Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Meta Platforms - statistics & facts
The rise and rise of Facebook led to the creation of one of the most influential companies in the world: Meta Platforms Inc. In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, Meta shapes the way billions of people connect and interact online. From humble beginnings to audiences of billions, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta remains king of the social media jungle.
Facebook is by far the most popular social network in the world, with just over three billion users, followed by YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok, respectively. Meta’s Threads, which was released in July 2023, broke records by generating 150 million mobile app downloads in just six days. For context, mobile gaming apps Pokémon GO and Call of Duty: Mobile required 33 and 106 days to reach this number of downloads.
As of October 2024, Meta Platforms’ market value stood at 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars, ranking in third place after Alphabet and Amazon.
Regardless of the issues that people may face on Meta’s well-known social media platforms, users continue to utilize these networks. After 21 years in the making, Mark Zuckerberg’s company is still ahead of the competition.
Clear market dominance
Meta Platforms owns social media giants Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, among others, all of which are household names that continue to see user growth. As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the company reported a staggering 3.35 billion daily active users across its core products. This huge user base translates into significant profit, with Meta's average revenue per user reaching 49.63 U.S. dollars in 2024, up from 44.60 U.S. dollars in the previous year.Facebook is by far the most popular social network in the world, with just over three billion users, followed by YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok, respectively. Meta’s Threads, which was released in July 2023, broke records by generating 150 million mobile app downloads in just six days. For context, mobile gaming apps Pokémon GO and Call of Duty: Mobile required 33 and 106 days to reach this number of downloads.
Let the money talk
In 2024, the Meta’s annual revenue reached 164.5 billion U.S. dollars, a significant increase from 134.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Around 98.6 percent of Meta’s revenue is generated by its Family of Apps, with the remaining 1.5 percent being generated by Reality Labs. Moreover, most of Meta’s revenue is produced through advertising, with over 160 billion U.S. dollars being generated via ads in 2024. The company incurred advertising expenses of over 2.06 U.S. dollars in its latest financial year.As of October 2024, Meta Platforms’ market value stood at 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars, ranking in third place after Alphabet and Amazon.
Meta’s lead role in social media marketing
Social media platforms continue to play a crucial role in brand promotion and customer engagement. A 2024 survey revealed that Facebook was the most important social media platform for marketers worldwide, with 44 percent of respondents highlighting its significance. Additionally, for business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers, Facebook was the most widely used platform, with 91 percent reporting its use for marketing purposes. Meta’s networks fall short when it comes to business-to-business (B2B) marketers, who favor LinkedIn.It's not all plain sailing
Meta’s success has not been without problems. The company has struggled to comply with online privacy regulations, which have often resulted in large fines. Among the most recent was the 91 million euro fine issued in 2024 by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC). The fine was placed after the Irish data privacy watchdog found out that user passwords were stored in 'plaintext' on Meta's internal systems rather than with cryptographic protection or encryption. Between 2022 and 2024, the company faced numerous penalties from the DPC and the EU. Additionally, Meta’s networks are no stranger to problematic content, with millions of different types of harmful material being removed every quarter.Regardless of the issues that people may face on Meta’s well-known social media platforms, users continue to utilize these networks. After 21 years in the making, Mark Zuckerberg’s company is still ahead of the competition.
