This website uses cookies. By using this website you agree to our Privacy Policy.

×
Herd 1 profile
Jack Shepherd Co-Founder & Marketing Director
Updated on 15 May 2023

20 Essential Meta Statistics You Need To Know in 2023

As a marketer, it’s important to have an understanding of the social media platforms you’re using.

Knowing the demographics behind each platform’s user base will help you decide where you should be investing your time and your marketing budget. Not only that but also sometimes it’s just fascinating to learn more about the platforms we use daily, both personally and professionally.

In this article, we have rounded up some essential Meta statistics that everyone needs to know in 2023. These statistics encompass Meta’s suite of products, with a focus on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta User Statistics

Curious about the demographics of those who are spending their time on Meta’s products like Facebook and Instagram? You aren’t alone! Luckily, there’s plenty of data that offers insights into its user base. These Meta statistics will give you a better sense of who is using these platforms.

1. India Leads the Way in Terms of Audience Size for Facebook and Instagram

It’s safe to say that social media is pretty popular with those who reside in India. That’s because there are approximately 239.65 million Facebook users there and 230.25 million Instagram users. The U.S. comes in second place for both platforms when looking at audience reach. There are 179.65 million Facebook users in the U.S. and 159.75 million Instagram users.

2. A Majority of Facebook’s Global User Base is Male

According to research from January 2021, 56.6% of Facebook’s global audience was male. Meanwhile, 43.4% were female. Although it’s not a huge gap, it does show that men are more active on the platform.

Facebook’s global user base by gender

3. Instagram’s User Base Skews Slightly More Male

On the other hand, Instagram has a much smaller gender gap when it comes to its users. Males made up 50.7% of the platform’s user base, while females were 49.3%.

Meta Worldwide Statistics

Now, let’s switch gears and look at Meta’s impact on a global scale. These Meta statistics communicate just how popular the company’s suite of platforms is with people worldwide. This way, you can see how much reach they have and how much control they have over the social media world.

4. 28.7 Billion People Use at Least One of Meta’s Products Daily

It bodes well for a company when users turn to your platforms every single day. And in the first quarter of 2022, it was reported that 2.87 billion people used at least one of Meta’s core products daily. Those products include Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger.

Daily meta users

5. Meta’s Total Revenue Was Roughly $117 Billion in 2021

In 2021, the company’s revenue was reported to be $117 billion. That’s an increase from the previous fiscal year, in which Meta made $86 billion. The main source of revenue comes from digital advertising.

Meta UK Statistics

It’s safe to say that Meta’s various platforms are popular all around the world, but do they stack up when looking at the United Kingdom’s population alone? Here are some Meta statistics just for those of us in the UK so you can gain an understanding of how the platforms are used here:

6. Meta’s Platforms Are Most Popular With UK Residents Aged 25-34 Years

Research from February 2022 has shown that Meta’s social media platforms (such as Facebook and Instagram) were most popular with UK residents aged 25-34 years. Women ages 25-34 years made up over 13% of Meta’s total UK user base. Men in the same age group accounted for 12.4% of users.

Graph from Statista showing the Meta UK audience based on gender and age

7. Usage for Facebook and Instagram Increased in Early 2022

Both Facebook and Instagram saw a slight surge in popularity among UK users in the first three months of 2022. When looking at just British consumers, Facebook reported a 6.6% increase in daily use. Meanwhile, Instagram saw a 6.7% increase in daily use.

8. In Terms of Reach, WhatsApp is the Most Popular Social Media Platform

Based on data from the third quarter of 2021, WhatsApp was reported to be the most active social media network in the UK. Nearly 75% of internet users said they also used WhatsApp. Facebook came in second place with 73.5% of internet users on the platform. Facebook Messenger and Instagram took the third and fourth spots, respectively.

ranking the most popular social media platforms in the United Kingdom

Meta Platform Statistics

Now, let’s take a moment and look at some of Meta’s top platforms individually. This way, you can see just how popular they are in terms of active users. Here are some Meta statistics that will interest you:

9. Instagram Has 1.21 Billion Monthly Active Users

In 2021, data showed that there were 1.21 billion monthly active users on Instagram globally. This is over 28% of the world’s internet users. And the platform shows no signs of slowing down because that figure is expected to increase to 1.44 billion monthly active users by 2025.

10. Facebook is the Most Used Social Network with 2.93 Billion Monthly Active Users

When it comes to monthly usage, Facebook continues to reign supreme. Meta’s most popular platform boasted a whopping 2.93 billion monthly active users in the first quarter of 2022. It took over 13 years for them to reach this milestone, but the platform is sure to see even more growth in the years to come.

Meta Advertiser Statistics

There’s no denying that Facebook and Instagram are two of the top platforms companies consider when they want to invest in social media advertising. And it’s for good reason! Both provide incredible opportunities for a company to build brand awareness and drive sales. Here’s why:

11. Meta’s Advertising Audience is Comprised of 2.11 Billion People

If you’re going to put money behind social media ads, you want to be sure it’s going to be seen by a ton of people in your target audience. With that said, one of the most impressive Meta statistics to know as an advertiser is that they claim their total advertising audience is 2.11 billion people. Pretty impressive!

