How Many People Use Facebook In 2021? - Backlinko

Facebook User Growth Rate History Facebookisthelargestsocialmediaplatformonline,boththetimeontheplatformanditsdailyactiveuserbasehasgrownyear-over-yearsinceitshumblebeginningsinaHarvarddormroom. So,howmanypeopleareonFacebookrightnowin2021? Onthispage,you’reabouttoseethelateststatisticaldataonjusthowhugethemostfamoussocialnetworkreallyis. Confusion:Facebook’sFamily&PlatformUserCount TheNumberofFacebookPlatformUserAccounts FacebookFamilyProductMetrics FacebookUserGrowthRateHistory HowManyFacebookAccountsAreFake? MostFacebookUsersByCountry MostUsedSocialMediaPlatformsWorldwide FacebookMobileVs.DesktopUsageStatistics PopularFacebookUserDemographics AverageTimeSpentOnFacebookPerDay WhatAreTheHighestTrafficTimesOnFacebook? HowManyEmployeesDoesFacebookHave? Beingthelargestofallthesocialnetworks,Facebookhasaconstantevolutionofthedemographics,algorithms,tools,andusagetrends,it’sessentialtostayontopofthestatistics! HerearethekillerFacebookstatsfromthisroundup: KeyFacebookStatistics DAUs–Facebookdailyactiveusers:Rightnow,1.9billiondailyusersaccessFacebook’splatform,a6.89%increaseyear-over-year MAUs–Facebookmonthlyactiveusers:Rightnow,2.9billionmonthlyusersaccessFacebook’splatform,a7.18%increaseyear-over-year Facebookreportedthatitremoved1.7billionfakeaccountsinQ22021alone IndiahasthemostFacebookuserswithover260million,followedbytheUS(180million),Indonesia(130million),Brazil(120million),andMexico(84million) Facebookisthelargestsocialmediaplatformgloballyat2.85billionmonthlyactiveusersworldwide,followedbyYouTube(2.3billion),andWhatsApp,FacebookMessenger,WeChat,Instagram,allbringinginoverabillionusers HighesttraffictimeonFacebookisWednesdayat9amand1pm,postingthenwilltypicallygetthemostengagement 60.42%oftheworld’sactiveinternetusersaccessFacebookmonthly,and73.13%access‘Family’ownedservices(FB,Messenger,Instagram,andWhatsApp)everymonth DAPs–Facebook‘Family’dailyactivepeople:Rightnow,2.76billiondailypeopleaccessFacebook-ownedservices(FB,Messenger,Instagram,WhatsApp),an11.74%increaseyear-over-year MAPs–Facebook‘Family’monthlyactivepeople:Rightnow,3.51billionpeopleaccessFacebook-ownedservices(FB,Messenger,Instagram,WhatsApp)onamonthlybasis,a11.78%increaseyear-over-year Facebook’sfamilyproduct’suserbaseisequaltothecurrentpopulationofAfrica,Europe,North,andSouthAmericacombined Facebookcurrentlyhas63,404full-timeemployees,a30.4%increaseyear-over-year,hugelyupfromitsfounderMarkinhisHarvarddormin2003 Facebook’sFamily&PlatformUserCount Let’skickthingsoffwithasimplebreakdownofthemisinformationonlinesurroundingtheplatform’sdailyandmonthlyuserfigures. EveryquarterFacebookreleasestheirinvestorreportswheretheybreakdownhowmanyusersareonFacebookintotwocategories,theseoftengetmixedupwhenquoted: Facebookdaily/monthlyactiveusers:ThenumberofdailyormonthlyactiveusersonFacebookasawebsiteandapp Familydaily/monthlyactivepeople:ThenumberofdailyormonthlyactivepeopleonFacebook‘family’ownedservices,suchasFacebook,Messenger,WhatsApp,andInstagram We’llstartwithFacebookasaplatformonly: TheNumberofFacebookPlatformUserAccounts Nextup,we’lllookatthecurrentnumberofFacebookusersusinginvestordataondailyandmonthlyactiveaccountsaccessedviathewebsiteoramobiledeviceapp. Tobeclear,thisdoesNOTinclude“Family”productslikeMessenger,WhatsApp,andInstagram. HowManyPeopleUseFacebook? AccordingtoFacebook’smostrecentinvestor’sreport,Facebookcurrentlyhas2.895billionmonthlyactiveusers(MAUs). Furthermore,thenumberofFacebook’sdailyactiveusers(DAUs)currentlystandsat1.908billionpeople,meaning65.9%ofthetotalmonthlyusersloginonamobiledeviceordesktopeachday. Nowlet’slookatthecurrentdailyandmonthlyuserbaseinalittlemoredetail: