In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool for networking and communication. Among the various platforms available, X is one of the most popular and used by a range of people from politicians to celebrities. In Canada, X has also gained popularity as a go-to platform for news, opinions, and connecting with like-minded X users.
In this article, we take a closer look at the statistics of how X is used in Canada, including how many Canadians are using X, what are popular X topics in Canada, and how the platform is used by organizations and businesses. For a wider perspective, we have also included key information on global X statistics.
X Statistics for Canadians
- There are approximately 14 million X users in Canada in 2024.
- Canadians with a postgraduate degree and household income of over 100,000 CAD are the most likely to have an X account in Canada.
- Based on the number of active monthly users, X is the fourth most popular social media platform in Canada.
- X’s share of social media website visits in Canada is close to 14%.
- X is approaching 400 million users worldwide.
- Elon Musk bought X for $44 billion in 2022.
- Almost 40% of global X users are aged between 25 and 34.
- X is the fifteenth most popular social media platform in the world.
- 82% of high-volume X users access the platform for entertainment.
- Only 0.2% of X users only have an X account.
- Over half of X posts are written by Generation Z users.
- X advertising can reach 8.8% of global internet users.
What is X?
X is a social media platform that was launched in 2006. It is based on sharing short messages called tweets. Unlike many other platforms where the focus is on pictures and videos, X has remained a platform focusing more on the written form. Posts on X can contain a maximum of 280 characters and as well as text, they can include photos, videos, and links to external websites.
X is popular because of its real-time updates and has become a source for breaking news, sports updates, and entertainment. Users can follow others to see their posts on their timelines. They can also use hashtags to join in conversations on specific topics. The platform has become an important tool for organizations, businesses, and public figures to engage with their audiences and promote their message or brand.
X was formerly known as Twitter but rebranded on July 23, 2023. As part of the rebranding, the iconic blue logo with a bird was replaced with a stylized letter X. The name Twitter was removed from the apps, websites, and the company headquarters.
X in Canada
In 2012, there were 3.3 million X users in Canada. By 2019, the number had risen to 7.6 million according to Statista. After that, the user numbers stalled for a while and remained approximately the same from 2019 to 2021. Since then, then number of users have been increasing again and now in 2024 the social media platform has around 14 million users in Canada.
Around 40% of online adults in Canada have an X account and 29% of Canadians with multiple social media accounts say they use X more often than other social media networks. 36.8% of Canadians visit X every month.
X User Demographics in Canada
Canadians who have a household income over $100,000 per year are the most likely to use X in Canada and the platform is most popular among those with a post-graduate degree. 98% of Canadian X users are either employed or self-employed with each employment form accounting for 49% of all users. X is slightly more popular among Canadian men than women with men representing 52% of X users in Canada.
The X adoption rate in Canada is highest among people under 25, with 65% of this age group using the platform. 54% of Canadians aged 25 to 34 have an X account, while only 27% of those aged 55 or over use the platform.
X is the Fourth Most Popular Social Media Platform in Canada
Based on the number of active monthly users, X is the fourth most popular social media platform in Canada. The top three spots are held by Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. It is more popular in Canada than Pinterest, Snapchat, or LinkedIn.
X Gets 13.78% Share of Social Media Visits
According to Statista, X’s share of visits to social media websites in Canada is 13.78%. This places it third in Canada behind Facebook and Pinterest. Facebook’s share of visits to social media websites is 55.71% and Pinterest’s is 14.45%. X is ahead of Instagram (11.14%), Reddit (2.06%), and YouTube (1.75%).
Almost Half of Canadian X Users Visit the Platform Daily
45% of Canadian X users visit the social media platform every day. This places it sixth among the social media networks when comparing the numbers of daily users. It is behind Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and YouTube. However, it is ahead of Tumblr, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
According to Statista, 29% of X users in Canada access the platform several times a day, while 25% access it once a day. 19% access it several times a week, and 13% access it once a week.
Canadian X Users Mainly Engage With Brands by Following Them
39% of Canadian X users engage with brands on the platform by following them. 29% will retweet brand content and 26% will respond to tweets posted by brands. X users in Canada are also more likely to purchase from a brand they follow on X than from a brand they don’t follow.
Global X Statistics
Globally, X has approximately 396.5 million users. This accounts for 8.85% of global social media users. While this is far behind the market leader Facebook, which has a 59% share of global social media users, X has its own fans, including Elon Musk who now owns the platform.
