Digital Report 2025: AI Accelerates, YouTube Leads Rankings, and Social Media Ad Spend Surges
The recently released Digital Report 2025 by We Are Social and Meltwater provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest trends and data surrounding digital landscape including social media, gaming, connected devices, mobile usage, and online commerce. This year’s report highlights the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), the pivotal role of social media in brand discovery, and a significant increase in digital ad spending, particularly on social platforms.
Social Media Platforms Enhance Brand Discovery
According to the report, global social media users have reached an impressive 5.24 billion, reflecting a growth of over 4% in the last twelve months. On average, users now spend 2 hours and 21 minutes per day engaging with various platforms.
Marketers should pay attention to the fact that 50% of adults on social media now visit these platforms with the intent of learning more about brands, a figure that is continually on the rise. The top platforms for brand research are led by Instagram, where 62.3% of adult users conduct brand searches, followed by Facebook at 52.5%, and TikTok at 51.5%.
The study further reveals that 22% of social media users actively follow influencers or experts, with that number jumping to 30.8% among women aged 16-24.
Competition Among Social Platforms Intensifies
When it comes to the question of which platform reigns supreme in 2025, the answer varies depending on how one measures popularity. In terms of active users, YouTube stands out as the most utilized social media platform at the beginning of 2025, boasting a user base 16% larger than that of WhatsApp, which ranks second.
Following YouTube and WhatsApp are Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to complete the top five. However, if we consider user affinity, Instagram leads as the favorite platform, with 16.6% loyalty among social media users. WhatsApp and Facebook follow closely with loyalties of 16% and 13.1%, respectively.
In terms of user engagement time, TikTok takes the lead, with Android users spending nearly 35 hours on the app in November 2024. User engagement on TikTok saw a significant rise of nearly two hours between August and November 2024. Meanwhile, the emerging platform Threads boasts 320 million active monthly users, with over 100 million logging in daily, leading active user growth at the close of 2024.
Surge in Digital and Social Media Ad Spending
The growing impact of digital channels in the advertising landscape is evident in the finances. Marketers spent a staggering $1.1 trillion on advertising in 2024, up by $75 billion (+7.3%) from 2023. Digital channels now account for an impressive 72.7% of global ad spending, with online investments surpassing $790 billion, marking a 10.3% increase over the previous year.
Overall, digital advertising expenditures have more than doubled since 2019. Social media ad spending reached $243 billion, reflecting a 15% year-over-year growth. The trend toward influencer marketing remains strong, with a 14% increase in global influencer marketing expenditures, bringing annual investment in this area to $35 billion.
The Rise of ChatGPT
Data from the Digital Report 2025 also highlights the growing interest in and utilization of AI technologies. ChatGPT has emerged as a frontrunner in the AI space, with its mobile app averaging over a quarter of a billion monthly active users between September and November 2024. The app achieved status as one of the most downloaded globally during this period, ranking eighth across all app categories worldwide.
Furthermore, ChatGPT.com attracted an average of 310 million unique monthly visitors in the same timeframe, resulting in a staggering 3.5 billion visits to the site.
Additional Insights
- The global average for social media platform use stands at 6.83 platforms per month.
- Over one in three social media users utilize these platforms for professional purposes.
- Interest in sports content on social media continues to rise, with 23.6% of adult users reporting they seek this type of content.
- LinkedIn’s global advertising reach grew by 17% over the past year, while Pinterest reported an increase of over 10%.
- 56% of online adults in major economies shop online weekly.
- Despite marketers often overlooking those aged 50 and older, this demographic accounts for more than half of consumer spending in several large economies.
- More than one online adult in five (22.1%) now listens to at least one podcast weekly.
- In terms of popular online figures, MrBeast remains the most-followed YouTuber globally, with 341 million subscribers as of the report, although his count has reportedly increased to 356 million since. On TikTok, Khabane Lame continues to dominate, while on X, Elon Musk surprisingly ranks high.
Note: The full version of the Digital Report 2025 is available here.
Peter, a distinguished alumnus of a prominent journalism school in New Jersey, brings a rich tapestry of insights to ‘The Signal’. With a fervent passion for news, society, art, and television, Peter exemplifies the essence of a modern journalist. His keen eye for societal trends and a deep appreciation for the arts infuse his writing with a unique perspective. Peter’s journalistic prowess is evident in his ability to weave complex narratives into engaging stories. His work is not just informative but a journey through the multifaceted world of finance and societal dynamics, reflecting his commitment to excellence in journalism.
