Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Impact of COVID-19 on social media platforms
-
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on social media, May 2021
- The market
- Easing of lockdown restrictions will see social media use slowly begin to fall back
- Health misinformation on social media fuelled by COVID-19
- Donald Trump bans brings political guidelines to the fore
- Social media blackout protests the handling of racist content
- Companies and brands
- Leading social media platforms are still adding users
- COVID-19 recession could pose a threat to advertising revenues
- Facebook passes the 3 billion user mark across its social platforms
- Instagram updates like count tests to offer users more autonomy
- YouTube and Snapchat launch short-form video to take on TikTok
- Twitter looks to audio content with voice notes and Spaces
- The consumer
- Half of younger users have spent more time on social media during pandemic
-
- Figure 2: COVID-19’s impact on social media usage, March 2021
- Over half of social media users have seen COVID-19 misinformation
-
- Figure 3: Social media and COVID-19 information, by age, March 2021
- Facebook continues to lead but struggles for appeal among younger Brits
-
- Figure 4: Use of social media platforms, March 2021
- TikTok is the biggest growth platform in the UK
-
- Figure 5: TikTok usage, by selected demographics, March 2020 and March 2021
- Over half of Facebook and Instagram users visit multiple times a day
-
- Figure 6: Frequency of social media visits, March 2021
- The vast majority of Brits want action on social media misinformation
-
- Figure 7: Action on social media misinformation, March 2021
- Opinion is divided over the validity of political bans on social media
-
- Figure 8: Attitudes towards banning politicians on social media, by select demographics, March 2021
- Half of young users believe social media is bad for their mental wellbeing
-
- Figure 9: Attitudes towards social media use, March 2021
- Six in 10 younger social media users are clicking on adverts
-
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards purchasing and advertising on social media, March 2021
Issues and Insights
-
- COVID-19 is changing the dynamics of social media use
- The pressure is on social media companies to tackle harmful content
- Social media platforms are innovating, but risk homogenisation
The Market – Key Takeaways
-
- Easing of lockdown restrictions will see social media use slowly begin to fall back
- Health misinformation on social media fuelled by COVID-19
- ‘Free speech’ app Parler set to return to iOS after ban
- Clubhouse and TikTok success driving innovation among social media platforms
- Popularity of video games streaming helping to drive social media use
- Social media blackout protests the handling of racist content
Market Drivers
-
- The Impact of COVID-19 on social media
-
- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on social media, May 2021
- Social media continues to gain visitors a year into the pandemic
-
- Figure 12: UK unique visitors to top consumer categories and % change March 2020 and March 2021
- Brits are still worried about being exposed to the virus
-
- Figure 13: Concerns over exposure to coronavirus, 10 September 2020-6 May 2021
- Health misinformation on social media fuelled by COVID-19
- Banning of Donald Trump brings political guidelines to the fore
- ‘Free speech’ app Parler set to return to iOS after ban
- Facebook coming under increased scrutiny from regulators
- Conflict over publishing news content in Australia
- Facebook’s market position in Germany under investigation
- English football boycotts social media to protest racist content
- Clubhouse success drives innovation among leading social media players
- Popularity of gaming is driving social media streaming
- Social media brands look to the rising use of smart TV apps
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
-
- Leading social media platforms are still adding users
- COVID-19 recession poses a threat to advertising revenues
- Social media boosts efforts to counter COVID-19 misinformation
- Former President Trump banned across social media platforms
- Social media brands continue to innovative amid growing competition
Facebook, Inc
-
- Facebook passes the 3 billion user mark across its social platforms
-
- Figure 14: Facebook Family daily and monthly active people, 2019-21
- Facebook enjoys strong 2020 with revenues increasing 21%
-
- Figure 15: Facebook revenues, 2019-21
- European user growth slows despite a strong year for Facebook globally
-
- Figure 16: Facebook daily and monthly active users, 2015-21
- Figure 17: Facebook daily active users, by region, 2019-21
- Measures to tackle COVID-19 misinformation and promote vaccinations boosted
- Facebook moves to delete debunked health claims…
- …while adding labels to official sources on COVID-19 vaccine posts
-
- Figure 18: Facebook UK COVID-19 vaccination banner
- Facebook moves to indefinitely suspend former President Donald Trump
- Oversight Board launched to improve regulation
- Clubhouse-style audio tools announced
- Facebook launches delayed dating service
- Cryptocurrency plans scaled back as organisation rebrands
- Instagram continues to gain users throughout pandemic
- COVID-19 Information Centre launches
- Instagram updates like count tests to offer users more autonomy
- Minor updates added to Reels, Stories and DMs
- Pronoun option added to profiles
-
- Figure 19: Instagram’s pronoun option
YouTube
-
- YouTube is the most popular social media platform among young Brits
- 49% surge in advertising revenue
- 800,000 videos removed featuring COVID-19 misinformation
- Taking on TikTok with YouTube Shorts
-
- Figure 20: YouTube Shorts
- Clips option being tested to encourage content sharing
- Leading YouTuber PewDiePie reaches 110 million subscribers
- YouTube bans account of former President Donald Trump
-
- User numbers surge in 2020 due to COVID-19
-
- Figure 21: Twitter monetizable daily active users (mDAU), 2018-21
