The 15 Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2026
Wondering which social media platform is best for your business? Here are the 15 most popular platforms in 2026, along with how you can use them to reach new customers.
We all know that social media marketing is a big part of building brand awareness. If you can genuinely connect with your audience on their favourite apps, you’ll bring more people through your digital doors and, with the right strategy, drive conversions. In fact, we found that 53% of shoppers use social platforms to discover new products.
However, strategising for social media can be challenging when there are dozens of platforms at your disposal, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and considerations. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 most popular social media platforms coming into 2026 based on monthly active users worldwide. We’ll also delve into their benefits and how you can use them for success.
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The most popular social media platforms at a glance
The 15 Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2026
| Platform | Monthly Active Users | Target Demographic |
|---|---|---|
| 3.07 billion | Broad, 25 to 54, global general audience | |
| 3.0 billion | 18 to 34, visual-first users, creators | |
| 3.0 billion | Global messaging users, strong in India, Brazil, the USA, and the EU | |
| YouTube | 2.53 billion | All ages, strong 18 to 34 base, education and entertainment |
| TikTok | 1.99 billion | 16 to 34, trend-driven, short-form video consumers |
| 1.41 billion | China-based users, all ages | |
| Messenger | 1.01 billion | Broad, 20 to 50, Facebook-adjacent users |
| Telegram | 1 billion | Privacy-focused users, global communities |
| Snapchat | 900 million | 16 to 30, Gen Z-heavy |
| 850 million | 18 to 34, interest-based communities | |
| Douyin | 755 million | China-based short-form video users |
| X (Twitter) | 650 million | 20 to 45, news, politics, real-time conversation |
| 578 million | 18 to 45, planning and inspiration seekers | |
| Threads | 400 million | 18 to 40, Instagram-linked conversation users |
| 310 million | Professionals, B2B audiences, 25 to 55 |
Now let's go into detail about the strengths of each social media site and provide guidance on how to choose the right channel for your brand.
1. Facebook (Meta)
Facebook currently boasts 3.07 billion monthly active users (MAU) as of 2026, making it the largest social media site in the world by a pretty substantial margin.
The platform isn’t just a way to connect with friends. Facebook is versatile and suits all types of content, from paid ads and images to text posts and statistics. It’s also an all-rounder when it comes to audience targeting. While 25-34-year-olds make up the largest percentage (24.2% ) of Facebook users in Australia, the 18-24, 35-44, and 45-54 demographics aren’t far behind.
One of the perks of the platform is its community-building features. Businesses can create their own pages, upload image posts, and respond to comments directly. For paid ads, Meta also has a top-class suite of advertising tools and analytics functions.
Why use Facebook?
- Massive global reach with diverse age and gender distributions.
- Versatility with content formats from paid ads to images and even live streaming.
- A first-class advertising platform with built-in analytics to explore user data.
2. Instagram (Meta)
Instagram boasts more than three billion monthly active users. The platform excels when used for visual storytelling and, along with TikTok, is the most reliable way to connect with young audiences (particularly the 18-34 range).
While static image posts and carousels are still viable, Instagram Reels and Stories are the go-to in 2026. Reels, in particular, have the largest reach and highest engagement rates of all content types, with a 13% increase over 2024.
Instagram is also gold dust when paired with influencer marketing, which allows brands to work with popular creators to create targeted advertising for their products.
Why use Instagram?
- Ideal for visual content, such as images, testimonials and short-form video content.
- Multiple ways for brands to connect with audiences, including images and video.
- Perfect when paired with influencer marketing.
3. WhatsApp (Meta)
With a reported three billion+ active users, WhatsApp has rapidly grown into a mainstay for text, voice and video communication, particularly in countries like India and Brazil, where the platform holds almost the entire market share.
While it doesn’t have the powerhouse customer engagement or analytics capabilities of Facebook or Instagram, WhatsApp Business is excellent if you’re looking to market your products directly via messaging. It boasts a 98% open rate for messages (almost five times more than email marketing).
Because of this, the app is also a top choice for customer support, such as when sending order updates or providing instant answers to frequently asked questions.
Why use WhatsApp
- The ability to send targeted, secure messages directly to customers.
- Ideal for providing personalised support and digital marketing communications.
- Enormous engagement and high open rates.
4. YouTube (Alphabet)
YouTube follows closely behind WhatsApp with over 2.5 billion MAU. It’s particularly popular with younger audiences, with more than half of the site's users being between 18 and 34 years old.
YouTube’s capacity for long-form videos is its unique selling point. It’s perfect for everything from product demonstrations to educational content. That said, YouTube Shorts is also a goldmine for connecting with a younger audience, with the short-form section of the platform now achieving around 70 billion views a day worldwide.