NumberofFacebookMonthlyActiveUsers OfficialMonthlyactiveusers(MAUs)definition:MonthlyactiveusersorMAUsisdefinedasaregisteredandlogged-inusertoFacebookwhovisitsthesitethroughamobiledeviceapplicationorwebbrowserinthelast30daysasofthedateofmeasurement. KeyStatistics: Facebookcurrentlyhas2.9billionmonthlyactiveusers(MAUs) Lastquarter’sinvestors’reportshowsa7.18%increaseinMAUsyear-over-year 65.9%ofthemonthlyuserswilllogindailyonmobiledevicesordesktop 60.42%oftheworld’sactiveinternetusersaccessFacebookeverymonth 36.7%oftheworld’stotalpopulationusesFacebookeverymonth IfweputthenumberofpeoplethatuseFacebookintocontinents,itwouldsurpassthetotalpopulationofAfrica,Europe,andNorthAmericacombined 98.5%ofuseraccountsaccesstheplatformviamobilephone Sources:(Statista)(Facebook)(Worldometers)(Statista)(Statista) NumberofFacebookDailyActiveUsers OfficialDailyactiveusers(DAUs)definition:DailyactiveusersorDAUsisdefinedasaregisteredandlogged-inusertoFacebookwhovisitsthesitethroughamobiledeviceapplicationorwebbrowseronanygivenday. KeyStatistics: Facebookcurrentlyhas1.908billiondailyactiveusers(DAUs)onaverage Lastquarter’sinvestors’reportshowsa6.89%DAUsincreaseyear-over-year 65.9%ofthemonthlyuserswilllogindailyonmobiledevicesordesktop 39.58%oftheworld’sactiveinternetusersaccessFacebookdaily 24.05%oftheworld’stotalpopulationuseFacebookdaily 98.5%ofuseraccountsaccesstheplatformviamobilephone Sources:(Statista)(Statista)(Worldometers)(Facebook)(Statista)(Statista) FacebookFamilyProductMetrics Nextup,we’lldiveintothenumberofFacebookusersbydailyormonthlyactivepeopleon‘family’ownedproductsasawholesuchas: Facebook Instagram Messenger WhatsApp ThesefiguresincludeinteractiononbothmobiledeviceapplicationsandwebbrowsersandwillshowusexactlyhowmanypeopleareonFacebook’snetworkoffamilysites. HowManyPeopleUseFacebook’sFamilyofProducts? AccordingtothelatestQ22021investorreport,thecurrentglobalnumberofpeopleusingFacebookservicesis3.51billionmonthlyactivepeople(MAPs).Onaverage,78.63%oftheseusersaredailyactivepeople(DAPs).Thatmeans2.76billionpeoplelogindailytooneofFacebook’sfamily-ownedservices,whichincludeWhatsApp,Messenger,andInstagram. Nowlet’slookatthecurrentdailyandmonthlyuserbaseinalittlemoredetail: Facebook‘Family’ProductMonthlyActivePeople OfficialMonthlyactivepeople(MAPs)definition:“Monthlyactivepeoplearedefinedasaregisteredandlogged-inuserofoneormoreofFacebook’sFamilyproductswhovisitedatleastoneoftheseproductsthroughamobiledeviceapplicationorwebbrowserinthelast30daysasofthedateofmeasurement.” KeyStatistics: Intotal,3.51billionmonthlyactivepeople(MAPs)accessFacebook-ownedproductsincludingInstagram,WhatsApp,andMessenger Facebook,asastand-aloneplatform,gets2.90billionmonthlyactiveusers,ofwhichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts WhatsAppasastand-aloneplatformgets2.00billionmonthlyactiveusers,ofwhichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts Instagram,asastand-aloneplatform,getsmorethan1.07billionmonthlyactiveusers,ofwhichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts Lastquarter’sinvestors’reportshowsan11.78%increaseinmonthlyactivepeopleyear-over-year 78.63%ofthemonthlypeoplewilllogindailytooneofthesefamily-ownedservices 73.13%oftheworld’sactiveinternetusersaccessFacebook-ownedservicesmonthly 44.43%oftheworld’stotalpopulationuseFacebook-ownedservicesmonthly IfweputthenumberofpeoplethatuseFacebook’sFamilyofproductsintocontinents,itwouldexceedthetotalpopulationofAfrica,Europe,NorthandSouthAmericacombined Sources:(Statista)(Facebook)(Worldometers)(Statista)(Statista)(Statista) Facebook‘Family’ProductDailyActivePeople