Social Media Use and the Current State of Platforms in 2026

Why business owners and individuals need social media now

Social media has already become part of the world’s basic infrastructure

First, let’s look at where social media stands today.

According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026: 2 in 3 People on Earth Now Use Social Media, there are 5.66 billion social media users worldwide. This equals about 67.9% of the global population. It also reports that 93.8% of internet users use social media every month.

In other words, social media is no longer a special tool used by a limited group of people. It has become part of the basic infrastructure of online life.

Internet and mobile use continue to grow

According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report, there are 6.09 billion internet users worldwide, reaching 73.1% of the global population.

Social media has grown on top of this global internet usage. This means social media is no longer something only some people use. It is now close to a foundation of everyday online life.

Smartphones are the main point of contact

Looking at devices, this trend becomes even clearer.

According to Statcounter data for March 2026, mobile accounted for 55.94% of global web traffic, while desktop accounted for 44.06%.

There are regional differences, but globally, smartphones remain the main way people access online content. When planning social media, it is important to think first about how posts look and read on a smartphone.

Social media is used for more than connection

According to DataReportal’s 2025 social media analysis, people use social media not only to connect with friends and family, but also to gather information, enjoy entertainment, and discover new brands and services.

DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report also notes, based on GWI research, that social media ads are one of the top ways people discover new brands, after search engines and TV ads. More than 30% of adult internet users discover new brands or products through social media ads.

This means social media is not just a place to post. It is also a place where people discover, compare, and decide.

People use multiple social media platforms

Around the world, it is normal for one person to use several social media platforms.

DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report shows that each platform plays a different role. Brand awareness, information gathering, communication, and checking before buying do not happen on only one platform.

For business owners and individuals, the important question is not simply “Which platform should I use?” It is “Which platform should I use, and for what purpose?”

Why business owners and individuals need social media now

Now we come to the main point.

Social media matters not only because it has become popular. It matters because more people who run businesses now need to communicate their own name, company, and credibility directly.

Most businesses in the world are small and medium sized businesses

According to the OECD, about 99% of businesses in OECD countries are small and medium sized businesses. The OECD also explains that SMEs are major employers and create, on average, 50% to 60% of value added.

The World Bank Group and IFC also state that SMEs account for around 90% of businesses worldwide and support more than 50% of employment.

In other words, the center of global business is not only large companies. It is also made up of many small businesses, local companies, and individual business owners.

Work is no longer only about traditional employment

At the same time, wage workers are still a major part of the global workforce.

According to the ILO’s Global Wage Report 2024–25, more than half of workers worldwide are wage workers.

However, around them, there are also many self-employed people, freelancers, and people preparing to start their own businesses. This is why social media is becoming more important not only for business owners, but also for individuals who want to create their own work.

Entrepreneurship continues to grow

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s 2025/2026 Global Report, entrepreneurial activity remains active around the world. It also points to an increase in purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

At the same time, GEM notes that while startup activity is at a high level, challenges remain in continuity and growth.

In short, more people are starting businesses, but how they continue and grow after starting is becoming even more important.

As entrepreneurship grows, communication becomes more important

As more people start businesses or work independently, others will naturally check the following before contacting them.

What does this person do?

Can I trust them?

Are they a good fit for me?

Is it safe to contact them?

Social media plays a growing role in answering these questions.

For small businesses and individuals, social media is not just an advertising space. It is a place to show who they are and what they stand for.

Since most businesses in the world are SMEs, and entrepreneurship is active in many countries, this trend will likely continue to grow.

Video social media and text based social media play different roles

Today, video has a strong presence on social media.

Video can catch attention quickly. It can show facial expressions, voice, atmosphere, and personality. It is powerful when you want to create a first impression, build familiarity, or show the feeling of a product or service.

On the other hand, videos are often watched quickly and casually. To communicate deep thinking, work attitude, or professional values, more care is needed.

Text based social media is becoming important again

Among all social media platforms, text based platforms deserve attention again. If video helps people stop and look, text helps people come back later, understand more, and build trust. This is especially true in B2B, professional services, hiring, and executive communication. In these areas, the way a person thinks and works often becomes part of the reason they are chosen.

A good example is X.

Even in the Twitter era, people mainly used it to check updates from people they follow, pass the time, and see trends and current topics. In other words, X has long been both a place people open casually and a place they go to see what is happening right now.

On top of that, X has continued to evolve. According to X’s official information, the platform now offers stronger conversation targeting, event targeting, more video viewing, Premium Business with organization verification and affiliate account management, hiring features, certification for financial advertising, and brand safety tools.

This means that, as of 2026, X is no longer just a place for quick reach and spread. It has become a more practical platform where companies and business owners can share real time first hand information, support hiring, and create connections with potential customers through both text and video.

Why text is powerful

On social media today, people quickly look for a few things when they see posts.

Can I trust this person?

How does this person think?

Do they seem right for me?

Can I trust them with work?

Videos and images are good at catching attention. But text is especially useful for showing how someone thinks and how they approach their work over time. It leaves a daily record. People can read it again, quote it, and compare it with a profile, account activity, and real world actions. That makes it easier to see consistency.

In fields where expertise and trust matter, short term attention is not enough. What matters more is the steady growth of trust through everyday words and actions. In that sense, text based social media can become a strong foundation for being chosen over the long term.

In Japan, each platform plays a different role

Looking at Japan, DataReportal’s Digital 2026: Japan reports the following estimated ad reach: 78.5 million for YouTube, 71.2 million for X, 63.2 million for Instagram, 39.2 million for TikTok, 16.5 million for Facebook, 13.0 million for Threads, 9.19 million for Pinterest, and 5.4 million for LinkedIn.

However, LinkedIn’s number is based on registered members, while the others are estimates based on advertising tools. So these figures are not monthly active users, and they should not be compared in exactly the same way.

Even so, YouTube, X, and Instagram clearly have a strong presence in Japan. And the priority can change depending on whether the audience is in Japan or overseas.

That is why it is important to think not only about which platform to use, but also why you are using it, who you want to reach, and what kind of message you want to share.

Summary

As of April 2026, social media is in the following state:

About two thirds of the global population uses social media.Almost all internet users are connected to social media in some way.Smartphones are the main point of contact.Using multiple social media platforms is now normal.

Most businesses in the world are SMEs, and entrepreneurship remains active in many countries. That is why social media is no longer only for marketing teams. It is becoming a foundation for business owners and individuals who want to move their work forward.

Going forward, the question is not video or text. The important thing is to understand the role of each.

Video helps people notice you.Text helps people understand and trust you.

For small businesses, individual business owners, executives, and professional services, text will continue to play an important role.

References

• DataReportal. Digital 2026: 2 in 3 People on Earth Now Use Social Media.
• DataReportal. Digital 2026 Global Overview Report.
• DataReportal. Digital 2026: Japan.
• OECD. SMEs and entrepreneurship.
• World Bank / IFC. Small and Medium Enterprises.
• ILO. Global Wage Report 2024–25.
• GEM. 2025/2026 Global Report.
• Statcounter. Desktop vs Mobile Market Share Worldwide — March 2026.
• Reuters Institute. Digital News Report 2025.
• Trenders / PR TIMES「YouTube、Twitter、Instagramのユーザーモチベーションを調査」
• X Help Center “About X Premium Business”
• X Business “Financial services”
• X Business “Brand Safety @X”
• X Business「イベントターゲティング」
• X Business Blog “More story, greater scale: introducing Vertical Video Ads on X”