Since its creation in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow Harvard roommates, Facebook has grown into a multi-billion dollar company that sees users flock to the site in tens of millions every day.
With such a wide range of active users, the opportunities to reach an audience through marketing and Facebook advertising have never been higher.
That's why we decided, as a Facebook Advertising Agency, to find all the statistics necessary to understand exactly how Facebook marketing can improve your business in 2024.
We've even sorted them into handy sections for you - covering everything from exactly what age demographics are the fastest-growing on the platform to exactly how to optimise your Facebook video content.
As of Q4 2023, there are 3.065 billion monthly active users on Facebook, making it the largest app in the world. This is an increase from 12 months prior in Q4 2022 when they had 2.96 billion users.
The top 3 most viewed Facebook Pages are viral trend posters like LADbible, UNILAD and Lessons Learned in Life. These three are then followed by recipes and pet clip accounts.
While it may be surprising, only 5.74% of Facebook users come from the U.S.
India boasts a seriously impressive stat of a total of 378.05 million Facebook users.
Out of the total estimated UK population of 69.19 million, approximately 37.45 million people are active Facebook users - approximately 54.63% of the total UK population.
The U.S. population currently sits at 345.6 million, with an estimated 193.5 million people in America that have an account on Facebook. And Facebook penetration in the U.S. is on the rise!
In fact, in 2022, around 71.43% of internet users in the United States were regular Facebook users. Projections suggest that by 2027, the proportion of the digital population engaging with this social network is expected to rise to approximately 75%.
That means that over a third of the world's population of over 8 billion are daily active users!
In that same minute, more than 510,000 comments are made, there are 293,000 status updates, 136,000 photos are uploaded, and a whopping 4 million posts are liked. As the site constantly increases and expands, these numbers are sure to only go up.
In January 2023, it was discovered that the largest audience on Facebook comprised men aged 25 to 34, making up 18.4 percent of the global user base. Following closely, the second-largest audience group was men aged 18 to 24 years.
And 6.6% of Facebook users fall into the 65+ age group.
Millennials continue to favour Facebook, with 69% using it compared to other social media platforms. In contrast, only 37% of Gen Z users are active on Facebook. The platform usage among Millennials has slightly declined, dropping from 75% in late 2021 to 69% in November 2022.
Of the total online population of the UK (an estimated 66.33 million), only an estimated 19.14 million people do not use Facebook. The remaining 43 million use Facebook at least once a month. By 2027, it is projected that the portion of monthly active Facebook users will surpass 70.58% of the overall digital population. The estimation suggests the UK will have nearly 50 million Facebook users by the same year.
On the other side of the pond, American users are estimated to spend about 33 minutes on Facebook daily. In the UK, daily usage is about 42 minutes.
Now that we've had a more in-depth look at the trends behind those who use Facebook, it's now time to turn our attention to the platform itself, as we dive into the statistics behind Facebook advertising in 2024.
The average revenue per Facebook user worldwide is $13.12, which keeps increasing every quarter.
The world of Facebook Ads is ever-expanding as it grows with every year, and 2024 is no exception. If you want to learn about the current advertising statistics and trends, keep reading below.
We all know that Facebook Ads are fundamental to most marketing strategies, not just in the UK but on an international scale - with the capacity to reach the billions we've already discussed. It should come then as no surprise that the vast majority of marketers use the social network as an essential digital marketing platform.
A recent study found that the highest global Facebook traffic occurs on Wednesday and Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It's worth noting, as this is when you may reach your maximum potential to grab your target audience.
In the third quarter of 2022, the cost of Facebook ads dropped by a cool 18%. Why? Well, it turns out that data challenges linked to iOS updates and third-party cookies are shaking things up. But don't worry! Even though precise targeting might be a bit trickier, there's a silver lining – you can now reach specific audiences interested in your brand at lower rates. That's why it might be worth considering working with a digital marketing agency to ensure top performance for your budget.
Facebook ad revenue is gearing up for blockbuster growth, expected to hit an impressive $75.11 billion in 2024. Despite a dip in 2022, eMarketer predicts a comeback, projecting a rise to $71.32 billion in 2023 and soaring past $75 billion the following year.
In 2012, Zuckerberg announced, "Now we really are a mobile company," and that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon.
Let's dive into the numbers behind Facebook's 3.049 billion monthly active users and their device preferences:
Mobile Dominance: A whopping 98.5% of users access Facebook via a mobile device. This highlights the widespread popularity of using smartphones for social networking.
Mobile-Exclusive Users: A substantial 81.8% exclusively use Facebook through their mobile phones, emphasizing smartphones' significant role in connecting users to the platform.
Multi-Device Users: About 16.7% of Facebook's monthly active users access the platform via both phones and computers, showcasing a flexible approach to social media interaction.