12. There Are More Than 3 Million Active Advertisers on Meta’s Platforms

Should you decide to start running ads on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, you’ll be in good company. Meta says they have more than 3 million active advertisers using its platforms. It just goes to show that there’s room for everyone to jump on board with paid ads.

13. Facebook Ads Reach 34.1% of the Global Population Over 13

Proving just how effective they can be, Facebook ads have been shown to reach 34.1% of the global population over the age of 13. Since companies are typically targeting adults with their ads, Meta statistics like this are worth knowing so you can assess the potential to get in front of your audience.

14. Facebook Stories Ads Are What Consumers Want

While feed ads seem to be the go-to, companies shouldn’t ignore Facebook Stories ads. Around 50% of consumers have stated they want to discover new products through Facebook Stories. Not only that, but 58% of consumers have also checked out a company’s website from a Story ad, while 31% were prompted to browse a Facebook shop.

15. Facebook Ad Revenue in the U.S. Is Predicted to Top $58.1 Billion in 2022

It’s predicted that Facebook ad revenue in the U.S. will hit $58.1 billion in 2022. That’s a 15.5% year-over-year increase. It should come as no surprise that digital advertising revenue is Meta’s main source of income.

Facebook’s ad revenue from 2019-2023.

Meta Stock Statistics

If you’re interested in the stock market, you might want to know who the biggest Meta shareholders are. Although, you probably know who holds the top spot already! Here are some Meta stock statistics that show how much controlling interest different parties have:

16. Mark Zuckerberg Owns the Majority Shares of Meta Platforms Inc.

Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004 and he’s been the CEO ever since. So, it should come as no surprise that Zuckerberg has the controlling interest in the company, owning 16.8% of all outstanding shares. Those shares have a market value of a whopping $398.2 million. This makes Zuckerberg the top institutional investor in the company.

17. Vanguard Group Inc. And BlackRock Inc. Are Also Top Shareholders

Rounding out the top three institutional investors in Meta is the Vanguard Group Inc. and BlackRock Inc. Vanguard currently owns approximately 182.9 million shares of Meta, which is 7.7% of all outstanding shares. If you aren’t familiar, Vanguard is one of the world’s largest investment management companies.

Meanwhile, BlackRock Inc. has about 155.9 million shares of Meta. This represents 6.6% of the total outstanding shares in the company. BlackRock is one of the world’s leading investment firms.

18. Schroepfer, Fischer, and Wehner Are the Top Individual Insider Shareholders

When looking at individual insider shareholders, you’re looking at who holds shares of Meta through direct ownership. The individual who owns the most shares is Michael Schroepfer, who is currently Meta’s Chief Technology Officer. However, he did announce that he plans to step down from the role sometime in 2022. Schroepfer owns 630,612 shares of Meta, which represents 0.02% of the company’s total outstanding shares.

Next up is David Fischer, who is the Chief Revenue Officer of Meta. He owns a total of 37,089 Meta shares, which is 0.01% of the company’s total outstanding shares. And rounding out the top three is David Wehner. Wehner has been the Chief Financial Officer at Meta since 2014. He owns 26,948 shares of Meta.

Meta Acquisition Statistics

In the tech world, it’s not uncommon for one company to acquire another, which is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg has been doing over the years. What started as only Facebook has become an entire brand that houses multiple platforms he’s been able to acquire. Here are some Meta statistics about two of its most well-known acquisitions:

19. Instagram Was Acquired for $1 Billion in Cash and Stock

Launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, Instagram’s photo-sharing platform quickly became popular among its users. Throughout the rise of the latest social network, Systrom kept in touch with Mark Zuckerberg, as the two had previously become acquainted through events at Stanford. Facebook ultimately made the move to acquire Instagram in 2012 for a total of $1 billion in cash and stock.

20. WhatsApp was Acquired for $21 Billion in 2014

A much bigger acquisition for Zuckerberg and Facebook was that of WhatsApp in 2014. Initially, Facebook made a bid price of $16 billion to acquire the messaging app. However, Facebook paid a total of $21.8 billion to take ownership of WhatsApp. So, why the price increase? It was agreed that Facebook would pay $19.6 billion, but an additional $3.6 billion was tacked on as compensation for WhatsApp employees who would be staying on board as part of Facebook.

Use These Meta Statistics to Fuel Your Online Presence

Now that you’re armed with all of these impressive Meta statistics use this data to shape your social media presence moving forward. This information will help you determine which platforms to invest time and money into so you can generate more brand awareness.

Interested in learning how The Social Shepherd can help you strengthen your social media strategy? Get in touch today for more details.

Or alternatively, found our blog post on the top Facebook Ad agencies in the UK here.

Share this article

Continue reading