BY Kathy Crosett
Are consumers posting less on social media? And if so, what does that mean for your accounts that advertise on the platforms? The latest research suggests that your accounts may need to adjust their social media advertising. Before they do, they should understand the benefits of social media monitoring.
What Are the Consumer Use Trends for Social Media?
New research from Morning Consult, based on a survey of 1,700 U.S. social media users, holds some revealing information. Across the board, 28% of surveyed consumers are posting less than they have in the past.
Is this a new trend? Here’s what your accounts need to know. Around 30% of women and 26% of men have cut back on their social posts. And only 16% of women and 27% of men are posting more.
Morning Consult analysts point out that there are noticeable trends by generation. For example, 33% of Gen Z adults are posting less, while 20% are posting more.
For millennials, a slightly higher percentage, 29%, is posting more, while 27% are posting less.
Posting activity changes are significantly more noticeable for older consumers. Around 27% of Gen Xers have cut back on posting, and only 19% are posting more. The difference is even more significant for baby boomers with 28% reducing their activity and only 8% increasing it.
Why Are Consumers Cutting Back?
Consumers have many reasons for reducing their social media time. They may decide they have better ways to spend their time. Or they may fear a backlash to their posts. AudienceSCAN data, powered by AdMall, indicates that just under 11% of U.S. consumers are using social media less. They fear being bullied or canceled. This number has increased 8.1% since 2024.
The new PartnerCentric app shows that consumers aren’t just posting less; they are also cutting down on their screen time. 25% of U.S. consumers use tools to block their access to social sites and apps for specific periods of time.
Where Are Consumers Spending Time on Social Media?
PartnerCentric data shows that social media is not in a steady state. Analysts confirm that 40% of U.S. consumers have cut back on their social media use. But they still spend time on these sites. Your accounts should know the benefits of social media monitoring, especially when it comes to who is visiting which sites. Why? Because it will help them understand where to allocate social media ad spending.
The average Facebook user is on the site around two hours a day.
And they do engage – especially with Facebook Marketplace, where average monthly spending is $133. But mostly, people scroll on the platform, making it the ideal setting for your accounts to be noticed either through ads or organic posts.
Facebook still reigns as the platform used by the most people.
TikTok
TikTok is popular with people who want to follow trends and those who enjoy humor. Consumers spend the most time on this site. On average, users spend $40 a month as they purchase items through TikTok Shop.
X
While X has been through several adjustments since Elon Musk took charge, users still count on the site to deliver breaking news. Gen Zers are attracted to the site, with 73% being regular users and spending an hour and 36 minutes there every day.
Advertisers are also spreading their social media budgets to sites that have not been so prominent in recent years. Reddit is of growing interest. Recently, reports Tinuiti, advertisers have spent 9% as much budget on Reddit as they’ve spent on Meta.
AudienceSCAN 2025 data shows that 60% of Reddit users are under age 45. These consumers rank much higher than average for aspirations such as continuing their education for personal fulfillment and starting a business.
Implications for Advertising
While consumer behavior may be changing, marketers are still advertising on social media. One of the benefits of social media monitoring is that your accounts should know where their target audiences are spending time. Then they can allocate budget accordingly.
Tinuiti reports that ad spending on Meta platforms increased 11% when comparing Q2 2025 to Q1. For Facebook alone, ad spending rose 12% and impressions jumped 18%. However, the CPM dropped 5%. Analysts note “growth in new inventory sources like Reels has put downward pressure on Facebook CPM in recent quarters.”
For TikTok, advertisers to be cautious, according to Tinuiti data. Analysts note an ad spend reduction of 20%. When the future of TikTok becomes clearer, spending may increase on this social platform.
Summary
As your accounts review where to spend their digital advertising funds, remind them of the benefits of social media monitoring. Be sure to run a Digital Audit, available at AdMall, on your accounts to show them the social activity of their target audiences.
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