Desktop or Laptop Loyalists: On the other end of the spectrum, a small but mighty 1.5% of users stick to Facebook exclusively through their laptops or desktop computers. Despite the mobile trend, a niche audience still prefers the larger screens and features of traditional computers.
The average cost per click (CPC) on Facebook ads varies depending on where you look. One source mentions an average of $0.97, while another suggests a range of $0.26 to $0.30. As of March 2023, the overall median CPC across all industries is reported to be $0.42. So, the numbers might differ, but they all point to different perspectives on the cost of clicks for Facebook ads.
The rise of Facebook Stories is another significant tool to the Facebook franchise, mirroring those seen on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. In its first 14 months, the platform reached 150 million daily active users and hopes to reach a further percentage of those currently using Facebook.
Currently, Facebook Stories boasts an impressive 500 million daily active users, so it is worth considering implementing into any marketing plan, provided the relevant audience is active.
According to DataReportal, information found in Meta's planning tools reveals that advertisers can presently connect with only 1.983 billion users through Facebook ads each month. This number shows a decrease of 96 million compared to the figure reported in the same tools in October 2022 and a drop of 127 million compared to the figure reported in January 2022.
We already know how valuable the mobile platform is to Facebook's success, with 94% of the social network's ad revenue stemming from mobile devices. Now, we'll take a closer look at the current mobile statistics and how we can use them to our advantage.
We know that more Facebook users prefer a mobile app experience over a desktop as of January 2022, and so too should marketers prioritize video content optimized for mobile viewing when appropriate.
If you're interested in learning more about the current trends of Facebook video content and how best to optimize video content for maximum engagement, keep reading on, as we'll be looking at Facebook video shortly.
According to DataReportal, in 2021, 98.3 percent of Facebook users use the platform on their mobile devices. This leaves a mere 1.7 percent of users who exclusively log in from their desktops or laptops.
Yes, you heard that right; this staggering number was achieved through a mixture of click-to-call buttons and optimised landing pages.
Phone calls convert interest into revenue 10-15x more than web leads, and so the correct mobile social media marketing plan should encourage this where appropriate.
So far, we've discussed advertising trends, how people use Facebook, how many people use Facebook per day, and how the mobile platform continues to evolve and increase. Another medium, video content, has seen a rapid increase in usage and content creation.
Below, we break down exactly what the state of video content is in 2024, and how you can benefit from introducing video content to your campaign.
In November 2023, the typical engagement of Facebook page fans with posts was 0.06 percent. Among the different types of posts, images grabbed the most attention, with a higher interaction rate of 0.1 percent. On the flip side, link posts experienced the lowest engagement, with a rate of 0.03 percent.
As the social media platform grows along with its user base, the potential to reach a wider audience is stronger than ever.
We already know that video content boasts the highest engagement rate, and the potential to reach a greater audience than YouTube is just one more reason to consider creating video content.
A recent study found that people watch 74% of Facebook videos without sound. The majority of Facebook videos begin playing without audio, so it's vital to focus on visuals to grab the viewer's attention.
If your video content begins with dialogue, consider introducing subtitles to not detract viewers and increase accessibility. However, for the best results, we recommend working with a social media agency that will have the expertise and knowledge to advise you on how to create social-first content that will resonate with your target audience.
When creating Facebook video content for a mobile platform, it's important to remember that square Facebook videos get, on average, 35% more views than landscape videos.
For the best Facebook video carousel ads, sticking to a square 1:1 format that remains consistent across all items in the carousel is key. Meanwhile, for in-stream videos, opting for a horizontal 16:9 format is recommended to ensure a proper fit. If you're considering audience network placements, a vertical 9:16 format might prove more effective.
If a Facebook video is watched for longer than 3 seconds, it counts as a view. If it is watched for longer than 10 seconds, it means that viewers are actively digesting and receiving your content. Anything higher than 10 seconds is an impressive goal to strive for, with a 15-30 second average watch time being highly impressive.
So far, we have looked separately at the state of Facebook advertising, Facebook as a mobile platform, Facebook demographics, and the importance of creating optimised video content in 2024. Now, it's time to piece it all together, and focus on how to move forward with what we've found.
With an estimated $121.8 billion in ad revenue in 2024, combined with a rise in new demographics and accessible advertising, Facebook has secured itself on the global stage as a dominating factor in any marketing plan.
When examining the current trends, there are a few points to definitely consider. With an increasing emphasis on the use of Facebook Stories, you should consider whether you may be able to reach your target audience through this emerging medium, as its use seems to only be rising with every quarter
Another highly prominent medium is native Facebook video content. As Facebook increases its emphasis on hosting native video content, the need for such content becomes significant to any marketing plan.
If you would like to know more information about how we at The Social Shepherd can help perfect your Facebook marketing strategy, why not send us an email at [email protected], or get in touch here.