As Governments all over the world take into account new measures to restrict teenagers’ use of social apps, the newest stats from Pew Analysis on teen social media use come at a very attention-grabbing time, in showcasing the place teenagers are paying consideration, and the way a lot time they really are spending in social apps.
Based mostly on a survey of 1,391 U.S. teenagers aged 13 to 17, in addition to every of their mother and father, the report gives a snapshot of the place teenagers are participating, and which apps are the important thing focus for this cohort.
And it’ll come as no shock to search out that YouTube stays the chief within the house.
As you possibly can see, YouTube has declined barely since Pew’s final survey, although it was nonetheless flagged by 90% of contributors as an app that they use usually.
YouTube is taken into account much less of a social app and extra a video platform, because it doesn’t give attention to the social parts as a lot (apparently, YouTube has been excluded from Australia’s new social media ban for teenagers below 16). But it surely’s nonetheless technically a social app, and its affect stays enormous, driving cultural traits amongst younger audiences.
Instagram and WhatsApp are the one apps which have seen an increase in utilization since Pew’s final teen report, although TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat stay the important thing social apps that teenagers use to remain linked.
As per Pew:
“Roughly six-in-ten teenagers say they use TikTok and Instagram, and 55% say the identical for Snapchat.”
That’s just about what most would anticipate, with these apps remaining “the large three” for teenagers for a while, whereas each Fb and X (previously Twitter) have declined considerably over the previous decade with this group.
“At this time, 32% of teenagers say they use Fb. That is down from 71% in 2014-15, although the share of teenagers who use the positioning has remained steady lately. And 17% of teenagers say they use X (previously Twitter) – about half the share who stated this a decade in the past (33%), and down from 23% in 2022.”
Each Fb and X, that are actually the O.G.’s of the social house, have turn into extra centered on engagement amongst older customers, and have misplaced their youth enchantment to a major diploma. So should you’re trying to attain teenagers, in all probability don’t go advertising and marketing in these apps.
Although the actual information of curiosity on this report is probably going how a lot time teenagers spend in every app:
As you possibly can see on this overview, YouTube and TikTok are the platforms that teenagers are almost definitely to spend probably the most time on.
“Total, 73% of teenagers say they go on YouTube every day, making YouTube probably the most broadly used and visited platform we requested about. This share consists of 15% who describe their use as “nearly fixed.” About six-in-ten go to TikTok every day. This consists of 16% who report being on it nearly continually.”
“Virtually continually” is a regarding allocation, however that is how Pew has characterised these persistent customers, who’re just about at all times lively in social apps.
Based mostly on this, it is YouTube and TikTok that might arguably be probably the most problematic for teen social media use, if the argument is that social media is overly dangerous for teenagers (knowledgeable opinions differ on this). But, Instagram and Snapchat are likely to get extra focus on this respect, with Instagram, particularly, singled out as inflicting psychological well being impacts amongst younger women by varied reviews.
The info right here means that each YouTube and TikTok are much more addictive, and arguably extra influential on impressionable minds.
Although general, extra teenagers are spending extra time on-line:
When it comes to gender splits, the information exhibits that teen women are extra seemingly than boys to say they use TikTok nearly continually, whereas boys are extra seemingly than women to make use of YouTube.
As you possibly can see, the gender splits for different apps are way more aligned, which is one other consideration for advertising and marketing spend.
Pew’s full report consists of additional info on utilization amongst totally different demographics, together with ethnicity-specific utilization and family revenue information.
Some precious insights for anybody trying to attain teenagers on-line.
You’ll be able to try the total report right here.