OfficialDailyactivepeople(DAPs)definition:“Dailyactivepeoplearedefinedasaregisteredandlogged-inuserofoneormoreofFacebook’sFamilyproductswhovisitedatleastoneoftheseproductsthroughamobiledeviceapplicationorwebbrowseronagivenday.” KeyStatistics: Intotal,2.76billiondailyactivepeople(DAPs)accessFacebook-ownedproductsincludingInstagram,WhatsApp,andMessenger Facebook,asastand-aloneplatform,gets1.9billiondailyactiveusers,whichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts WhatsApp,asastand-aloneplatform,gets500milliondailyactiveusers,whichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts Instagram,asastand-aloneplatform,gets500milliondailyactiveusers,whichmayhaveaccountsonotherfamilyproducts Lastquarter’sinvestors’reportshowsan11.74%increaseindailyactivepeopleyear-over-year 78.63%ofthemonthlypeoplewilllogindailytooneofthesefamily-ownedservices 57.5%oftheworld’sactiveinternetusersaccessFacebook-ownedservicesdaily 34.94%oftheworld’stotalpopulationuseFacebook-ownedservicesdaily Sources:(Statista)(Statista)(Facebook)(Worldometers) FacebookUserGrowthRateHistory AccordingtoBrandwatch,Facebookaddsover500,000newuseraccountseveryday,whichequals6newprofileseverysecond.Additionally,Facebook’scurrentdailyactiveusergrowthrateisaround7.8%year-over-year,downfrom12.9%in2018. Facebookdailyactiveusergrowthrateyear-over-year Q2-2020toQ2-2021:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was11.7% Q1-2020toQ1-2021:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was15.3% Q1-2019toQ1-2020:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was11.0% Q1-2018toQ1-2019:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was7.8% Q1-2017toQ1-2018:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was12.9% Q1-2016toQ1-2017:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was17.8% Q1-2015toQ1-2016:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was16.5% Q1-2014toQ1-2015:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was16.7% Q1-2013toQ1-2014:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was22.4% Q1-2012toQ1-2013:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was24.5% Q1-2011toQ1-2012:Facebook’susergrowthrate(DAUs)was41.4% Sources:(Brandwatch)/(Statista)/(Facebook) Justlookingatnumbers,itmaylooklikeFacebookisslowingdownonitsnewusergrowthrate,butyouhavetoconsideritsglobalsize.Afterall,youwouldexpectasocialnetworkwithhalftheworld’sinternetuserstograduallylosemomentum,right? Statistaplacestheworld’sinternetusersat4.8billionpeople,andFacebookhas2.9billionmonthlyactiveusers–andthat’snotevencountingtheirfamilyserviceslikeWhatsApp,Messenger,andInstagram. WhatisbadnewsforFacebookisthefacttheyseethemostsignificantgrowthratesinAsia-Pacificandotherterritorieswherethecompany’saveragerevenueperuseris$4.16. IfthatsameusergrowthwereintheUSandCanada,theaveragerevenuewouldbe$53.01peruser.Infact,NorthAmericaandEuropegenerate72.25%ofthecompany’srevenue. HowManyFacebookAccountsAreFake? In2020,outofits2.7billionmonthlyactiveusers,Facebookestimatesthat135million(5%)arefakeaccounts,andthesocialnetworkclaimstotakedown7.7millionfakeprofilesaday. KeyStatistics: Facebookautomaticallyblocksaccountsbeforetheygetcreated,lookingatIPaddressesandsignalsofspammers Facebookscansforsignsofmaliciousbehaviorandblocksassoonastheysign-up,lookingforpatternsusingadvanceddetectionsystems Facebookestimatedthat5%ofits2.7billionmonthlyactiveusersarefakeatanyonetime Basedontheirestimate,thenumberoffakeFacebookaccountsis135millionexistingonitsplatform Onaverage,theplatformremoves7.7millionfakeprofilesonanygivenday