The annual survey of Piper Sandler reveals that applications Instagram et TikTok continue to dominate social media usage among teens in the United States. This survey, carried out among 13,500 adolescents, highlights the significant preferences of young people for these digital platforms.
Instagram: the application most used by American teenagers
According to this year’s results, Instagram remains the most widely used social media app among American adolescents. 81% of those surveyed said they use Instagram every month. This proportion represents an increase compared to the previous year when 80% of adolescents indicated using the application, thus setting a record since Piper Sandler’s surveys began in 2016.
This enthusiasm can be explained in part by Instagram’s continued efforts to remain relevant among younger users. The application, owned by Meta, has implemented several new features such as comments on stories and more means of interaction in direct messages (DM). According to Adam Mosseri, senior executive at Instagram, “teens spend more time in DMs than in Stories, and more time in Stories than in News Feed.” Sensor Tower, a data collection company, also observed an increase in downloads for the app, confirming its growing popularity.
TikTok: the most popular platform for entertainment
Although Instagram is the most used application, TikTok is considered the most loved. About 39% of teens surveyed named TikTok as their favorite app, compared to 32% for Instagram and 18% for Snapchat. The fun and stimulating nature of TikTok, combined with its algorithms that encourage the discovery of new content, makes it a particularly attractive platform for young people.
On the other hand, TikTok’s rapid growth is not without controversy. Fourteen attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against TikTok, accusing the platform of having a harmful impact on the mental health of its young users. These concerns raise important questions about how big tech companies protect their young users.
Snapchat: a worrying loss of speed
This year, Snapchat suffered a notable drop in usage among teens, with only 71% using the app monthly compared to 74% the year before. Critically, daily engagement also fell, which could indicate waning interest in this once-must-have network for young people.
Snapchat’s decline in popularity may be heavily felt by the company, given its former leadership in messaging for young people. During last April’s investor presentation, Snapchat announced that it reached 90% of young people aged 13 to 24 and 75% of those aged 13 to 34 in more than 25 countries. However, the recent waning of interest puts increasing pressure on the company to renew its attractiveness strategy.
Video consumption: Netflix and YouTube in the lead, but TikTok still attracts
In terms of daily video consumption, Netflix devance YouTubealthough TikTok remains a key player in the competition for young people’s attention. These trends reflect not only the viewing preferences of adolescents but also the adaptability of different platforms to meet new user expectations.
Interestingly, TikTok manages to capture a significant audience despite the solid presence of big names like Netflix and YouTube. This can be attributed to the immersive and instant experience offered by TikTok, which fits well with the search for fast and entertaining content demanded by younger generations.
