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Written by Anam Ahmed
Published on February 13, 2025
Reading time 11 minutes
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Videos have taken over content on social media.
They’re dynamic, engaging and drive incredible results. In fact, social networks across the board are dominated by video content that showcases the latest trends. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index, when it comes to keeping up with cultural moments, 51% of consumers prefer Facebook and Instagram while 37% prefer YouTube and TikTok—all social networks with video-focused content.
If you’re still not making the most of this medium, your brand is missing out big time. In this article, we’ll share top social media video statistics from reputable sources to inform your social content creation efforts and highlight the true value of video.
Anyone who’s scrolled through TikTok, Facebook, Instagram Reels, LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter) recently knows that videos play a major part in your experience with these social media networks.
Video has been a buzzword in marketing for years, and today brands are using it to carve out devoted followings on social media. Did you know users will retain 95% of a message watched on video as opposed to only 10% read in text?
Understanding the latest data and trends is so important for an effective video marketing strategy. It’s about knowing what kinds of videos truly stop the scroll, spark engagement and drive results.
Video will continue to dominate social media, especially short-form video. Marketers need to double down on snackable videos optimized for mobile. However, since overall video consumption is expected to grow, brands need to work harder to create content that stands out.
Be consistent, track your performance and experiment to see what resonates with your audience. Pay close attention to what types of videos your audience wants to see, such as explainer videos. And if you’re new to creating videos, consider outsourcing to video production experts.
Bonus resource: We created a guide and worksheet to help you extend the life and value of a branded video by turning it into a suite of teasers, clips, GIFs and more. Download it today to ensure you’re getting the most out of your video assets.
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Instagram offers a wealth of video marketing opportunities. With formats like Reels, Stories and posts, marketers have many options when it comes to sharing Instagram content. Meta continues to expand video options on Instagram, with longer Reels up to three minutes. The company is also offering major incentives for content creators such as cash bonuses—a great reason to create more video content.
However, it can also be overwhelming for those less experienced with the medium. The following social media video stats shed light on where brands should focus their efforts on Instagram for maximum impact.
With Stories, Live streams, Reels and in-feed videos, Instagram offers a variety of options for social media marketers to consider. However, with so many available video options, the key isn’t to pigeonhole your brand into using only one. Provide value by using videos across networks to find your ideal audience regardless of the tab they frequent most.
TikTok has taken viral video marketing to new heights.
However, with trends evolving at breakneck speed, marketers need to have a data-driven pulse on what performs on TikTok and how their audience is using the platform. The social media video statistics below will help you keep your TikTok marketing competitive.
TikTok is Gen Z’s go-to platform for product research, shopping and more. Brands targeting younger audiences should prioritize TikTok for product promotion—use formats like LIVE and dynamic ads, and create engaging content that highlights your products/services without being salesy.
Keep in mind that engagement rates for accounts with millions of followers are not too far ahead of the engagement rates of smaller accounts. This shows that users don’t necessarily react to certain accounts because they are popular. Instead, they interact with content that appeals to them personally. This is a great opportunity for smaller brands to stand out.
If you’ve scrolled through your X feed lately, you know video is integral to the network’s appeal. Whether it’s a glossy brand announcement, a blockbuster movie trailer or a recording of your neighbors’ kid snuggling their cocker spaniel, X users engage with videos more than any other content type. The social media video stats below offer insights into how brands can jump on the bandwagon and use X/Twitter for marketing effectively.
Video is king on X, with the majority of sessions including some kind of video content. And while other networks succeed with shorter videos (which also excel on X), this network is finding that users love watching longer videos that are over thirty minutes long. No matter the length of video, you’ll see increasing X/Twitter engagement if you focus on content that entertains, educates and excites your target audience.
As the second-largest search engine (behind Google), YouTube, now more than ever, enables brands to showcase their unique value propositions in an engaging way.
But because video is the only kind of content supported, it can also be a bit resource-intensive for many marketing teams. These next few statistics lay out some insights to help brands optimize their YouTube marketing efforts.
YouTube is where consumers are going to learn more about your brand—what you stand for, what you do and how you do it. This presents a major opportunity for brands that want to reach new audiences on this network. When drafting your YouTube video ideas, be sure to consider both organic and paid videos. Users are greatly influenced by both types of content they see on YouTube, so the time to ramp up your efforts on this network is now.
Over the past few years, Facebook has expanded its suite of video options. Its Watch option enables users to view and engage with focused video content, while Stories offer a chance for brands to connect and interact with their audience.
Brands can also use Facebook Live to host live events, give a peak behind the scenes or engage in real time with their audiences. The following statistics highlight opportunities for social media marketers to optimize their Facebook marketing strategy with video.
With Live video winning on the platform, marketers should prioritize real-time, interactive sessions with their audiences. Facebook Stories are also garnering a lot of views, and present a fun, casual way for brands to get eyes on their offerings. When it comes to paid media, creating mobile-first ads can boost Facebook video metrics.
Finally, since a big chunk of users are watching Facebook Reels without sound, brands should focus heavily on visual storytelling and use captions and text overlays to make their content more accessible. For video ads, though, you’ll want to prioritize ads that include speech.
What started off as a buttoned-up network for professional connections is slowly loosening up to include more casual content formats, such as short-form video and live video as well as video ads.
Brands can have fun with video while captivating users with entertaining clips on corporate life, work humor, relatable stories and so much more. These LinkedIn statistics will open your eyes to the different ways you can incorporate video into your LinkedIn marketing strategy.
Looking at these social media video stats above, it’s clear that video is the most shared type of content on LinkedIn—which makes it a good way to get more eyes on your brand. Users want to see educational product information from brands, so be sure to create videos that inform users about your products in a captivating way. Users love video ads, so if you’re planning paid campaigns, having a video ad is sure to garner engagement. Keep in mind that users enjoy interacting with live video on LinkedIn, making it a good choice for brand announcements, product releases and other important information. Given that video uploads are climbing and short-form content is highly engaging, developing a smart strategy for your LinkedIn video efforts is more critical than ever. Doing so effectively can significantly boost your brand’s reach and impact on the platform.
Ready to incorporate what you’ve learned from these social media stats into your video marketing strategy? There’s a lot to take in, but the message from social media users is clear: They love watching videos across networks and want to see more video content from brands.
Since video content creation can be resource intensive, it’s best to start by establishing your goals for video on each network, and then selecting the type of video format that is best for achieving your goals.
This Social Media Video Metrics & Ideas Cheat Sheet will help you get started, so you can get the best results from your video marketing efforts.
And if you’re ready to drive higher impact from your social media efforts, take advantage of Sprout’s free 30-day trial.
Anam Ahmed
Anam Ahmed is a freelance copywriter and content strategist based in Toronto, Canada. Her work has been published in Forbes, USA Today, and many other brands and publications.
Read all articles by Anam Ahmed
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