Social media platforms have become an integral part of the digital landscape, shaping how people socialize and engage in economic activities at the same time.
With several jobs being created through these platforms, it is safe to say that social media has become an economic tool and an enabler to millions of people all over the world.
While there are now numerous social media platforms, the latest report by research firm, Lifesight, identified the top 10 in the world based on the number of visits they recorded last year.
By utilizing SEMrush’s robust analytics, Lifesight scrutinized the meteoric rise in social media visits, which peaked at an astonishing 1.98 trillion in 2023, marking a massive 70.56% growth over five years that has never been seen before.
According to the firm’s study, here are the top 10 most-visited social media platforms in 2023:
10. Quora (19 billion visits)
Quora, the question-and-answer platform, has also experienced notable growth, with visits climbing to 19.0 billion in 2023 from 7.6 billion in 2019, a 60.25% increase and a 2.52 times growth rate.
The user base is slightly more male-dominated at 67.5%, with a substantial 73.37% of the visits coming from mobile devices, pointing to the growing trend of seeking and sharing knowledge on the go and at a fast pace.
9. Twitch (20 billion visits)
Twitch, the live streaming platform primarily for gamers, has seen its visits almost double from 10.4 billion in 2019 to 20.0 billion in 2023. This growth marks a 48.14% increase, with a growth rate of 1.93 times.
Twitch has a user base comprising 75% male users, reflecting the gaming community’s clear demographics. However, it has a significant 43.43% of users accessing the platform from mobile devices, indicating the rise of mobile gaming and live streaming viewership.
8. LinkedIn (20.5 billion visits)
LinkedIn, the professional networking site, continues to grow steadily, reaching 20.5 billion visits in 2023 from 8.3 billion in 2019. This is a 59.41% increase in visits, with a 2.46 times growth rate, and shows how the business sector is quickly moving to online resources for connection and outreach.
The platform has a user base with a male majority of 68%, and it is primarily accessed through desktop devices at 67.73%, which aligns with its professional context where users are likely to engage during work hours on their workstations. A slightly more formal but just as important platform.
7. WhatsApp (31.3 billion visits)
WhatsApp, as a messaging giant, has also witnessed a significant uptick in visits, with 31.3 billion in 2023 compared to 9.8 billion in 2019, marking a 68.72% increase and a 3.20 times growth in visits.
The platform is predominantly used by male users at 81%, with a surprisingly high number of desktop users at 64.37%, suggesting its widespread use as a cross-platform communication tool.
6. TikTok (41.8 billion visits)
TikTok, the breakout star in the social media space, has seen an explosive 60.15 times increase in its growth rate, the highest among the top platforms. From just 0.7 billion visits in 2019, the platform has skyrocketed to 41.8 billion visits in 2023. If numbers like this continue before long it might be claiming the top spot.
With an even distribution of male and female users at 69% and 31%, respectively, TikTok has made a remarkable 78.35% of its access from mobile devices, reflecting its status as a mobile-centric platform. And in an increasingly mobile-centric world the odds are very much in TikTok’s favour.
5. Reddit (81 billion visits)
Reddit has entered the battlefield as a cornerstone of internet culture, boasting 81.0 billion visits in 2023, up from 25.3 billion in 2019. This represents a 68.72% increase, tripling its footprint with a growth rate of 3.20 times that I’m sure it will only improve on each year.
The platform’s user demographic is slightly more male at 69%, and it enjoys a healthy 72.27% of its traffic coming from mobile devices, highlighting the community-driven nature of content consumption.
4. Instagram (87.3 visits)
Instagram has successfully capitalized on the visual content trend, with its visits surging to 87.3 billion in 2023, a substantial growth from 32.8 billion in 2019. This translates to a 62.40% increase in the last five years, with a growth rate of 2.66 times. If it keeps going this way it may bump itself up a spot or two.
The platform’s user base is evenly split with 67% male and 33% female, and it’s predominantly accessed via mobile devices at 58.05%, underscoring its popularity as a mobile-first platform that offers a lot of visual entertainment perks.
3. X (Twitter) 112.9 billion visits
X (Twitter), known for its brevity and real-time content, also shows a positive trajectory. In 2023, X garnered 112.9 billion visits, a significant jump from its 41.6 billion visits in 2019, translating to a 63.19% increase and a 2.72 multiple in growth rate.
The platform’s user base skews slightly male at 57%, and mobile usage dominates at 77.51%, reflecting the platform’s utility for timely updates on the move. People can’t get enough of those tweets.
2. Facebook (216.4 billion visits)
Facebook, which once held the crown for the most visited site, has seen a more modest growth, standing as the second most visited platform in 2023 with 216.4 billion visits. From its 2019 visits count of 183.2 billion, the platform has grown by 15.33%, a more restrained but still impressive pace with a growth rate of 1.18 times.
The platform has a fairly balanced user base with 66% male and 34% female users, and it has an almost even split between desktop and mobile usage. As a platform for social connection Facebook is still leading the charge on that front.
1. YouTube (1.35 trillion visits)
YouTube unsurprisingly retains its position as the most visited social media platform in 2023, with an astounding 1.35 trillion visits, a significant leap from its 2019 count of 263.3 billion. This monumental growth signifies an 80.49% increase over the last five years, with the platform’s growth rate hitting a 5.13 multiple.
According to the report, the user demographic leans more towards male users at 67%, with a considerable 69.96% of access coming from mobile devices, indicating a strong preference for on-the-go video consumption.
