This report examines the evolving landscape of social media usage in Canada, highlighting generational differences in platform engagement and expectations. It underscores the importance of social media as a daily routine for Canadians, with 60% considering it vital, especially among younger demographics. The report delves into the implications of these trends for brands, emphasizing the need for targeted and culturally relevant content to engage diverse audiences. It also explores the impact of social media on consumer purchasing decisions, noting a significant influence from in-app shopping features and branded posts. Additionally, the report addresses the role of social media in fostering community and connection, particularly among newcomers to Canada and multicultural consumers.
The outlook for social media in 2025 in Canada is poised for significant evolution, driven by technological advancements and shifting user behaviour. Platforms are expected to prioritize immersive experiences like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) integration, enhancing how users interact with both content and brands. Privacy and data security will remain at the forefront, with stricter policies to address consumer concerns and governmental regulations. Social commerce is anticipated to expand further, making platforms essential for retail and customer engagement. AI-driven personalization will refine content delivery, ensuring users see relevant, tailored information.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Analysis of daily social media usage across generations in Canada
- Consumer expectations of brands and influencers on social media
- Impact of social media on purchasing behaviours
- Emerging social media platforms and their market influence
- Multicultural and newcomer engagement with social media
- Social media as a primary source of news for younger Canadians
- The role of social media in community building and connection
Make no mistake about it: a social-forward strategy is essential when trying to reach a Gen Z audience in 2025.
Candace Baldassarre, Senior Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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THE MARKET
- Market context
- Economic snapshot
- Canadian identities have become more racially diverse
- Graph 1: proportion of racialized population, 2001 vs 2021
- Graph 2: population by race, 2001 vs 2021
- Market drivers
- A TikTok ban’s impact on Canada
- Ethnographic vignette: Emmy
- Blue skies ahead?
- Meta eliminates fact checking and shifts to Community Notes
- Meta takes aim at TikTok users
- Australia plans for social media bans for those under 16
- Pakistan imposes sweeping government control over social media
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Daily social media usage
- Social media is an essential part of Canadians’ daily lives
- Gen Z’s existence is shaped by their social media use
- Graph 3: “Social media is an important part of my daily routine” (% agree), by generation, 2024
- Newcomers are not new to social media
- Facebook, YouTube and Instagram reign supreme…
- Graph 4: daily social media use, 2024
- Facebook, YouTube and Instagram reign supreme…
- Graph 5: daily social media use (select), 2024 vs 2025
- …but age has everything to do with it
- Graph 6: daily social media use (select), by generation, 2024
- Younger men’s social media use stands out
- Graph 7: daily social media use (select), overall vs 18-34-year-old men and women, 2024
- YouTube’s and Instagram’s popularity among newcomers and multicultural Canadians is clear
- Graph 8: daily YouTube and Instagram use, overall vs consumers less than five years, 2024
- Graph 9: daily social media use (select), by race, 2024
- Ontario’s use obviously stands out
- Graph 10: daily social media use (select), overall vs Ontario, 2024
- Posting on social media
- Almost every Canadian uses social media
- Women are more likely to post, men are more likely to watch
- Graph 11: social media activity, by gender, 2024
- Newcomers are posting up a storm
- Graph 12: social media activity, overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Graph 13: “I post on social media frequently”, overall vs Black and South Asian consumers, 2024
- Newcomers are posting up a storm
- Social media is a money-maker for many
- Social media and multitasking
- Two-thirds of Canadians are multitasking when using social media
- Consumers are multitasking
- Gen Z’s multitasking is notable
- Graph 14: occasions of typical social media use, by age, 2024
- Graph 15: occasions of typical social media use (select), by generation, 2024
- Gen Z’s multitasking is notable
- Women and men are doing different tasks while using social media
- Graph 16: occasions of typical social media use (select), by gender, 2024
- Younger women just want to hang in bed
- Making bed rotting cool
- Newcomers are using social media in the in-between times
- Graph 17: occasions of typical social media use (select), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Motivations for using social media
- Family, friends and entertainment lead the pack
- Graph 18: motivations for checking social media account(s), 2024
- Age has everything to do with it…
- Graph 19: motivations for checking social media accounts, by age, 2024
- …but Gen Z’s behaviour is distinct
- Graph 20: motivations for checking social media accounts (select), by generation, 2024
- Women and men turn to social media to fulfill different needs
- Graph 21: motivations for checking social media accounts (select), women by age, 2024
- Younger women are feeling inspired
- Graph 22: typically checks social media accounts to look up brands/products, by age and gender, 2024
- Graph 23: typically checks social media accounts to look for inspiration, by age and gender, 2024
- Acknowledging spaces of cultural differences is essential
- Graph 24: motivations for checking social media accounts (select), overall vs Black and South Asian consumers, 2024
- Graph 25: motivations for checking social media accounts (select), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Acknowledging spaces of cultural differences is essential
- Recognizing that social media is an affordable way to pass time
- Graph 26: motivations for checking social media accounts (select), by household financial situation, 2024
- Almost half of consumers look to social media as their main source of news
- Three-quarters of Gen Z sees social media as their main source of news
- Graph 27: “Social media is my main source of news” (% agree), by generation, 2024
- Expectations of brands over social media
