Social Media Habits of Younger and Older Age Demographics

It’s no surprise that most people have at least one account on a social media platform these days. More specifically, about 3.6 billion people currently have at least one social media account. The Internet provides people the chance to communicate and interact with others in a virtually convenient way. However, not everyone uses social media for the same reasons. For instance, there could be a big difference between the reasons a 20-year-old is using Facebook and the reasons why a 60-year-old is using Facebook.

 

 

Currently, about 90% of people aged between 18-29 use some sort of social media network. In comparison, only 40% of people that are 65 years old and up have a social media account. The people in the age group of 18-29 grew up having access to a variety of platforms such as Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and now, TikTok. Social media became a part of their culture and everyday lifestyle because of the convenient interaction it offers. New social media channels are constantly being created and introduced to the public—ultimately increasing the demand for technologically advanced platforms.

On the other hand, the older generation didn’t grow up having access to the resources we have so easily accessible now. Social media became recognized in the early 2000s and quickly became a part of the culture of the younger generation. As more social media platforms started gaining traction, the older generations started jumping on the social media bandwagon. Currently, people between the ages of 50-64 years old use Facebook and YouTube the most. According to research published by Science Daily, a leading online news source for health and science, older people enjoy using social media to keep in contact with loved ones as it promotes a sense of social engagement. Using social media to stay entertained also helps to promote cognitive health and a sense of social support.

 

 

Nowadays, many young people enjoy using social media networks as a way to showcase their lives to their friends. Specifically, Instagram has features such as Stories, Lives, and Reels that invite followers to connect with an Instagram user. Data from Sprout Social states that 75% of people between the ages of 18-24 years old actively use Instagram, making up the majority of people using the platform.

 

Twitter is also popular among the younger generations, but young to middle-aged adults are found to be the majority of active users on the platform. People between the ages of 25-34 make up 28.9% of the platform while people over the age of 50 make up just 12.3%. However, most people on Twitter use it for the same reason—a news source. 71% of all total Twitter users say that they use the platform as the main way to get daily news.

 

 

One social media platform the older generations of people didn’t get the chance to use in their youth is LinkedIn—an employment and networking based social network created in 2002. Currently, LinkedIn is most widely used among people between the ages of 25-34, making up approximately 60% of users on the site. Young people are much more likely to use a site like LinkedIn because of the potential career possibilities it offers. Most young adults in their mid-to-late twenties have recently graduated college and are looking to expand their social connections for future employment opportunities. LinkedIn allows users to connect with colleagues and reach out to recruiters.

People between the ages of 35-54 make up a much smaller percentage of total LinkedIn users—16.9%. Also, people over the age of 55 make up only 3% of the total users on LinkedIn. This social media demographic is most likely due to the fact that people in these age ranges are not looking to start new careers as they already have a strong foundation in their desired fields. Many people over the age of 55 are retired or looking to retire soon, so networking with potential employers is not something they need to spend time doing on social networks.

Overall, delving into social media demographics helps us understand how people of different ages spend their time on social networks. Older people like to spend their time connecting with loved ones on Facebook and entertaining themselves by watching videos on YouTube. Younger people spend more time on social networks such as Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Young people care more about showcasing their lives to their friends on Instagram but also use Twitter as a news source just as older generations of people also do. Additionally, young people use LinkedIn more than older people because they want to expand their professional connections for future employment opportunities.