What’s Twitter if not the hub of pop culture and trending conversations?

While platforms like Facebook and Instagram have more users, Twitter’s audience is active, engaged and regularly participates in conversations on trending topics, making it a valuable channel for brands that want to connect with their audience to build a community.

To really tap into the potential of this platform, you have to understand how people are using it. This means staying up-to-date on the latest Twitter statistics and trends that can shape your approach.

Check out these 12 Twitter stats to inspire and guide your social media strategy this year.

1. Twitter continues to see an increase in monetizable users

According to Twitter’s latest Letter to Shareholders, the platform currently has 217 million monetizable daily active users (DAU). Monetizable users are considered user accounts that can see ads on the platform.

Graph showing average monetizable users on twitter

While the last-reported monthly active user count was 330 million, the company has since switched its reporting metric to include only monetizable users.

2. 50% of consumers use Twitter

According to Sprout Social’s Index, Edition XVII: Accelerate, 50% of consumers currently use Twitter.

It’s also one of the top platforms that consumers use to follow brands on social media with 36% of consumers doing so. This means there’s an opportunity to build your brand on Twitter and establish your social media presence.

Sprout Social Index displaying a list of popular social media platforms for consumers

3. US users are the largest audience on the platform

Although Twitter sees a good amount of its audience coming from different parts of the world, it’s most popular among US users. The latest report shows that about 77 million Twitter users are from the United States. Japan comes next, with 58 million users.

These numbers prove that Twitter is an ideal marketing platform for brands that mainly want to target a US-based audience.

4. 58% of high-volume users visit Twitter daily

Frequent Tweeters or high-volume Twitter users are the biggest contributors to daily activity on the platform. A report by the Pew Research Center shows that users who produced 20 or more Tweets per month over the life of their account are considered ‘high-volume’ while low-volume Tweeters produce fewer than 20 Tweets per month on average.

The study below found that 58% of high-volume users are likely to visit the site daily. Among these users, only 10% visit the site just once or twice a day.

Graph showing differences in how high-volume and low-volume Twitter users visit the platform and tweet
Source

5. Twitter is most used by people under 30

This stat shows that 42% of US adults aged 18-29 are the largest audience of Twitter users. Twenty percent of people in this age group visit the site every day, several times a day.

Graph showing the age distribution of Twitter users

So If you’re wondering how to use the platform because you’re targeting a younger audience, these numbers are an eye-opener. You can also use Twitter analytics tools to get a better picture of your audience distribution and see if you’re reaching the right people.

6. Entertainment is the most important reason people use Twitter

As a major source of trending internet conversations, Twitter is the go-to destination for people who want to be entertained. A Pew Research Center study found that 74% of U.S users are on Twitter for entertainment. And 42% say it’s the most important reason for using the platform.

Staying informed, seeing different points of view and connecting to other people are other major reasons for using the platform, especially for users above the age of 50.

Graph showcasing the top reasons why people are using Twitter

This stat can help shape your Twitter marketing strategy, indicating that there should be a huge focus on entertainment-based content as well as content that is informational.

Consider using social listening tools to see what your audience is talking about and what they’re interested in. Trending Twitter hashtags can also give you an idea of what’s popular with your target audience to help you figure out the types of content your followers want to see so that you can improve your engagement.

7. Consumers want to see brands using Twitter more

According to the latest Sprout Social Index, Edition XVII: Accelerate, Twitter is one of the top platforms for marketers based on usage. Fifty-two percent of marketers are currently using the platform. At the same time, 30% of consumers want to see brands using Twitter more.

So if your brand isn’t on Twitter yet or if you’re not using the platform, it’s time to change that. Twitter could give you the perfect platform to connect with your audience and build a community.

You can use the platform to entertain your audience and share content that resonates with them or even to provide customer service and manage your brand reputation.

Graph showcasing the differences in how brands are using social media vs how consumers want brands to use social media

8. Twitter’s year-over-year ad revenue grew by 22%

By the end of 2021, Twitter earned $1.41 billion in ad revenue, resulting in a 22% year-over-year increase. This is mostly due to rising advertiser demand and ongoing revenue product improvements.

Graph comparing total Twitter revenue with the previous year

Having better advertising tools at their disposal, advertisers are continuing to see the business value of Twitter. And if you’re not advertising on Twitter yet, you might want to realign your strategy to include Twitter ads.

9. US advertising revenue surpassed international advertising revenue

With US users dominating the platform, it’s no wonder that most of the platform’s advertising revenue comes from the US. In fact, US advertising revenue far surpasses ad revenue from international markets according to the Letters to Shareholders report.

While the international ad revenue totaled $628 million, US ad revenue reached $785 million. Additionally, total revenue amounts are shown below.

Graph comparing U.S. vs international total revenue

This speaks volumes about the impact that Twitter has on US advertisers. And the platform is worth looking into if you plan on launching a social media advertising campaign.

10. Ads give Twitter users a sense of normalcy

If you scaled back on advertising on Twitter during the last two years, you might want to revisit this strategy. In fact, Twitter reports that seeing or hearing an ad helps 51% of people on Twitter to regain some sense of normalcy during the pandemic.

That doesn’t take away the fact that you need to realign your brand voice and communications to fit with the current times. Consumers still expect your brand to be sensitive to the situation. According to the same report, 77% of Twitter Insiders feel more positively about brands that try to provide support during challenging times.

But how exactly can your brand show support? Eighty-two percent of Twitter Insiders believe brands can play a part by supporting frontline staff. And 81% want brands to support vulnerable people in the community. Other ways your brand can help include supporting your local community, showcasing acts of kindness and sharing positive stories.

11. Twitter’s First View gets more video viewing time than other platforms

To cater to its advertisers, Twitter is continuously introducing new advertising tools and improving existing ones. One of the most effective tools is the First View takeover, which displays your video ad to users as they begin their Twitter session. This allows you to take advantage of Twitter’s prime real estate and get your brand right in front of your target audience.

Twitter reports that First View gets 1.4x more video viewing time than competing platforms. This leads into our next stat.

12. People spend more time viewing ads on Twitter compared to other platforms

What makes Twitter so invaluable for advertisers is the discovery and engagement mindset of its users. According to the platform’s internal data, Twitter is the number one platform for discovery and people spend about 26% more time viewing ads compared to other leading networks.

This proves that if used effectively, Twitter can be a powerful way to market your brand.

Making these Twitter stats work for your brand

From these key Twitter statistics, it’s clear that the platform could play a vital role in your brand’s social media strategy. Of course, you still need to carefully plan your approach and use marketing tactics that would resonate with your target audience. Check out our comprehensive social media strategy guide to get started.