The platform is also renowned for its personalised recommendation engine, which makes it easier for brands to connect with their target customers organically.
Why use YouTube?
- Long-form video opportunities with high user engagement.
- Ideal for educational content such as tutorials and testimonials.
- A variety of video content can cater to all demographics and age ranges.
5. TikTok (ByteDance)
With an estimated nearly two billion monthly active users, TikTok is rapidly becoming the king of short-form video. Its swipeable content, high engagement, and brilliant recommendation engine make it a must for brands that want to connect with younger audiences. It also gives businesses the chance to go viral organically, even with a small following.
Approximately 30.7% of the platform's audience is in the 18 to 24 age range, meaning TikTok has quickly become the best way to connect with the Gen Z demographic. We also found that 40% of Gen Z use TikTok to discover products, compared to only 4% of baby boomers.
Like Instagram, it works particularly well when paired with influencer marketing. It also now offers TikTok Shop, which allows businesses to directly advertise and sell their products from within the app. (Australia is still in the early rollout phase for TikTok Shop, but it’s coming.)
Why use TikTok?
- Enormous and rapidly growing popularity with the Gen Z demographic.
- High viral potential owing to TikTok’s excellent discovery algorithm.
- Ideal for capitalising on trends and partnering with influencers.
6. WeChat (Tencent)
WeChat has more than 1.4 billion monthly active users, making it the most dominant social app in China. It essentially acts as an all-in-one ecosystem, with chat, social media, payments, shopping, and news all integrated into the platform.
WeChat is a must for brands that want to tap into the Chinese market. Businesses can set up official accounts, stores, and payments directly within the app. Then, they can use built-in marketing tools to connect with customers directly.
Like WhatsApp, WeChat isn’t built for mass visual marketing, but it opens a direct line to customers, making it ideal for authentic engagement that feels meaningful and personalised.
Why use WeChat?
- The biggest social app in China, with high engagement rates.
- Ideal for building loyalty with customers throughout the entire lifecycle.
- Integrates marketing, ecommerce, payments, and retention into one platform.
7. Messenger (Meta)
At just over one billion monthly active users, Messenger still holds its own as a standalone messaging app. Its real strength, however, lies in the fact that it syncs directly with the Meta ecosystem.
Brands primarily use Messenger to provide customer support by setting up AI agents or chatbots to talk directly to customers, or connecting live customer service reps. The platform also has click-to-chat functionality, meaning businesses can initiate personalised conversations when a customer clicks on an ad on Facebook or Instagram.
Why use Messenger?
- It links with Facebook and Instagram.
- Works best for conversational marketing and customer support.
- As with Facebook, it has a broad, global demographic.
8. Telegram (Telegram FZ-LLC)
Telegram recently surpassed one billion active users. It’s mostly known for secure, decentralised messaging and group communication, but it actually has a suite of brand tools that businesses can use to form deeper connections with their audience.
For instance, companies can send push messages, build communities, set up customer service agents, and broadcast curated content to their audience, all without being at the mercy of algorithms. Brands can also sell their products directly in-app using Telegram’s handy bots.
Why use Telegram?
- Excellent for direct audience engagement.
- Robust privacy, ideal for private community-building.
- In-app purchases let businesses drive engagement and conversions in one place.
9. Snapchat (Snap Inc.)
With 900 million monthly active users, Snapchat is still a top choice for brands looking to connect with younger audiences through viral marketing. One in five Snapchat users is aged 18 to 24 , with women of the same age range making up 17.2% of all users.
The platform’s main selling point is its short-form content model. Stories disappear after 24 hours and messages vanish after they’re read, making interactions feel more authentic. This makes Snapchat ideal for informal behind-the-scenes content and trend-based marketing.
Why use Snapchat?
- Perfect for capitalising on trends and appealing to Gen Z and Millennials.
- Augmented reality (AR) opens the door to creative marketing campaigns.
- Great for authentic content and creating real-time connections.
10. Reddit (Reddit Inc.)
Reddit has an estimated 850 million monthly active users in 2026, making it one of the largest community-driven platforms in the world. Unlike traditional social networks, Reddit operates on topic-based forums (called subreddits) where users share discussions, insights and news across millions of niches.
What makes Reddit unique is its depth. Many users are searching for answers, opinions and experiences from real people. This makes the platform incredibly valuable for brands that want authentic engagement or market research. Subreddits can also act as high-intent communities where users actively seek recommendations or advice before buying.
Why use Reddit?
- Ideal for niche communities where users actively discuss products, problems and recommendations.
- Perfect for market research, sentiment tracking and gathering real customer insights.
- High-intent audiences who often engage deeply with long-form content and expert answers.
11. Douyin (ByteDance)
Sitting at 766 million active users, Douyin is the second-most popular Chinese social app behind WeChat.
