Social media is evolving faster than ever, and if you’re a marketer, business owner, or content creator in the UK, staying ahead of the trends is essential. Whether you’re planning ad spend, building a content calendar, or simply trying to understand where your audience is spending time, these up-to-date 2025 statistics will give you the clarity you need.

Let’s peel back the data on each platform and explore what it really means for your brand this year.

Instagram: Where UK Retailers Still Rule

With 33.4 million users in the UK, Instagram continues to be a vital platform for both discovery and conversion.

Key stats:

• Instagram’s ad reach hits 48.2% of the total UK population.

• Gender breakdown: 54.5% female, 45.5% male.

• Average user time on Android: 8 hours 56 minutes/month, opened 160 times/month.

• 81% of UK retailers now use Instagram—proof of its influence.

• Reels reach 122% more users than single images, while carousels see 114% more engagement.

Content types (global averages for business accounts) via We Are Social:

• 41.6% video

• 37.5% photo

• 20.8% carousel

Tip: Prioritise Reels for visibility and carousels for deeper engagement. A blend will help drive both reach and retention.

TikTok: The UK’s Ecommerce Powerhouse

TikTok now has over 30 million monthly UK users, and it’s reshaping how consumers shop and engage with brands.

Need-to-knows:

• TikTok Shop hosts 6,000 livestreams daily.

• Revenue from TikTok Shop rose 180% YoY.

• Average usage time: 42 hours 2 minutes/month, opened 286 times.

• Ads reach 45% of UK adults.

• Ad audience: 52% female, 48% male.

• 1.5 million UK businesses now use TikTok, supporting 32,000 UK jobs.

Tip: Lean into product storytelling and authentic short-form video, especially with TikTok Shop integrations.

LinkedIn: B2B’s Favourite Platform

LinkedIn remains unmatched for professional engagement. It now counts 45 million UK members, with growth predicted to rise 22.3% globally by 2028.

Important LinkedIn facts:

• Ad reach covers 81.8% of UK adults 18+.

• Audience usage: 1 hour/month, opened 39 times on Android.

• Demographics:

  • 25–34-year-olds: 47%

  • 18–24-year-olds: 29%

• Ad audience gender split: 55% male, 45% female.

• Video content is shared 20x more than any other format.

Tip: Post weekly video updates or thought leadership content to increase reach and meaningful interaction.

Facebook: Familiar but Still Effective

With 38.3 million users in the UK, Facebook continues to be a reliable platform for reaching a broad demographic.

Standout stats:

• Ad reach rose by 1.2M in 2025, now covering 55.2% of the UK.

• Users spend 15 hours 38 minutes/month, with 211 opens.

• Gender split: 52.8% female, 47.2% male.

• Global age distribution (Statista):

  • 25–34s: 31.1%

  • 18–24s: 21.8%

  • 35–44s: 20.4%

• Photos see 35% more engagement than text, and 44% more than video.

Tip: Simple works. Use crisp images, short captions, and native tools like polls and events to stay visible.

YouTube: The UK’s Video Powerhouse

With a staggering 54.8 million UK users, YouTube remains an essential video channel across generations.

What you need to know:

• Average daily use: 47 minutes/day.

• Ad audience split: 50.1% male, 49.9% female.

• 72% of UK children (ages 2–12) watch YouTube daily, spending 83 minutes/day.

• Over 20 billion videos uploaded globally.

Tip: Consistency matters. Aim for weekly uploads and repurpose Instagram Reels or TikToks into Shorts to expand reach.

Threads: A Platform to Watch

Meta’s Threads has grown quickly, now counting 350 million monthly users globally.

What’s happening:

• 115.1 million daily active app users (June 2025) with 127.8% YoY growth.

• User base: 68% male, 32% female.

Tip: Try Threads if you’re already on Instagram. Cross-post short insights to build traction quickly.

Bluesky: Twitter’s Quiet Competitor

Bluesky now has 30 million global users, with 3.5 million daily actives in the UK and US.

UK-specific engagement:

• 4.97% of traffic comes from the UK, showing steady growth.

Tip: It’s early days, but securing your handle now could pay off. Test conversational content here as it evolves.

Pinterest: Inspration for the Visual Shopper

Pinterest has a solid foothold in the UK with 15.5 million users.

Here’s why it matters:

• Ad reach = 22.4% of the UK population.

• Gender split: 71% female, 22.9% male.

Tip: Great for evergreen content. Use keyword-rich Pin titles and link back to high-converting blog posts or product pages.

Reddit: Community-Driven & Growing Fast

Reddit saw a 47% YoY growth in UK adult reach, totalling 22.9 million users.

Audience trends:

• Heavily skewed to 18–34s.

• Mobile visits outnumber desktop 3.5 to 1.

Tip: Use Reddit for market research and authentic engagement. Don’t promote, contribute.

Final Thoughts: What Should You Do With This Data?

Each platform has its strengths. TikTok and Instagram are growing in influence, YouTube dominates for long-form content, and LinkedIn is leading the B2B space. The key is not to be everywhere, but to show up where your audience is, with content they’ll genuinely enjoy.