- Twitter remains reliant on advertising revenues
-
- Figure 22: Twitter global revenue, 2018-20
- Former President Donald Trump suspended for breaking guidelines
- Fleets feature is fully launched
- Twitter looks to audio content with voice notes and Spaces
-
- Figure 23: Twitter launches voice note tweets
- Figure 24: Twitter launches Spaces
- Super follow feature to allow users to charge for additional content
Snapchat
-
- Strong global user growth has not stopped the financial losses
-
- Figure 25: Snapchat daily active users, 2018-21
- Figure 26: Snap financials, 2016-20
- Spotlight launched to compete with TikTok
- Donald Trump is permanently banned
- Snapchat looks towards made-for-mobile shows
- Scanning features extended to food and shopping
- Snapchat seeks to help mental health with launch of Headspace Mini
-
- Figure 27: Headspace on Snapchat
-
- COVID-19 recession boosts LinkedIn usage
- UK is the largest European market by user numbers
- Revenues have been hit despite user growth
- New features look to boost time spent on the platform
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
-
- COVID-19 boosts social media use but increases the need for action on misinformation
- Facebook remains the leading brand but TikTok is the main growth platform
- Brits want action on social media misinformation
- The COVID-19 usage boom could be set to end as users look to reduce social media time
- Six in 10 16-34 year olds are clicking on social media adverts
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Media Platforms
-
- Half of younger Brits have spent more time on social media during the pandemic
- Most Brits are using the same social media as before COVID-19
- Younger Brits are twice as likely to have stopped using a social platform
-
- Figure 28: COVID-19 impact on social media usage, March 2021
- Brits turning to social media for entertainment during the pandemic
- Social media’s image could be boosted by its role in connecting people during the pandemic
-
- Figure 29: COVID-19 impact on social media usage, by select demographics, March 2021
- Over half of users have seen COVID-19 misinformation on social media
-
- Figure 30: Social media and COVID-19 information, March 2021
- Young Brits value social media more now than before COVID-19
-
- Figure 31: Perception of social media, by age, March 2021
Social Media Platform Usage
-
- Nine in 10 Brits are regularly using social media
- Facebook continues to the most popular social media platform…
- …but struggles for appeal among younger Brits
-
- Figure 32: Use of social media platforms, March 2021
-
- Figure 33: Use of leading 5 social media platforms in the last 3 months, by age, March 2021
- A quarter of Brits use five or more social media platforms
-
- Figure 34: Repertoire of social media platforms used, March 2020 and March 2021
- Video platform usage grows among parents of young children
- Twitter is the only leading brand not to grow in the last year
- Snapchat overtaken by LinkedIn for recent usage among Brits
-
- Figure 35: Use of leading social media platforms in the last 3 months, 2017-21
- TikTok is the biggest growth platform in the UK
- Half of 16-24 year olds are now using TikTok
- Popularity is prompting action from rivals
- Action on discrimination is needed to sustain user growth
- TikTok to offer third-party app logins but must improve record on data-sharing
-
- Figure 36: TikTok usage in the previous three months, by select demographics, March 2020 and March 2021
Frequency of Social Media Visits
-
- Over half of Facebook and Instagram users visit multiple times a day
-
- Figure 37: Frequency of social media platform visits, March 2021
- Modest increase in visit frequency for most platforms
-
- Figure 38: Frequency of social media platform visits [at least once a day], March 2020 and March 2021
- Instagram’s young users are most likely to visit multiple times per day
-
- Figure 39: Multiple social media visits per day, by age, March 2021
Social Media and Managing Harmful Content
-
- The vast majority want action on social media misinformation
- Younger people prefer content removal to outright bans
-
- Figure 40: Action on social media misinformation, March 2021
- Brits are not convinced about social media’s handling of harmful content
- Pressure on Facebook to address longstanding issues with harmful content
-
- Figure 41: Best social platforms for dealing with harmful content, March 2021
-
- Figure 42: Worst social platforms for dealing with harmful content, March 2021
- Opinion is divided over the validity of political bans on social media
- Trump’s social media bans have brought the issue to the fore
- Clear communication of guidelines from social media brands will be vital
-
- Figure 43: Attitudes towards banning politicians on social media, by select demographics, March 2021
Attitudes towards Social Media Use
-
- Over a quarter of young people on social media consider themselves influencers
-
- Figure 44: Attitudes towards social media use, March 2021
- Half of young users believe social media is bad for their mental health
- Platforms must continue to update guidelines to protect users
- Some 21% regularly get into arguments on social media
-
- Figure 45: Attitudes towards social media use and mental health, by select demographics, March 2021
- After more time on social media during the pandemic, many will try to cut back
-
- Figure 46: Social media behaviours – CHAID – Tree output, March 2021
Attitudes towards Purchasing on Social Media
-
- Six in 10 younger social media users are clicking on adverts
-
- Figure 47: Attitudes towards purchasing and advertising on social media, March 2021
- Location and events advertising growing in importance
- Social media brands are increasingly looking to in-app purchasing
- Socially-conscious consumers are paying more attention to where brands advertise
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Methodology
-
- Figure 48: Social media behaviours– CHAID – Table output, March 2021
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Back to top