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Verified data · Last reviewed 27 April 2026

UK Social Media Statistics2026

22 UK social media data points — every figure linked to its primary public source (Ofcom, IAB UK, DataReportal, BrightLocal, Statista, Google) and dated.

Methodology. We only publish statistics we can trace to a primary or well-established secondary public source. Every stat below links to that source and shows the date a Compelite Pro editor last verified the figure.

Always click through to the original report before republishing — sources are updated regularly and figures may be revised. If you spot a number that looks out of date, let us know.

UK Social Media Usage

Adoption and time spent on social platforms across the UK.

56.2M

Active social media user identities in the UK at the start of 2025 — equivalent to 82.8% of the population.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
1h 49m

Average daily time UK internet users (16–64) spend on social media platforms.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
98%

Of UK adults online use at least one of YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram or TikTok each month.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
94%

Reach of YouTube among UK adult internet users — the most-used online video and social platform in the UK.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
85%

Reach of Facebook among UK adult internet users — still the largest pure social network by reach.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
70%

Reach of Instagram among UK adult internet users.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
57%

Reach of TikTok among UK adult internet users — the fastest-growing major platform in Ofcom's tracking.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

UK Paid Social Advertising

What UK advertisers are spending across digital and social channels.

£37.1bn

Total UK digital advertising spend in 2024 — a record high, up 12% year-on-year.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
£9.3bn

UK social media advertising spend in 2024 — roughly a quarter of all UK digital ad spend.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
+12%

Year-on-year growth in UK digital advertising spend in 2024.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
60%+

Share of UK digital ad spend now going to mobile environments.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

UK Mobile & Video

Where attention is going across mobile and video.

95%+

Of UK adults aged 16+ are smartphone users — the device that powers almost all UK social media access.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
4h 20m

Average daily time UK adults spend with a smartphone — the device most social and video use happens on.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
53 min

Average daily time UK TikTok users (18+) spend in the app.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

UK Local Search & Reviews

How UK consumers research local businesses before they buy.

98%

Of consumers used the internet to find information about a local business in the past year.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
76%

Of consumers "regularly" read online reviews when browsing local businesses.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
4.0★

Minimum average star rating consumers say a local business needs before they will consider using it.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
76%

Of people who search on their smartphone for something nearby visit a related business within a day.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

UK Social Commerce

How social platforms now drive UK purchase decisions.

£7.4bn

Estimated UK social commerce market size in 2024.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026
1 in 4

UK internet users (16–64) say they discover new brands via ads on social media each month.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

AI Search & Discovery

How AI search and short-form video are reshaping how UK audiences find brands.

40%

Of Gen Z prefer to use TikTok or Instagram over Google when searching for a place to eat — a behaviour now well documented in the UK and US.

Live

Google AI Overviews are now rolled out to UK users in English — appearing on a growing share of informational queries.

Last verified: 27 Apr 2026

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