- Social media is necessary tool
- An active social media presence is non-negotiable
- Younger consumers demand more from brands online
- Graph 28: “I expect brands to…”, by age, 2024
- Youngest Canadians expect an answer in the comments section
- Graph 29: “I expect brands to respond to consumers’ comments and concerns on their posts”, by age, 2024
- Millennials and Gen Z’s trust is tied to brands’ active social media
- Graph 30: “I am more likely to trust a brand that has an active social media presence ” (% agree), by generation, 2024
- Gen Z is interested in influencer collaborations
- Graph 31: “I expect brands to collaborate with well-known influencers over social media”, by generation, 2024
- Assuaging multicultural consumers’ concerns with an active social media presence…
- Graph 32: “I am more likely to trust a brand that has an active social media presence” (% agree), by race, 2024
- …and recognizing these consumers’ have a whole slew of expectations
- Graph 33: “I expect brands to…”, by race, 2024
- Graph 34: “I expect brands to…”, overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- …and recognizing these consumers’ have a whole slew of expectations
- Communicate clearly in languages other than English or French
- Graph 35: “I expect brands to…”, by language spoken in the home, 2024
- Ontario’s expectations are higher than the rest of the nation’s
- Graph 36: “I expect brands to…”, Ontario vs overall, 2024
- Preferred brand content on social media
- Entertain consumers or give them a deal
- Graph 37: content enjoyed from brands on social media, 2024
- Age impacts interest in brands’ social media content
- Graph 38: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by age, 2024
- Graph 39: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by age, 2024
- Millennials and Gen Z gravitate to different types of content
- Graph 40: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by generation, 2024
- Higher income households are in fact more interested in exclusive offers and educational content
- Graph 41: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by household income, 2024
- Paying attention to diverse consumers’ interests
- Graph 42: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by race, 2024
- Graph 43: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Opportunities exist in Ontario for brands to get consumers excited
- Graph 44: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), by region, 2024
- Look to LGBTQ+ consumers’ preferences when looking to make meaningful connections
- Graph 45: content enjoyed from brands on social media (select), overall vs LGBTQ+, 2024
- Concerns around social media
- Concerns around social media are palpable
- Canadians are frustrated by the grip social media has on their lives
- Graph 46: attitudes toward social media (% agree), 2024
- Younger Canadians are feeling especially burnt out on social media…
- Graph 47: attitudes toward social media (% agree), by age, 2024
- …but Gen Z is most concerned about their usage
- Graph 48: “I spend more time on social media than I’d like to” (% agree), by generation, 2024
- Younger women are mindlessly scrolling
- Newcomers’ need for social media non-negotiable
- Graph 49: attitudes toward social media (% agree), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Social media and purchasing
- Consumers recognize the power of social media to prompt purchases
- Graph 50: attitudes toward social media (% agree), 2024
- Younger men are most open to in-app shopping
- Graph 51: “The in-app shopping feature on a social media platform has prompted me to make a purchase directly from it” (% agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Diverse consumers’ openness to purchasing is definitive
- Graph 52: attitudes toward social media (% agree), by race, 2024
- Graph 53: attitudes toward social media (% agree), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Diverse consumers’ openness to purchasing is definitive
- Attitudes toward social media
- Sponsored ads mystify some
- Social media is a good way to connect…
- …but social media companies are held responsible for the spread of malicious content
- Millennials and Gen Z feel strongly about social media
- Graph 54: attitudes toward social media (% agree), by generation, 2024
- Nearly all newcomers think social media is a good place to connect and build community
- Graph 55: “Social media is a good place to connect with others and foster community” (% agree), overall vs consumers living in Canada for less than five years, 2024
- Looking to social media as an affordable way to build community
- Graph 56: “Social media is a good place to connect with others and foster community” (% agree), by household financial status, 2024
- Social media versus linear and on-demand streaming services
- Social media challenges linear and streaming services alike
- Age has everything to do with it
- Graph 57: “I spend more time on social media than watching cable/satellite TV or on-demand streaming (eg Netflix)” (% agree), by age, 2024
- Multicultural Canadians spend more time on social platforms than linear and on-demand streaming services
- Graph 58: “I spend more time on social media than watching cable/satellite TV or on-demand streaming (eg Netflix)” (% agree), by race, 2024
- Homeowners’ habits are pronounced: linear and on-demand streaming still lead
- Graph 59: “I spend more time on social media than watching cable/satellite TV or on-demand streaming (eg Netflix)” (% agree), by home ownership, 2024
- Reaching LGBTQ+ Canadians means using social media
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COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- TikTok and Amazon intensify shopping opportunities
- Instagram updates its algorithms
- LinkedIn debuts dedicated video feed
- Boosting posts on LinkedIn
- Meta enhances monetization opportunities on Facebook
- Meta integrates Movie Gen
- Live AI and advancements in Meta’s AR glasses
- Snapchat streamlines its monetization options for creators
- Threads introduces sharing
- Reddit sees major growth due to AI-powered language services
- YouTube takes aim at AI-generated media
- Instagram launches (QR) profile cards
- Instagram implements screenshot blocking
- Marketing and advertising
- Liquid Death does it again
- Authenticity and humour appeal in e.l.f.’s most recent campaign
- Listen up Betches, it’s football time
- Flau’jae and JBL’s partnership makes sense
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer research questions
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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