- A new study from Piper Sandler reveals that Instagram is the most used app among American teens.
- TikTok was the second most used and received the most likes.
- Snapchat’s popularity and usage among teenagers has declined.
Teens are using Instagram more than ever before.
A new survey of U.S. teens from investment bank Piper Sandler found that Instagram is the most used social media app (and TikTok is the most liked).
This fall, Piper Sandler surveyed approximately 13,500 American teenagers to understand their behavior regarding social media, fashion, food, and more.
Analysts found that 87% of teens said they use Instagram at least once a month. This is up from 80% a year ago and the highest since Piper Sandler began tracking the survey in 2016.
TikTok is the second most used social app, with 79% saying they use it monthly (up from 74% a year ago). Snapchat came in third with a monthly usage rate of 71%, down from fall 2023, when 74% said they used the app monthly. Pinterest (41%), Twitter (30%), and Facebook (30%) were at the bottom in terms of monthly usage this fall.
TikTok and Meta did not respond to requests for comment. A Snap spokesperson declined to comment.
Changing trends of teens using social media
Why is Instagram doing so well? That may be because much of Meta’s efforts to compete with apps like TikTok, Discord, and Snapchat are finally paying off.
Instagram doubles down on features like notes (status updates after 24 hours), comments on stories, sharing with close friends and ways to interact in DMs (including adding AI bots) to attract younger users I’m letting you do it.
“If you look at how teens spend their time on Instagram, they spend more time in DMs than Stories, and they spend more time in Stories than in their feed.” Adam Mosseri, a top Instagram executive, spoke on Harry Stebbing’s 20VC podcast. Last July.
Instagram’s advantage over its competitors has also been documented by sources like data firm Sensor Tower, which found an increase in downloads of the Meta-owned app earlier this year.
But while Instagram may have won the usage contest among U.S. teens, it was TikTok that received the most likes. About 39% of respondents said TikTok was their favorite, compared to 32% for Instagram and 18% for Snapchat, according to a report by Piper Sandler.
Snapchat’s decline in usage and popularity could bode ill for a company that has long prided itself on being the go-to messaging tool for young people. The company announced in an April investor presentation that it has reached 90% of 13-24 year olds and 75% of 13-34 year olds in more than 25 countries. 18% of teens said Snapchat is their favorite for fall, while 28% said it’s their favorite for fall 2023.
After all, teenagers’ interests can be both a blessing and a curse for social media apps. U.S. authorities and state politicians have been grilling big tech companies in recent months over how they keep teenage users safe. This week, 14 attorneys general sued TikTok, claiming the social platform was harming the mental health of its young users. Mehta faced a similar lawsuit from 42 attorneys general last year.
Meanwhile, Instagram is rolling out mandatory Teen Accounts for users under 18, adding an extra safeguard to protect younger users.