I. Introduction
Social media has become very important in 2024. Today, about 5 billion people have access to the internet and a vital role in business life. In 2024, it is not only the most targeted means of entertainment but also for displaying advertisements. But this is just the beginning. The use of AI has brought about a change in today’s time. Today, let’s take a look at some of the most used social media platforms. Here is the list of Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2024.
II. Top Social Media Platforms
Here is the list of the World’s most popular social media platforms list:
10. X (Twitter) – 600 Million users
Twitter and X were launched in 2006. It is expected to be used by around 600 million people in 2024. It was created by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Andy Williams. Twitter remains the center of real-time news and social discussions. Its main features like tweets, retweets, followers, and hashtags work to connect people.
However, Twitter and X are still facing challenges like misinformation, privacy, and moderation debates. Revenue is generated through advertising, subscriptions, and strategic partnerships. Innovations of Twitter include better algorithmic recommendations, improved mobile app functionalities, and expansion of features like Spaces and Twitter Blue.
9. Snapchat – 800 Million Users
Snapchat was created in 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Bro. It is a very popular multimedia messaging app. It sends videos and messages. It has features like Snaps, Stories, Chat, Lenses and Filters, Snap Map, and Spotlight. Revenue is generated through in-app purchases, advertising, Discover, and creator revenue. Snapchat offers businesses tools like Snap Ads Manager to create and manage ad campaigns, making it a popular platform for digital marketing, especially for brands targeting young audiences.
Snap Pixel: A tracking tool that helps businesses measure the performance of their Snapchat ad campaigns.
The platform has over 800 million daily active users worldwide (by 2024)
8. Telegram – 900 Million Users
Telegram was created in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durav. It is a cloud-based instant messaging app. It is known for its emphasis on privacy, security, and speed, offering a wide range of communication features. It has features such as Messaging, Voice and Video Calls, creating Channels, Bots, and Secret Chats.
Telegram has over 900 million active users (as of 2024) and is widely used around the world. Its growth is due to its reliability, security features, and resistance to censorship in some countries. Many businesses and influencers use Telegram channels and groups for marketing, communications, and customer service due to its large member limit and efficient broadcasting tools. Telegram launched premium subscription services in 2022, giving users advanced features such as larger file uploads, faster downloads, and custom emoji sets.
7. Messenger – 1.10 Billion Users
Messenger Meta was introduced by Facebook in 2008 as Facebook Chat and became a standalone app in 2011. It has features like Messaging, Reactions and Stickers, Voice and Video Calls, Disappearing Messages, Polls and Group Tools. In Messenger, brands can interact with customers through automated bots, personalized messages, and customer support.
Facebook Pay: In this app, people can send and receive money securely. It generates in-app advertising by showing ads in chats. Messenger provides end-to-end encryption for personal conversations through the Secret Conversations feature. Users can control who can send them messages and it provides features like blocking, reporting, and filtering message requests from unknown users.
6. WeChat – 1.31 Billion Users
WeChat is a multifunctional mobile app created by the Chinese company Tencent. It was first released in 2011. WeChat is available for both iOS and Android devices and is very popular in China and is used by millions of people.
Its features include Messaging, WeChat Moments, WeChat Pay, WeChat for Business, Official Accounts, and QR Code Integration.
It is used for communication, shopping, entertainment, and financial transactions. It is a vital tool for both personal and business engagement. However, outside of China, it faces major competitors from other messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. It has around 1. 31 billion users worldwide.
5. TikTok – 1.67 Billion Users
TikTok is a popular social media platform that allows users to create, share, and discover short-form videos, typically ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. Launched in 2016 by Chinese tech company Bytedance, the app has become a hub for creativity, entertainment, and even education, attracting a global user base, especially among the younger generation.
This includes Short-Form Video Creation, For You Page (FYP), Duet and Stitch Features, TikTok Trends and Challenges, Music and Sound Library, Filters and Effects, Music and Sound Library, Live Streaming and Monetization, TikTok Ads.
Since its launch, TikTok has become one of the fastest-growing apps worldwide. By 2024, it is projected to have over 1.6 billion monthly active users worldwide. TikTok’s ability to engage users through a combination of entertainment, education, and community has made it particularly popular among Gen Z and millennials. It has also contributed to a rise in “micro-influencers”, users who achieve fame through specific niches or content styles.
Despite its popularity, TikTok has faced many controversies including Data Privacy, Addiction and Mental Health, and Content Moderation.
4. Instagram – 2.35 Billion Users
Instagram is a social media platform primarily focused on photo and video sharing. It was launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and later acquired by Facebook (now Meta) in 2012. Initially designed as a simple photo-sharing app with basic editing tools, Instagram has evolved into a multi-faceted platform offering features such as Stories, Reels, and live streaming. It is one of the most popular social networks globally, with over 2.34 billion active users by 2024, attracting individuals, influencers, and businesses alike.
Instagram has many features like Photo and Video Sharing, Reels, IGTV (Instagram TV), Shopping on Instagram, Live Streaming, Hashtags, Influencer Marketing, and Instagram Stories.
Instagram is a very important tool for business; it offers business tools like Visual Branding, Influencer Collaborations, Advertising, Customer Engagement, etc.
3. WhatsApp – 2.40 Billion Users
WhatsApp is a widely used messaging app that allows users to send text messages, voice messages, images, videos, and documents, as well as make voice and video calls over the Internet. Created in 2009 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, WhatsApp quickly gained popularity due to its low-cost messaging system. In 2014, it was acquired by Facebook (now Meta). WhatsApp is available on both Android and iOS devices, as well as through a web-based client, and has over 2 billion users worldwide, making it one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms.
It has features like Instant Messaging, Voice and Video Calls, WhatsApp Groups, End-to-End Encryption, Media Sharing, WhatsApp Status, Voice Messages, WhatsApp Web and Desktop, Location Sharing, and WhatsApp Business. It has security features like End-to-End Encryption, Two-Step Verification, Block and Report, and Privacy Settings.
2. Youtube – 2.70 Billion Users
YouTube is the world’s largest video-sharing platform, allowing users to upload, view, share, and comment on videos. Founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, it was later acquired by Google in 2006. YouTube hosts a variety of content, including music videos, tutorials, vlogs, educational content, entertainment, and live streams. It has over 2 billion monthly logged-in users and is a dominant force in the digital media landscape, providing opportunities for both creators and audiences worldwide.
This includes video uploading and sharing, YouTube channels, subscriptions, recommendations and the YouTube algorithm, YouTube Shorts, YouTube Live, monetization and the YouTube Partner Program, playlists, YouTube Premium, comments, community engagement, YouTube Studio, and YouTube Analytics.
YouTube offers multiple ways for creators to monetize their content such as ad revenue, Super Chat, channel memberships, and YouTube Premium.
1. Facebook – 3.06 billion user
What makes Facebook different in 2024? Facebook has been around for a long time and still plays an important role in connecting people and businesses. Facebook is currently used by more than 3 billion people, making it an important platform for both personal and professional users. It is a very important tool for advertising and sharing content. The AI makes it a very important and effective tool for business. For all these reasons and being used by most people, it ranks first here.