📊 Demographics by Platform
Based on recent data (2024–2025) from multiple sources. Martech Zone+4Retail Alliance Resource Library+4Sprout Social+4
Platform | Age / Generation & General Reach | Gender / Other Notes |
Broad across adults. Largest overlapping segment 25–34 yrs (about 31–33%). Also strong among 35–44 and 45+ age groups. Retail Alliance Resource Library+2HyperReach Social+2 | Slight male skew globally (~56–57% male vs ~43–44% female) in some data sets. StarNgage+1 | |
Skews younger: large share are 18–24 yrs; many under 35. StarNgage+2Sprout Social+2 | Gender roughly balanced or slight female-lean in some contexts (varies by region). Retail Alliance Resource Library+1 | |
TikTok | Very strong among Gen Z / young adults. Many users in 18–24 and 25–34. Piktochart+2SocialRails+2 | Globally tends to skew male in some analyses (but gender balance can vary). StarNgage+1 |
Professional / working-age users: many in 25–34 yrs, also users 35–54. Piktochart+2Martech Zone+2 | Slight male skew globally. Piktochart+1 | |
X (formerly Twitter) | Mixed — tends to attract more adults 25–34, 35–49; less popular among older or very young than some other apps. Retail Alliance Resource Library+2Martech Zone+2 | Tends to skew more male than female globally. Retail Alliance Resource Library+1 |
High-level patterns to note:
Best Days & Times to Post (2025 Guidance)
A recent 2025 analysis by Sprout Social gives updated “best times to post” by platform. Sprout Social
General Notes
Per-Platform Highlights
Platform | Best Times / Days to Post |
Mon–Thu: ~9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri: 9–11 a.m. & 2–4 p.m. Sprout Social | |
Tue–Thu generally best; ideal posting windows: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Most global-wide engagement window. Sprout Social+1 | |
TikTok | Evening hours tend to work best — roughly 5 p.m.–9 p.m. Mon–Thu. Sprout Social |
X (Twitter) | Tue–Thu between ~10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sprout Social |
Weekday mornings — especially early or around lunch: e.g. Tue: 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Wed/Thu: 8 a.m. & noon. Sprout Social |
⚠️ Important caveat: “Best times” can—and often should—be adjusted depending on your audience’s timezone, routines, and behaviors. Use these as baseline starting points — then test and optimize based on your own analytics.
Preferred Image Aspect Ratios (and Sizes) by Platform
Here’s a quick guide to image (and post) aspect ratios and size best practices for major platforms (2025).
Summary
Understanding social media demographics, ideal posting times, and preferred image formats is essential for creating content that reaches the right audience and performs well across platforms. Each social network has its own personality and user profile.
Facebook continues to offer the broadest reach, with heavy usage among adults ages 25–44 and consistent engagement from older age groups. This makes it one of the best platforms for marketing to families, homeowners, and established professionals.
Instagram and TikTok, by contrast, attract younger audiences. Instagram’s core users range from 18–34 and respond well to visual storytelling, personal branding, and lifestyle content.
TikTok skews heavily toward Gen Z and young Millennials, making it ideal for short, dynamic, creative videos that capture attention quickly.
LinkedIn serves working professionals ages 25–54 and is highly effective for B2B content, recruitment, career education, and professional services.
X (formerly Twitter) tends to attract adults ages 25–49 who follow news, trends, and real-time discussions.
Posting times also vary by platform. Facebook performs best during daytime hours Monday through Thursday, while Instagram’s strongest engagement typically falls between late morning and early evening, especially Tuesday through Thursday. TikTok users are most active later in the afternoon and evening, often between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
For business-focused content, LinkedIn reliably peaks during weekday mornings and lunchtime, matching the rhythm of the workday.
Image and video aspect ratios are equally important. Instagram and Facebook work well with square (1:1), portrait (4:5), and vertical (9:16) formats. TikTok exclusively uses 9:16 vertical content for both videos and cover images. LinkedIn and X generally prefer landscape formats around 1.91:1, although square images are becoming more common for mobile optimization.
Combining correct audience targeting, strategic posting times, and proper image formatting ensures your content appears professional, fits the platform’s design, and captures maximum engagement. This alignment helps you stay consistent, build authority, and reach more people with less effort.
