Whether you are a freshly graduated teenager or a newly retired senior, social media likely plays some role in your life. You might use it to keep track of friends. You might use it to pester grandkids. You might even use it to stalk that middle school crush that got away. But one thing is for certain: you are using it. But which site is the most popular on a global scale? Facebook. But there are a bunch of others too!
Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the surprise. But yes, Facebook remains the gold standard when it comes to the most popular social media websites. And while that might be the least surprising thing you read all day, the other 19 took this writer by surprise. Mostly because Facebook somehow made it into the top 4 twice with their stand-alone messenger app.
While you might assume that the ever-scrolling US population would be the most-active on these various websites, you would be wrong. It turns out that the Philippines is the most-active country contributing to this list, with 86 percent of online activity being devoted to social media. And don’t worry; they use Facebook more than any other site too.
So, what are these other popular social media sites I keep talking about? Check out the list below to get a feel for how the world gets social.
- 1.5 Billion Active Users: Facebook – an online social networking service that enables its users to connect with friends and family as well as make new connections.
- 900 Million Active Users: WhatsApp – a proprietary, cross-platform, free instant messaging subscription service for smartphones.
- 860 Million: QQ – an instant messaging software service developed by a Chinese company named Tencent Holdings Limited.
- 700 Million: Facebook Messenger – an instant messaging service and software application which provides text and voice communication and is integrated with Facebook.
- 653 Million Active Users: QZone – a social networking website that allows users to write blogs, keep diaries, send photos, listen to music, and watch videos.
- 650 Million Active Users: WeChat – a messaging application that enables its users to keep in touch with everyone important.
- 400 Million Active Users: Instagram – a free photo sharing application that enables its users to take photos, apply filters, and share them on social networks.
- 316 Million Active Users: Twitter – a global social networking platform that allows its users to send and read 140-character messages known as “tweets.”
- 300 Million Active Users: Baidu Tieba – the largest Chinese communication platform provided by the Chinese search engine company, Baidu.
- 300 Million Active Users: Skype – a platform that provides Video calling, messaging and sharing with anyone for free, even if they’re not on Skype.
- 249 Million Active Users: Viber – a mobile messaging and VoIP company that enables users to send free text, photos and video messages.
- 230 Million Active Users: Tumblr – a microblogging platform and social networking website that enables users to post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog.
- 212 Million Active Users: Sina Weibo – a Chinese microblogging platform.
- 211 Million Active Users: LINE – a platform that develops calling and messaging applications.
- 105 Million Active Users: Yy – YY is an interactive communication social platform that engages users in real-time online group activities through voice, text, and video.
- 100 Million Active Users: VKontakte – a Russia-based social network focused on mobile apps for all platforms.
- 100 Million Active Users: Pinterest – a visual bookmarking tool for saving and discovering creative ideas.
- 100 Million Active Users: BBM – an app that enables its users to connect with one another and share instant messages, pictures, and more for free in real time.
- 97 Million Active Users: LinkedIn – a professional networking site that allows its members to create business connections, search for jobs, and find potential clients.
