Title wearesocial_gdr_2025.pdf ✅

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S CONNECTED BEHAVIOURS GLOBAL OVERVIEW REPORT DIGITAL 2025


Simon Kemp Chief Analyst DataReportal All of the signs point to 2025 being another “bumper year” in connected tech, with rapid advances in AI, the evolving social media landscape, and broadening online behaviours all gearing up to reshape the digital landscape over the coming months. Moreover, the data in this latest update to our Global Digital Reports series shows that we’re living increasingly “connected” lives. For example, we’re using the internet for an ever wider range of activities and tasks, and we’ve seen the amount of time that people spend online edge back up over recent months too. Finding information remains the top motivation for using the internet, and – despite frequent misrepresentation in the media – young people are just as likely as ever to use search engines. However, we’re also seeing search behaviours evolve, and a greater number of people are adding more varied sources of information to their online research activities. But it’s also interesting to see the enduring appeal of various online activities and brands. For example, email continues to gain popularity, even amongst younger audiences. And perhaps most strikingly – despite pervasive AI hype and headlines – the latest data suggests that a greater number of people still use Yahoo! than use ChatGPT. That’s just a small selection of the insights that you’ll find in this year’s reports, but it’s probably better if I let the data do the rest of the talking. I hope you find our full suite of Digital 2025 reports valuable, and that the data they contain helps you take full advantage of the opportunities that this “bumper year” should bring. The world’s internet users are also moving more of their shopping online, with an increasing number of ecommerce users spending more money across a wider variety of product categories. Similarly, trends in online grocery activity suggest that we’ll be shopping online more frequently in 2025 too. But online commerce isn’t confined to consumer goods; it’s also helping us navigate the physical world, with internet users spending more money to book planes, trains, and automobiles. Meanwhile, the lines between TV and the internet continue to blur, with nearly all internet users now watching streaming content every month. We’re also seeing a greater number of people access internet content via their TV set, perhaps because ever fewer of us access the internet via laptops and desktops. People aren’t just watching content on the big screen though, and data shows that video now accounts for more than three-quarters of the traffic sent over cellular data networks. Trends suggest that AI will become increasingly important for search during the months ahead, but it’s also interesting to see that the world is increasingly turning to social media to find inspiration, to learn about brands, and to research potential purchases. Looking beyond our seemingly insatiable appetite for information, the latest data also show that more and more people are using connected devices and services to connect with the people they care about, to stay up to date with current affairs, and to access entertainment. Social networks and messaging platforms are still the most popular destinations on the internet, with more than 97 percent of connected adults saying that they visit at least one social platform every month. However, we’ve seen some interesting changes in social media behaviours and preferences in this year’s data, with important differences playing out across geographies and demographics. DIGITAL 2025: EVER MORE CONNECTED