Sources:(Statista)(Statista) Theattention-grabbingpartofthisdatacomesfromtheadvertisingaspect. Facebooksellsmanyofusontheir2.9billionusersaccessingtheplatformeverymonth,whichisoverhalftheworld’stotalnumberofactiveinternetuserstoday. But,howmanyoftheseusersareactuallybotsandfakeaccounts? TheanswerliesinhowtheSiliconValleycompanydefinesthesefalsifiedaccounts.Typically,these‘fakeaccounts’areclassifiedasrule-breakers,forexample,bybots,duplicateaccounts,scammers,spammers,andlesssevereinstancessuchaspagessetupasprofiles. Facebookitselfadmitstheir5%estimateisquestionable,asfalseaccountsatthissortofscalearedifficulttomeasure. ThecriticalpointtorealizeasanadvertiserhereisthatthemajorityoffakeFacebookaccountsareblockedatsign-uporremovedassoonastheyhavesignedupusingadvanceddetectionsystems–whichkeepgettingbetter! MostFacebookUsersByCountry Accordingtothelatestdata,thecountrywiththemostFacebookusersisIndiawithover340millionactiveusers,followedbytheUS(200million),Indonesia(140million),Brazil(130million),andMexico(98million). Withthat,here’satablethatcontainsthefulldata: CountrieswithethemostFacebookusers–Source:(Statista) Country Facebookusers(MM) India 340 UnitedStates 200 Indonesia 140 Brazil 130 Mexico 98 Philippines 88 Vietnam 71 Thailand 54 Egypt 47 Bangladesh 46 Pakistan 45 Colombia 38 UnitedKingdom 38 Turkey 37 France 33 Argentina 31 Italy 31 Nigeria 31 Germany 28 Peru 27 MostUsedSocialMediaPlatformsWorldwide Asof2021,Facebookisthelargestsocialmediaplatformgloballywith2.85billionmonthlyactiveusersworldwide. YouTubefollowswith2.2billion,withWhatsApp,Instagram,FacebookMessengerandWeChat,allhavingoverabillionusers. Mostpopularsocialmediabynumberofactiveusers–Source:(Statista) Network Activeusers(MM) Facebook 2853 YouTube 2291 WhatsApp 2000 Instagram 1386 FBMessenger 1300 WeChat 1242 TikTok 732 QQ 606 Douyin 600 Telegram 550 SinaWeibo 530 Snapchat 514 Kuaishou 481 Pinterest 478 Reddit 430 Twitter 397 Quora 300 FacebookMobileVs.DesktopUsageStatistics Facebookhas98.5%ofitsusersaccessingthewebsitewithamobiledevice,and81.5%ofthoseusersonlyuseaphonetoaccessthesocialnetwork. Userswithbothdesktopandmobileare16.7%,whiledesktop-onlyusersareamere1.5%. Facebook’sDesktopVs.MobileUsageStatistics Device Shareofusers(%) Viaamobiledevice 98.5 Onlyviamobilephone 81.8 Viaphonesandcomputers 16.7 Onlyvialaptopordesktop 1.5 KeyStatistics Outofits2.85billionmonthlyactiveusers: 98.5%/2.8billionaccessFacebookthroughmobiledeviceslikephonesandtablets 81.8%/2.33billionaccessFacebookonlythroughamobilephone 16.7%/476millionaccessFacebookthroughphonesandcomputers 1.5%/43millionaccessFacebookonlythroughalaptopordesktopcomputer Asyoucansee,thispaintsaprettygoodpictureofFacebook’smobilevs.desktopusagesplit,especiallyhowthecompany’saccessibilitythroughmobileappsandtheirmobilesiteiscrucialtotheirsuccess. Infact,accordingtoFacebook,94%ofFacebookAdrevenueisfrommobile,leaving6%throughadesktop. Now,thesefiguresarejustFacebook’sownadrevenueandnotyourconversions,sodon’tgetconfusedifyou’rerunningFacebookads,desktopmightbetheperfectfitforyourbrand! Sources:(Statista)(FBIR) PopularFacebookUserDemographics Globally,56.4%ofFacebookusersaremalecomparedtoa43.6%femaleuserbase.IntheUS,however,77%offemalesuseFacebook–comparedto61%ofmen. Sincetheplatform’slaunchin2004,manyyoungergenerationshavenowgrownupwithFacebook.Asthesocialnetworkevolveswithnewtools,algorithms,andtrends,sodoestheuserbase. Righthere,wetakealookatthecurrentdemographicsoftheworld’sbiggestsocialmediaplatform. FacebookAge&GenderDemographics: WomenarethemostfrequentusersofFacebook,with77%ofwomenversus61%ofmenusingtheplatformondesktopormobiledevices. MillennialsareonaveragethemostpopularagegroupofFacebookusers: 