- TikTok Gains More Popularity to Become #1 in 10 States Ahead of Potential U.S. Ban
- YouTube Maintains Its Spot as the Most Trending Social Media in the U.S.
- 23 U.S. States Have Changed Their Most Sought After Social Media Platform
Social media trends have changed over the years, and these changes are especially significant between the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic years (2019 - 2024).
And this can be expected as new technologies emerge and social media apps evolve to provide users with new functionalities.
The latest study by agency directory DesignRush is evidence of these changing user preferences in the U.S.
While social media giant YouTube maintains its top position as people shift toward video content, TikTok emerges stronger than ever despite facing a crisis in the country.
Despite a slight decrease in overall popularity, YouTube remains the leading platform in the U.S. when it comes to social media search trends on Google, primarily due to its diverse video content that offers something for everyone.
The platform's popularity can also be attributed to its parent company Google's strategic use of AI, enhanced support for creators, and its initiatives on short-form videos.
Pennsylvania has the highest popularity increase for YouTube at 6% between 2019 and 2024.
Meanwhile, TikTok saw significant popularity growth in the states of Nevada, Washington, D.C., and New York.
Unique to TikTok is its authentic and tightly-knit community where original DIY content and honest product reviews thrive, allowing the platform to balloon to about 170 million American users.
However, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved a bill earlier this March, aiming to force a sale of TikTok or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns over American user data being passed on to its China-based parent company ByteDance.
Because of this, content creators and small businesses have banded together to protest against the bill, which may partly account for its recent surge in popularity.
"This analysis provides valuable insights into the future direction of digital platforms and user engagement," said Gianluca Ferruggia, general manager at DesignRush.
"As we move forward, the key to dominance in the social media sphere will undoubtedly lie in the ability to innovate and resonate with younger generations," he added.
Methodology
The scoring is based on collected raw data from Google Trends for the period of Q4 2019 and Q1 2024, from just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to the present.
DesignRush evaluated and ranked the usage trends among Americans of the most popular social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Pinterest, and Reddit.
The data was aggregated and cross-compared to draw meaningful insights.
Sources: Google Trends, Doofinder, and Statista.
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