Think of Douyin as China’s answer to TikTok. It works in much the same way and has similar features, such as in-app purchases and payment functionalities. However, it’s specifically tailored to the Chinese market.
Why use Douyin?
- A must-have when trying to capture the Chinese market.
- Short videos with high engagement and strong viral potential.
- All-in-one payment and ecommerce functions help to drive in-app sales.
12. X (X Corp.)
X has an estimated 650 million monthly active users in 2026. The platform is still widely used for public conversations, but the experience has changed significantly since its rebrand and ownership transition.
Content tends to move quickly, and conversations can be unpredictable, which makes the platform less stable than others for long-term community-building. For brands, X can still be useful for posting quick updates or joining timely industry discussions, but it generally requires more moderation and a careful approach.
Why use X?
- Helpful for real-time updates, announcements, and reactive communication.
- Allows brands to monitor trends, public sentiment, and industry conversations.
- Direct channels for customer questions or quick responses.
13. Pinterest (Pinterest, Inc.)
Pinterest now has around 578 million monthly active users, and while it’s not as fast-moving as other social platforms, it remains a strong visual discovery engine.
Users typically come to Pinterest with a clear intention: to research ideas, compare styles, plan purchases, or save inspiration for future projects. This makes the platform particularly valuable for brands that want to reach audiences early in their decision-making phase.
Unlike TikTok or Instagram, Pinterest isn’t centred on personality-driven content or algorithmic trends. Instead, it behaves more like a visual search tool. This means that ‘pins’ can continue driving traffic for months or even years.
Why use Pinterest?
- Strong discovery platform where users actively research and compare ideas.
- Content has a long lifespan, often driving traffic long after posting.
- Useful for ecommerce, lifestyle, home, fashion, and planning-focused categories.
14. Threads (Meta)
Threads has grown to more than 400 million monthly active users, making it one of the largest text-based platforms launched in recent years. Designed as a calmer alternative to X, Threads focuses on short posts, simple engagement tools, and a generally more moderated environment. Most users interact through conversational threads rather than trending topics, which gives it a slower, more intentional feel.
Why use Threads?
- A more moderated environment compared with other text-based platforms.
- Works well for simple updates, Q&As, and building conversational rapport.
- Seamless integration with Instagram helps brands grow initial visibility.
15. LinkedIn (Microsoft)
LinkedIn has an estimated 310 million monthly active users in 2026, drawn mostly from professionals, job seekers, and B2B audiences. While the platform isn’t inherently designed for entertainment or short-form trends, it remains the most reliable place for industry updates, hiring, and thought leadership.
Users generally come to LinkedIn with a work-related mindset, which gives posts a longer shelf life and makes engagement more intentional. Brands often use LinkedIn to share announcements, publish articles, and connect with decision-makers in their sector.
Why use LinkedIn?
- Best suited to B2B audiences, professional networking, and industry commentary.
- Ideal for employer branding, hiring, and long-form educational content.
- Users are more intentional, making engagement more relevant and targeted.
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Other notable social media platforms and their niches
Let’s touch on some of the other notable platforms that didn’t quite make it into the top 15.
These platforms aren’t as popular as the big players like Facebook and Instagram, but they each have their niche, and all can be useful as part of your social media marketing strategy.
- Twitch: Video streaming sites like Twitch can be lucrative for brands targeting younger demographics. Partnering with streamers can bring real-time brand visibility.
- Quora: A question-and-answer platform. Answering common questions on Quora can help you demonstrate authority and experience in your niche, building trust.
- Discord: A community-driven platform popular with gaming, tech, and hobby groups. It’s useful for brands that want to build loyal, engaged communities through channels, voice chats, and events. Works best for long-form engagement rather than broadcast-style content.
- Medium: A publishing platform ideal for long-form storytelling, thought leadership, and deep-dive articles. Great for brands that want to build credibility through high-quality written content rather than short updates.
Choosing the right social media platform for your business
With dozens of social platforms available, the best strategy isn’t to be everywhere at once. It’s to be where your customers are, and where your content can reach them.
You can use the following five steps to choose the right channels for your brand.
Step 1: Define your target audience
The best way to start is with your customer, not the platforms. Look through your data to see who buys from you now, consider what they care about, and how they behave online. It’s a good idea to run some customer interviews and ask people what platforms they use and what content they enjoy.
If you can’t get this information directly, check the demographics of each platform and match it to your ideal audience. For example, if you find that most of your customers are in their 20s and consume short-form videos, you’ll get far more traction on TikTok and Instagram than on LinkedIn or X.
Step 2: Set clear business goals
Once you know who you’re trying to reach, the next step is working out what you want your social media activity to achieve.
