading platforms

18. Industry inclusivity: Only major social platform to allow cannabis advertising

Advertising on Twitter takes multiple forms—including promoted Tweets, accounts and trending topics (as this example demonstrates). The platform strives to continuously roll out new high-impact ad types to meet evolving consumer expectations and preferences.

Despite these efforts, ROI for advertisers has significantly fallen since 2020. According to the 2021 annual earnings report, Twitter earns $1.41 billion in yearly ad revenue (up 24% year over year). Yet, ad engagement rates fell by 12% while cost per engagement increased by 39%.

In late 2022 and early 2023, Twitter’s ad revenue took a hit as major brands paused advertising efforts on the platform. Ultimately, it’s too early to tell how this will impact advertising on Twitter long term, but it does create opportunity for brands to breakthrough and experiment in the interim. Twitter reports that ad view time on the platform is 26% higher than other leading platforms.

From offering discounted ads to allowing cannabis advertising, Twitter is making attractive appeals for brands to reinvest in the platform. (If your brand sells cannabis, bookmark our article: How cannabis brands elevate their social media content.)

Twitter stats businesses need to inform their strategy

19. Best time to post: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9 a.m.

20. Average brand engagement rate: 0.04%

21. Discoverability: #1 platform

22. 53% of people on Twitter are more likely to be the first to buy new products

23. 15% of users and 32% of brands use Twitter for customer service

When you build your Twitter marketing strategy, it’s imperative to align your content with the style of the network. For example, Twitter is a fast-moving platform, and your Tweets will be missed if you post at the wrong time. Overall, the best times to post are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9 a.m., but you should find the best time to post on Twitter for your industry and audience.

The average brand engagement rate on Twitter is 0.04%. While that figure might seem low compared to other platforms, remember that Tweets often require less effort which allows brands to post more often, creating more opportunity for engagement.

Despite a low brand engagement rate, Twitter is the number one platform for discoverability, and its superpower is helping brands gain exposure to an audience eager to try something new. According to Twitter, 53% of people on the platform are more likely to be the first to buy new products.

Consumers aren’t just on the platform for Twitter ecommerce, though. According to our Index data, 15% of users and 32% of brands use Twitter for customer service and care—making it a key destination at every stage in the marketing funnel.

Use these Twitter statistics to help your brand soar

These key Twitter statistics prove the platform could still play a vital role in your brand’s social media strategy. But like all social media platforms, your brand’s performance on Twitter is what you make it. Even in the midst of Twitter’s evolution, you can find stability and success if you ground your strategy in data. Empowered with the 23 Twitter stats we shared in this article, evaluate your approach to the platform and refine your tactics to ensure you resonate with your target audience.

Start asking yourself questions like:

• Is my target audience using Twitter more or less than I anticipated?
• What does my target audience use Twitter for?
• What is my brand’s return on paid investment on the platform?
• Am I reaching my audience at the best time?
• Is my company’s Twitter customer service workflow meeting expectations?

Use your answers to guide your company’s approach to Twitter in 2023, and watch your presence take off.  Keep iterating on your Twitter strategy by learning how to use Twitter effectively to grow your brand.

The post 23 essential Twitter statistics to guide your strategy in 2023 appeared first on Sprout Social.