Battle of the Top Social Networks

Battle of the Top Social Networks

The social media landscape is constantly changing. Which are the most popular social networks in 2025, and which ones are right for your company?

Whether you’ve been using social media for years, are looking to add new social networks to your marketing mix or are just now deciding to have a presence on at least one social network, knowing who uses each network and how they use it can help you determine which ones could work for you.

Let’s look at several factors for assessing social networks.

Size of the Social Network

There’s no denying that in the U.S., Facebook still dominates, with YouTube, and Instagram coming in close to round out the Top 3 social networks. Facebook has approximately 279.8 million users in the U.S., representing about 81.1% of the total U.S. population. YouTube has over 253 million users, and Instagram has 171.7 users.

Compare that to the next three social networks: TikTok (136 million), Snapchat (106 million), and X (over 103 million), and you can see how much Facebook overshadows the rest. While numbers aren’t everything, chances are you can find your target audience on Facebook because of the sheer numbers, but even more so if you are paying for targeted Facebook ads.

Demographic Makeup

Demographics are another factor in assessing social networks, especially age. Facebook, YouTube, and X tend to skew a little older than other social networks while TikTok and Snapchat tend to skew younger. Instagram falls somewhere in between.

The largest age group on Facebook in the U.S. is 25 to 34, followed closely by 35 to 44 year-old users. The largest user base on Instagram is in the 25 to 34 range, however,18 to 24 year olds follow closely. On YouTube, users are mostly 25 to 44, with the highest share being 25 to 34. The largest age group on X is also 25 to 34.

While the largest age groups on Facebook, YouTube, X, and Instagram are in their 20s and 30s, that doesn’t exclude the over 45 year-olds who are also active users on all of those networks. On Facebook, in particular, a lot of the older users joined that network when it first launched and they were in college.

In contrast, TikTok and Snapchat users are mostly 18-24 years old. Younger users on all of the social networks tend to spend far more time using social media on a daily basis than older users.

In terms of gender breakdown, in the U.S. Facebook has slightly more female users than male (55% vs. 45%), whereas X has more male users than female (63% vs. 47%). Also, in the U.S. Instagram has more female users than male (55% vs. 45%) with TikTok being the reverse (55% male vs. 45% female).

Content Focus

The focus of the top social networks varies. Knowing how people tend to use the different social networks can also influence which ones you choose to use or how you use them.

Many people use social networks these days to get local, national, and international news. Facebook is still a place for social connections where users stay up to date on personal news from friends and family. Facebook users also share photos and videos and follow brands.

YouTube remains the video-focused network, from educational to entertainment-oriented. While YouTube still hosts long-form videos, the platform has placed greater emphasis on Shorts to compete with TikTok and Instagram.

Instagram is a more visual social network with an emphasis on aesthetic. While Reels are emphasized by the platform, posting and sharing photographs and graphics are still an integral part of the Instagram feed.

On X, users tend to consume news, particularly breaking news, as well as entertainment. On TikTok, short entertaining videos rule with a growing number of users also turning to it for news.

Choosing the Right Social Networks

As you assess the top social networks, don’t forget to survey your current customers or clients to find out which social networks they use and how they use them. Start by connecting to your built-in audience of customers on their favorite social networks and providing them with useful information that they can share with others to help build your followings.

Not every social network will be a fit for your business and that’s okay. Knowing the specific makeup and usage habits of the users of each network can help you better decide where to spend your time and ad dollars.