The Pew Research Center surveyed over 4,600 people who told them that they are increasingly using their favourite social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat) as their go to source for the latest news and event information. 62% of U.S. Adults are getting their news on social media. And 18% are doing it regularly.
Only about 1/5th of YouTube’s users actually get news from the channel.
17% of Snapchat’s users report that they get their news from the platform.
Facebook, with its 222 million monthly active users across North America, is currently the number 1 news source among social media sites. Pew had first conducted this survey in 2013 – and Facebook has since seen the biggest jump in news reach – from 47% versus 66%.
While it may not seem like news for regular users of the platforms, who are used to getting their news on the platforms they are regularly exposed to, the fact that people are reminds the media and brands about the importance of being on these various platforms, connecting with users, and providing valuable content and insights.
As these social media platforms become more dominant in our lives, the trend of people getting news from social media will continue to expand. What are you doing to make sure people are reading your news?