There is significant interest in using gen AI to create social media content among younger users and platforms are investing in such technology. However, while gen AI creativity tools should be invested in, but as AI-generated content becomes more widespread, correct labelling is crucial to avoid the spread of misinformation.
UK Social Media Market – Current Landscape
Many social media platforms have reported stronger advertising revenue in the UK over the last year, partly reflecting the improving economic situation. However, stalling growth in consumer financial confidence will limit take up of the subscription offerings that many platforms have introduced in recent years.
Social media platforms are having to adapt quickly to increasing volumes of AI-generated content. Such content provides significant risk in terms of misinformation, an issue platforms struggled with even before advances in gen AI. AI content also risks undermining one of the central appeals of social media, human connection.
While AI provides challenges for social media platforms, the technology also offers opportunities. Many consumers, especially younger ones, are interested in interacting with AI assistants on social media and using AI to create posts. More sophisticated algorithms will also enable platforms to better tailor people’s feeds and remove off-putting content.
UK Social Media Consumer Trends
- UK social media consumer habits: Many X users are reducing their time on the platform, over half of Brits now use X less than they did a year ago.
- UK social media consumer demographics: Under-25s are now the primary users of all social media platforms, with the exceptions of Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.
- UK social media consumer attitudes: Older generations are significantly less satisfied with their social media feeds than the younger generations, indicating platforms need to better tailor their algorithms for older users.
UK Social Media: Sharing and Socialising Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- Recent performance and launches by social media platforms.
- Frequency of use of social media platforms.
- Which platforms people are posting content on and who they are posting for.
- The main reasons people use Facebook.
- Attitudes towards AI on social media.
- Brand research for major social media platforms.
Report Scope
Mintel defines social media platforms as any platform focused on facilitating users to upload/share content and interact with other people. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Google Chat are not a focus of this report.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Rebecca McGrath, Associate Director for Media and Technology at Mintel. Rebecca joined Mintel in September 2013. She writes Mintel’s media reports, analysing consumer trends and using these to provide market insight. Her specialist areas include news consumption habits, social media and TV viewing habits. Rebecca has a BA (Hons) in Politics and American Studies from the University of Nottingham.
Young social media users are interested in using AI to create posts, but an influx of AI content risks further undermining the core humanity of social media.
Rebecca McGrath
Associate Director for Media and Technology
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for sharing and socialising on social media
- Invest in gen AI creativity tools, but correct labelling is key
- The US election gives Threads a golden opportunity if it embraces news role
- Social media platforms need to offer more private group spaces
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market predictions
- Widespread concern about AI shows its risk to social media
- Graph 1: concern about increasing prominence of AI, 2024
- Brand/company
- YouTube on top for trust and differentiation
- Meta invests heavily in Meta AI
- TikTok should move forward with plans for longer videos
- Musk and X go to ‘war’ with advertisers
- What consumers want and why
- Facebook and Instagram users are most likely to post on platforms
- Proactively tackle AI manipulation before it discourages people from posting
- Socialising has driven Facebook’s longevity
- Young people are looking for friendly advice from AI chatbots
- Don’t let AI undermine the authenticity of social media
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Market Dynamics
- Macro-economic factors
- Consumer sentiment: wellbeing is up but the recovery has slowed
- Graph 2: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Improving financial confidence will be key for success of paid features
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Widespread concern about AI shows its risk to social media
- Graph 3: concern about increasing prominence of AI, 2024
- Online Safety Act to be reviewed following UK riots
- US looks to tackle AI deepfakes
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Brand performance and activity
- Meta
- Meta’s family of platforms continues to steadily grow…
- Graph 4: Meta family daily and monthly active people, Q1 2020-Q2 2024
- … led by steady growth in Facebook users
