By the Numbers: Social media in Canada

Toronto – 25 February, 2017 – The Internet and social media have effectively changed the way we communicate and interact with one another at every level. Globally, social network users surpassed the number of e-mail users in 2009, and today more than 3.4 billion users around the world connect through digital platforms.

Social Network:
The creation and maintenance of personal and business relationships especially online.To network means to interact or engage in informal communication with others for mutual assistance or support.

Social media:
Forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and micro blogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.

36,286,378

Total Canadian population in 2016.

32,120,519

Total internet users in Canada (88.5%) in 2016.

3,424,971,237

Total internet users in the world.

Ontario

The most connected province with 67% of Ontarians using social media platforms.

Quebec

The least connected province where only 49% of people are using social media platforms.

64%of Canadians have a social media network profile.

More than 50% of Canadians are registered to more than one social media platforms.

Over 69% Canadians actively engage through watching videos, sharing or uploading them online.

46% of all Canadian businesses use social media to promote their company.

38% of all Canadian businesses use social media to sell their products and services.

The most popular social media networks in Canada (2016)

Facebook 71%
YouTube 49%
Twitter 27%
Pinterest 23%
Google 21%
Instagram 20%
LinkedIn 12%
Snapchat 9%
Tumblr 5%
Reddit 5%

Canadian users, on average, spend 40 minutes daily on Facebook – by far the most preferred social network.

Facebook has users from all age demographics, making it one of the most diverse social networks.

• 87% of people aged 18-29 are using Facebook.

• 77% of Facebook users are young females.

35% of Canadians aged 25-54 use LinkedIn, compared to only 24% of Canadians aged 18-24.

Twitter’s largest demographic is comprised of users aged 18-29.

LinkedIn is most popular social network among people aged 30-64 with a postsecondary degree.

Source: 2016 Canadian Social Media Use; Statistics Canada;