Studies reveal a precipitous dropoff for X.com, shifting preferences among younger social media users

The numbers are in, and the news isn’t good for the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Earlier this year, Pew Research Center released its latest study on social media use by U.S. adults. More recently, the 2024 edition of The Infinite Dial--America's longest-running survey of digital media consumer behavior--was published. Both studies reveal some compelling shifts in social media use, including X’s fall off and the continued evolution of younger social media users' habits.

Let's start with X. According to the Pew Research Center study, 22 percent of U.S. adults say they “ever use” the platform. In the Infinite Dial study, 19 percent of those 12 years of age and older say they currently use X. In the latter case, this represents a considerable decline. In the 2023 Infinite Dial study, 27% of U.S. social media users 12 and older claimed to use the platform, which represents a 30 percent decrease and an estimated defection of 22 million users. It appears that all the controversy surrounding Elon Musk's ownership has driven many users away.

This is especially notable given that social media use has otherwise remained relatively stable. Facebook, not surprisingly, remains the most popular social media platform according to both studies, being used by 63 percent of those included in the Infinite Dial study and 68 percent of those in the Pew study.  Instagram is second at 44 and 47 percent, respectively. After that, there is relative parity among TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat, with each of these platforms being used by somewhere between 25 - 35 percent of those surveyed.

The numbers change dramatically, however, when you look at social media use by age. For example, in the Pew study, Instagram--which, like Facebook, is owned by Meta--is number one among 18 to 29-year-olds, with 78 percent of this demographic saying they ever use the platform. Instagram also ranked first in the Infinite Dial study in terms of its toehold on younger users, with 31 percent of those 12 - 34 years old saying it's the platform they use most often. In the Infinite Dial study, TikTok is number two among those 12 to 34, 23 percent of whom say it’s the platform they use most often. Considering both studies, Facebook appears to be the third most popular platform among younger users, with considerable competition coming from Snapchat. 

Which platforms attract older users? Facebook is the clear choice of those over 35, and LinkedIn also skews toward more senior demographics, as would be expected given its focus on careers.  However, LinkedIn’s sweet spot seems to be those in mid-career, with 40 percent of 30 - 49-year-olds in the Pew study saying they use the platform. This is considerably higher than LinkedIn’s share of use among those 18 to 29 (32 percent), 50 to 64 (30 percent), and 65 and older (just 12 percent). Apparently, many of those approaching retirement age seem as ready to log off LinkedIn as they are to permanently clock out at work

One silver lining for X.com is that Meta's proposed “Twitter killer,” Threads, is seemingly a non-entity. In the Infinite Dial study, only 3 percent of those 12 and older say they currently use Threads and only 29 percent are even aware of Threads. 

So, what does this mean for businesses hoping to reach their customers on social media?  A few takeaways:

• Facebook is still the 800 lb. gorilla of social media. It doesn't reach everyone, but it's unquestionably the best place to reach a broad audience.
• Facebook is not necessarily, however, the best choice if you're trying to reach a uniquely young audience. Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are equally good choices.
• If you started using Twitter when it was second only to Facebook in terms of popularity, those days are long gone. It may be time to reevaluate whether X.com is worth your time, attention, and resources.
• If you got caught up in the initial surge of Threads, it's no longer a primary consideration for most brands.

Of course, all of this can change quickly. So, keep a close eye on how social media use is changing, and be sure to align your resources with where audiences spend their time. As that shifts, you'll want to shift, too.