The State of Social Media in Canada

February 26, 2018

A report from the Social Media Lab at Ryerson’s Rogers School of Management finds that 94% of adult Canadian internet users have at least one social media account, with Facebook being the most popular social media platform (84%), followed by YouTube (59%), LinkedIn (46%), Twitter (42%), and Pinterest (38%).

Some highlights:

• Facebook is the most popular social media platform in Canada; 84% of online Canadian adults report having a Facebook account, followed by YouTube (59%) and LinkedIn (46%)
• Facebook also has the highest percentage of daily users (79%), followed by Instagram (61%) and Snapchat (60%).
• Facebook is the only social media platform where the oldest generation (55+) crosses the 50% adoption mark (75%).
• Young people aged 18–24 are the largest adopters of social media (except for LinkedIn and Pinterest).
• Women have adopted most social media platforms in higher proportions than men (except for YouTube, LinkedIn, and Reddit).
• Pinterest is the second most popular platform for women (56%) after Facebook (88%).
• LinkedIn is particularly popular with those who are self-employed (56%).
• Canadians in the highest household income group ($120,000+) are more likely to have an account on LinkedIn, as well as Twitter, than those who are less wealthy.
• While the number of online Canadians on Reddit is relatively small (9%), those who do use the platform visit it regularly (57% daily).

The report was produced by the Ryerson University Social Media Lab, with funding support from the Canada Research Chairs Program (PI: Gruzd) and the Ted Rogers School of Management. It is co-authored by Anatoliy Gruzd, Jenna Jacobson, Philip Mai at Ryerson University, and Elizabeth Dubois at the University of Ottawa. The aim of the report is to address the lack of data on social media adoption and use trends in Canada, and it is inspired by the amazing work done by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization in the United States.

(Via Social Media Lab, Ryerson University)