- Graph 5: Facebook daily and monthly active users, 2015-23
- Meta reports strong Q2 2024
- Graph 6: quarterly revenue, Meta, 2020-24
- Meta invests heavily in Meta AI
- Instagram Notes expanded as feature proves popular
- Threads Recent tab will be key to help it take on X
- YouTube
- YouTube’s growing advertising revenue highlights improved advertising market
- YouTube expands Community Posts as it aims to make the platform more social
- YouTube introduces comment sorting and summaries
- TikTok
- TikTok in legal battle over US ban
- Bytedance launch points to AI future
- TikTok should move forward with plans for longer videos
- TikTok gives photo -sharing app Whee a low-key launch
- X
- X reports growth in users
- Musk and X go to ‘war’ with advertisers
- X tests engagement options
- Snap
- Snapchat’s daily active users continues to climb
- Graph 7: Snapchat daily active users, 2018-24
- Snap lays off 10% of workforce
- Graph 8: Snap financials, 2016-23
- Snapchat+ crosses 11 million subscribers
- Snap uses AI to further strengthen its AR offering
- Pinterest crosses 500 million users
- Graph 9: Pinterest MAUs (monthly active users), 2018-24
- Pinterest’s revenue grows 9% in 2023
- Graph 10: Pinterest revenue, 2018-23
- Pinterest targets Gen Z with new short video feature
- LinkedIn reports record engagement
- New LinkedIn tools should focus on the practical rather than fun
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Social media usage
- Instagram and TikTok continue to grow userbases
- Graph 11: usage of social media platforms in the last three months, 2019-24
- Many X users are reducing their time on the platform
- Musk is alienating X users and advertisers with political stances
- Under-25 are the primary users, with the exceptions of Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn
- Graph 12: usage of social media platforms in the last three months, by age, 2024
- Threads can capitalise on US election as growth picks up
- Threads can embrace politics in a measured way
- Social media use frequency
- TikTok, Facebook and Instagram have highly engaged users
- Graph 13: frequency used social media platforms in the last three months, 2024
- UK Sports partnerships could help boost Reddit’s engagement
- Posting on social media platforms
- Facebook and Instagram users are most likely to post on platforms
- Graph 14: posted on following social media platforms in the last three months, 2024
- Instagram’s anti-bullying features will encourage posting
- YouTube posting to increase due to investment in shorts and community features
- Reasons people post on social media
- Socialising remains the primary reason people post
- Graph 15: who consumers are posting content for on social media, 2024
- Encourage young men to post more for friends and family on social media
- Most social media users post images of themselves
- Proactively tackle AI manipulation before it discourages people from posting
- Reasons for using Facebook
- Social value drives Facebook’s longevity
- Graph 16: reasons typically use Facebook, 2024
- Keep friends/family content front and centre
- Use of Facebook is multifaceted
- Graph 17: repertoire of reasons use Facebook, 2024
- Prioritise funny content and news for younger generations
- Attitudes towards social media
- Most social media users are satisfied with their feeds
- Graph 18: attitudes towards social media, 2024
- Men aged 16-34 are most likely to think social media is bad for their mental health
- Give users more control to help tackle mental health concerns
- Threads and Twitch users feel social media is bad for them
- Re-focus on the positive social aspect of social media
- Snapchat’s campaign highlights how it offers real human connection
- Three’s advert highlights how to effectively demonstrate the power of online connection
- Don’t let AI undermine the authenticity of social media
- AI and social media
- AI provides new tool for social media creativity
- Graph 19: interest in using AI on social media, 2024
- Invest in gen AI creative tools, but correct labelling is key
- Graph 20: interested in using AI to create social media content, by age, 2024
- Young people are looking for friendly advice from AI chatbots
- AI friends can be an engaging feature for Snapchat
- Social media behaviour
- People turn to group messaging apps for social interaction over social media
- Graph 21: social media behaviour, 2024
- Social media platforms need to offer more private group spaces
- AI will drive search on social media
- The shifting purpose of social media
- Graph 22: spend most time on social media viewing content from people don’t know in real life, by age, 2024
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Brand Research
- YouTube on top for trust and differentiation
- People are least likely to recommend X
- Facebook is viewed as innovative
- Women are more likely to consider Pinterest fun
- TikTok is thought of as both cool and harmful
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Appendix
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
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