We’ve been digging into DATAREPORTAL’s Digital 2023 report and it’s stuffed with stats on social media and digital usage in the UK. And to save you the reading time, we’ve picked the key stats you need to know when planning your digital marketing strategy in 2023.
Facebook and Instagram are still our go-to platforms
A whopping 70.7% of UK internet users aged 16 to 64 use Facebook each month. We might hear rumours every so often about the death of Facebook, but the stats show that it’s just not true. The UK population is on there in huge numbers so it can’t be ignored.
It is worth pointing out however, that this percentage will likely change for different age brackets and other demographics, so it’s still important to know your own audience to decide how much of your marketing efforts should be spent there.
Instagram comes right after Facebook, with 56.4% of UK internet users there. Thanks to its famous copying of other apps to create Stories and Reels, it’s managed to hold on to its massive audience.
YouTube ads are HUGE
The potential reach of ads on YouTube in the UK is 57.1 million people. That’s 84.4% of the population! And even more impressive than that, the average user is on YouTube nearly an hour longer than they are on Facebook. Because of this huge reach, it’s worth considering as part of your Google ads strategy.
However, before we get too excited, it’s important to point out that the web referrals from YouTube are tiny when compared to other platforms like Facebook, Twitter and even Pinterest. This makes sense, as watching YouTube is more of a passive activity. This means YouTube ads are great for general awareness, so you will be better off tracking views rather than the CTR.
Informative Content vs Family Updates
Many of us claim that the internet helps us keep in touch with friends and family. And while that’s true (58.8% of us think so), finding information is still the no.1 reason for going online at 66.5%.
When coming up with a digital marketing strategy, it’s always essential to think about what questions your potential audience might have. If your website has the answer, not only are you helping to improve the overall SEO of your site, but you're showing your audience that you’re the expert they can come to when they need to find something out.
Restaurants and Brands are among the accounts people like to follow
More than a quarter of UK internet users (26.9% - 27.5%) follow celebrities and entertainment accounts on Social Media. But amazingly, businesses aren’t too far behind. 22.4% of users are foodies following restaurants and food themed accounts, the same percentage as people that follow sports teams!
20.8% follow brands they’ve purchased from while 16.4% follow brands they’re considering purchasing from. Today’s social media user likes to know more about the business they’re buying from. Whether that’s learning more about the products themselves or getting to know the brand ethos on certain topics.
For example, does the business have environmental goals? Do they aim to be inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community? Today’s audience wants to know they’re buying from a company that matches their own values.
Search is Top of discoverability
When it comes to being discovered online, Search engines like Google are still no.1 and by a long way. 35.8% of internet users discover new brands through search engines. Brand websites make up another big chunk at 24.6% and Social Media ads follow right behind at 24.1%
What this tells us is that Google ads are no.1 for getting your business discovered online. Then once people find you, you need to make sure you’ve got a website that provides a good user experience. Complement this with Social Media ads and great content and you’ve got the key to a great digital strategy.
As you can see there is a lot to think about when coming up with a digital marketing strategy. If you’re feeling stuck with yours, we’re happy to have a chat and help you come up with a digital plan that’s right for your business.
Email, call or fill out our online form to get things started!
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