Elon Musk Bought X in 2022
Elon Musk offered to buy X outright in 2022 having previously acquired shares in the social media platform. His offer, which was $44 billion, worked out as $54.20 per share, meaning existing investors received 38% more per share than they would on the open market. After some initial hesitation, the board accepted the buyout offer.
Musk, who is a regular poster with over 111 million followers, had been critical of X’s revenue generation, content moderation, and many of the platform’s policies. When Musk bought the platform, he said he would eliminate spam accounts, increase revenue, and enable more diverse discussions on the platform.
Canada Ranks 14th in Global User Numbers
Canada, with its 7.9 million users, has the 14th highest X user count in the world. The United States has the most X users with 76.9 million Americans having an X account. Japan comes next with 58.95 million users and India completes the top three with 23.6 million users.
Global X User Demographics
Worldwide, X is most popular among people who are aged between 25 and 34, with 38.5% of global users belonging to this age group. The smallest user group is 13 to 17-year-olds, with only a 6.6% presentation. The number of teens using X has been decreasing since 2014, probably in favour of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, which are more popular among younger users.
Globally, X has more male than female users. 56.4% of the users identify as male, while 43.6% identify as female.
X is the 15th Most Popular Social Media Network
Based on the active number of users, X ranks fifteenth in the world only leaving behind Reddit and Quora. Its user numbers are far lower than those of the dominant social media and video-sharing platforms and messaging apps, which include Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp.
A Tenth of X Users Are Responsible for Over 90% of All Posts
Most X users do not actively post on the platform. On average, most users will post once a month, which means that most people with an X account access the platform to read other people’s tweets rather than create their own. 92% of X posts are written by just 10% of the users.
Over 80% of X Users Access the Platform for Entertainment
High-volume X users, that is people who post twenty times or more per month, access the social media platform for entertainment. 82% of these frequent posters say they use the platform for entertainment. 78% said they access it to keep up to date and 77% use X to express their opinions. In comparison, only 29% of low-volume posters, people who post less than twenty times per month, access the platform to share their opinions.
X is the Most Popular Social Media Site for News
X is social media users’ favourite platform for news. 55% of social media users say they get news from X regularly. The second most popular social media site for news is Facebook followed by Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok.
Most X Users Are on Multiple Social Media Platforms
Only 0.2% of X’s users do not have other social media accounts. The main overlap is with Instagram, with 87.6% of X account holders also having an Instagram account. 83.7% of X’s users also have a Facebook account and 80.1 have a YouTube account. The smallest overlap is with Reddit at 21.8%.
X Receives Over Seven Billion Visits Per Month
The social media platform is visited around 7.1 billion times every month and each day, X users post at least 500 million tweets. Just over half, at 52% of all posts are posted by Generation Z Twitter users.
X Advertising Audience
Xr’s advertising reach is 8.8% of all global internet users. Since there are 4.95 billion internet users in the world, adverts on X have the potential to reach 435.6 million people. The potential reach of the total population of X advertising is 5.5%. The advertising audience on X is 56.4% male and 43.6% female. There are only two gender options available.
In 2020, X generated over $3.2 million in advertising revenue, which is a small fraction of, for example, Facebook’s advertising revenue in the same year which was 69.7 billion. Also in 2020, X spent $887.66 million on sales and marketing.
Over 80% of Content Marketers Are Using X
While advertising spending on X is minimal compared to many other platforms, according to X, their audience spends 26% longer viewing adverts on the platform compared to any other social media network. X also has seen a 35% increase in global advertising engagement year-on-year.
Many companies are using X to promote their services and goods and connect with their target audience. 82% of business-to-business companies are on X to share their latest offerings.
79% of X users also use the platform to follow brands they like. These X users look for entertaining and informative content from the brands they like. Brands that use X are also likely to see more interaction with their posts than brands on many other platforms.
Conclusion
While X may not have the audience numbers of advertising revenue of some of its rival social media platforms, it has established a firm presence in the social media sector. Its user numbers have stalled in Canada, but it is still the fourth most popular social media network in the country.
In 2022, X was bought by Elon Musk, who has said he will increase the revenue of the social media platform and eliminate spam accounts. The social media rebranded to X in July 2023. How the rebranding will affect the platform remains to be seen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Twitter?
Twitter is a social media platform that allows users to share short messages, known as tweets, with their followers. These messages can include text, images, videos, links, and more.
Is Twitter free to use?
Yes, Twitter is free to use for anyone with an internet connection. However, some features may require payment or a premium subscription.
Can I use Twitter for business purposes?
Yes, many businesses use Twitter as a marketing and communication tool to reach their target audience, engage with customers, and build brand awareness.