You are putting together a marketing campaign. And because you are doing it right, it includes social media targeted to the market you have identified. That target market can be based on age, gender, location, language, spending power and patterns, interests, or stage of life – or any combination thereof.

Understanding the demographics of each social media platform is essential before deciding which platforms make the most sense for the market your brand is targeting.

If age is an important factor in determining your target market, there is plenty of information out there that will help you choose the platform or platforms that will get eyeballs – of the right age — on your posts.

Choosing social media platforms: What the numbers tell us

It’s important to choose the right platform for your social media posts because social media is not going away. By 2020, there will be an estimated 2.95 billion social media users. Of those, 78% will be in the United States, making the U.S. the largest social media advertising market in the world.

Six years later, by 2026, here’s how the numbers will break down by generation: The Silent Generation (those 74 and older and born before 1946) will make up 14% of the U.S. population; Baby Boomers, 66%; Gen X 65%; Millennials, 80%, Gen Z, 82%, and Gen Alpha, 43%.

Generational breakdown

Of the 2.95 billion social media users who will exist next year, here is how that number breaks down by generation, from Generation Alpha to the Baby Boomers.

Generation Alpha: Born 2010-2025

2 billion by 2025
5 million born around the globe each week
First totally digital generation
Immersed in technology since birth
Technology deeply integrated in everyday life

Gen Z: Ages 13-19 – Born 1997-2010

27% of U.S. population
8 billion globally
Youngest, most ethnically-diverse generation in U.S. history
Estimated to soon become the largest U.S. consumer population
8-second average attention span
Social Media Platforms: 50% use Instagram, 26% use Facebook and 23% use Snapchat
Prefer real people to celebs
Dominates online searches for information on the post-Millenial generation

Millennials: Ages 23-38 – Born 1981-1996

25% of U.S. population
Extraordinary buying power
Largest living generation in U.S.
Unmatched social media skills
Social Media Platforms: 70% use Facebook, 63% are heavy YouTube users
43% want brand to reach them via email
Spend 8 hours a day online
Concerned with financial future
Generation most loyal to brands

Generation X: Ages 39-53 – Born 1965-1980

6% of U.S. population
Smaller than any other age demographic
58% of internet users in U.S
$200 billion in spending power
Social Media Platforms: 80% on Facebook and Twitter but only half use their accounts regularly
76% of all online users will access social media in 2017
68% make decisions based on reviews. Pay attention to online reviews

Baby Boomers: Ages 55-73 – Born 1946-1964

Spend 27 hours a week online
Social Media Platforms: Facebook preferred platform: 45% of 65+; 60% of 50-64; 15% spend 11-plus hours a week on Facebook; 13% use LinkedIn
50% rely on credit cards for purchases
Responsible for 50% of total consumer expenditure
Most price conscious

Social media use overall — in the U.S. and beyond

When looking at social media use overall, the research shows that today about 70% of Americans use social media to connect with each other. Worldwide, there are approximately 3.04 billion social media users. About that same number actively access social media on their mobile devices. Of these, 90% reach out to brands or retailers.

In the U.S. 77% of people have at least one social media profile. And global internet users spend 135 minutes daily on social media sites.