This helps you avoid choosing platforms based on popularity alone. Look at your broader business objectives and decide how social media fits into that picture, whether you want more brand awareness, stronger B2B visibility, increased website traffic, or better customer service channels. Each platform naturally supports different outcomes, so your goal should narrow the field for you.
For example, if your priority is generating B2B leads, LinkedIn will outperform TikTok every time. However, if you want to build reach and visibility with a younger audience, TikTok and Instagram make more sense.
Step 3: Evaluate platform and content suitability
Now that you’re clear on your audience and your goals, look at what each platform is built for.
You’ll find that every platform has its own tone, behaviours, and content expectations, and your content needs to fit naturally into that environment.
Also, think about the type of content you feel able to produce. For example, it’s not a good idea to jump into TikTok or Instagram if you aren’t comfortable making videos. Instead, you might want to try Pinterest or Threads.
Step 4: Consider your resources and competitors
At this point, it’s important to be realistic about your capacity. Some platforms require daily monitoring, fast responses, and constant posting, while others allow for a slower, planned approach. Look honestly at the time and skills you have available, and compare this with the platforms you’re considering.
It also helps to take a quick look at what your competitors are doing, not to copy them, but to understand what’s working in your industry and where there may be gaps you can fill.
For example, if you only have a few hours a week to manage your content, Instagram or Pinterest will be easier to handle than X, where conversations move quickly and require ongoing attention throughout the day.
Step 5: Start focused and test
Begin with one platform. This keeps things manageable and will give you an early indication of what resonates with your audience. Make sure to post consistently, watch how people respond, and make small adjustments as you go.
Tools like our Marketing Cloud Intelligence help by pulling your social media data into one dashboard. This will help you quickly identify what’s performing and what’s not. After a few months, you’ll know whether to expand to a second platform or double down in the place you’re seeing success.
6 social media trends to watch out for in 2026
Let’s wrap things up with some of the trends that are changing business strategies for social media in 2026.
1. AI-powered marketing
Brands are now using AI to plan campaigns, draft posts, and analyse performance. AI-driven customer service is also becoming standard, with chat tools helping businesses respond faster and offer support 24/7.
2. Short-form video
Short-form content will continue to dominate in 2026, especially on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts. Customers still expect quick (under 10 seconds), useful and entertaining posts. This requires some creativity to share your brand's story in a short amount of time.
3. Authenticity over aesthetics
Highly polished shoots are becoming less effective. People want honest, behind-the-scenes content and genuine interactions from the brands they follow. This shift is pushing businesses to create more conversational posts and engage more with smaller creators.
4. Social commerce expansion
With tools like TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout and WhatsApp catalogues, customers can now discover, review and buy all without leaving the app. This is making content and conversion sit much closer together.
5. Higher privacy expectations
With the introduction of Australia’s under the age of 16 social media ban , platforms are preparing for tighter regulations and stricter age controls. Businesses may need to adjust their targeting and rethink how they speak to younger audiences in 2026.
6. Voice search and discovery
As voice search becomes more common across apps, brands will need more descriptive captions, titles and metadata. This shift is expected to influence how content is found and recommended across major platforms.
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With the majority of the global population using at least one social platform, there’s still no better way to build brand awareness and deliver personalised customer experiences.
Be aware, however, that spreading yourself too thin will dilute your strategy. Succeeding means choosing platforms that align with your goals and focusing your efforts in the places that are going to bring the biggest returns for your brand.
The challenging part of any social media strategy is connecting the dots to transform awareness into sales. Salesforce Commerce Cloud, along with Agentforce, can help you connect the entire sales pipeline, from capturing attention on the biggest social media platforms, to order management, payment processing, analytics and retention - all in one place.
Our social commerce solution will help you unify your data and personalise every touchpoint, so you can deliver seamless shopping experiences to every customer, no matter which channel they frequent. Watch the demo today to find out more.
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FAQs
A social media platform is the service itself, where people create accounts and interact. The app is the software used to access that platform on your phone or computer. For example, the WhatsApp app is what you have downloaded onto your phone, while the WhatsApp platform is the larger technology running behind it.
Australia is banning access for users under 16 on major apps, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, Threads and Kick.
As of 2026, the four most popular social networks worldwide are Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram, based on monthly social media users. It doesn’t look like that’ll change anytime soon, but TikTok is still growing rapidly, so we might see a shift in the next five years.
There isn’t a golden rule, as it largely depends on your resources. However, it’s better to have a strong presence across one or two popular social networks than spread yourself too thin across every leading social media network. Quality beats quantity on social media, so stick with the platforms that align with your goals and audience.
Interested in capitalising on the short-form video trend? TikTok is the king of this format, but Instagram and YouTube are also solid choices. For the Chinese market, try Douyin. This app mirrors TikTok and has the second-highest social media usage in China.