70%ofpeopleaged18-29 77%ofpeopleaged30-49 73%ofpeopleaged50-64 50%ofpeopleaged65+ FacebookEducationDemographics: 64%ofpeopleeducatedathighschoolorless 71%ofpeopleeducatedatthecollegelevel 73%ofpeopleeducatedatmorethancollegelevel FacebookIncomeDemographics: 70%ofpeopleearninglessthan$30,000 76%ofpeopleearningbetween$30,000to$49,999 61%ofpeopleearningmorethan$75,000 Source:(Sproutsocial)(PewResearch) AverageTimeSpentOnFacebookPerDay AccordingtoaneMarketerstudyofAmericansaged18+,theaveragetimespentonFacebookperdayis33minutesin2021.Thisisdown6minutesfromthe39minutesin2017. KeyStatistics: TheaveragetimespentonFacebookperdayis33minutes Accordingtothisdata,theaverageFacebookuserovertheageof18willspendover9daysayearontheplatform Incomparison,theaverageuserspends1hourand20minutesperdayonsocialmedia Accordingtothisdataonallplatforms,theaveragepersonovertheageof18willspendover19daysayearonsocialmedia Source:(eMarketer) Sowhyistheworld’sbiggestsocialnetworkseeingadecreaseintheaveragetimespentonFacebookeachday? OneimportantfactortomentionisthatyoungerusersarespendingtheirtimeonothersocialplatformslikeTikTokandsimilaralternatedigitalexperiences. Thecompanyhasmadeaconcertedefforttoinfluenceitsusers’engagementwiththecontenttheyconsider‘meaningful.’Thismeanswe’reseeingmorepostsfromgroups,familyandfriends,andless,whichmeanslessfrommainstreammedia,brands,andbusinessestheyfollow. Thecompanyknewthiswouldresultinanegativeimpactonplatformtime,butitrestoressomebalancetohowtheuserfeelsabouttheplatformasawhole. Despitethesechanges,Facebookisstillkingforthetimespentonsocialmedia. WhatAreTheHighestTrafficTimesOnFacebook? Whendiggingintothenumbers,thebesttraffictimesonFacebookareweekdaysbetween9amand3pm.Thisiswherepostsseethemostengagement.Lookingspecificallyatthehighesttraffictime,Wednesdayisthebestday,whereyoucantargetpostsspecificallyat11amand1pm. KeyStatistics: BesttimestoposttoFacebook:Wednesdayat9amand1pm TheHighestFacebookengagementtimesareweekdaysfrom10amto1pm,generallypostingat9amwhenpeoplestartworkandthenagainat11am–1pm,whereengagementishigh TheworsttimestoposttoFacebookareSaturdayandSunday,especiallyifyou’repostingafter8pmorbefore5amasthesetimeshavetheleastengagement LowestFacebookengagementtimes:Earlymorningsandevenings,before5amandafter9pmhavetheleastamountofengagementperday Source:(Sproutsocial) AsImentionedbefore,in2019Facebookchangeditsalgorithmonceagaintomakethenewsfeedshowsmore‘meaningfulinteractions,’prioritizingfriends,family,andgroupsoverbrands. Withtheserestrictionsinplace,asabrand,it’smoreimportantthanevertoconsiderpostingattherighttimetomaximizeyourorganiccontentexposure.Youcanmeasurethisperformancefromtheplatform’sownanalytics‘FacebookPageInsights’andmakeadjustmentsforyouraudience. HowManyEmployeesDoesFacebookHave? ThelatestrecordsfromFacebook’sinvestorreportshowthenumberoffull-timeemployeesis63,404,andthisisup10,870frommid-2019. AmassiveincreasefromMarkZuckerberginhisHarvarddormroomin2003. Facebookemployeecountbyyear–Source:(Statista) Year Numberofemployees 2021 63,404 2020 52,534 2019 44,942 2018 35,587 2017 25,105 2016 17,048 2015 12,691 2014 9,199 2013 6,337 2012 4,619 2011 3,200 2010 2,127 2009 1,218 2008 850 2007 450 2006 150 2005 15 2004 7 Conclusion That’sitformyroundupofFacebook’susagestatisticsandsocialmediadominationfacts. Assomeonethatfocusesontrafficgenerationforaliving,IwasblownawaytoseeFacebook’smonthlyactiveusersreachingoverhalftheworld’sactiveinternetusers. NowI’dliketohearwhatstatshockedyouthemost? Whatelsewouldyouliketoseeaddedtothisroundup? Jumpinandleaveacommentbelow.