Facebook is one of the largest and most influential social media platforms in the world. As of October 2022, Facebook reported having 2.96 billion monthly active users worldwide. With such a massive userbase, Facebook has become an important platform for businesses, brands, organizations, and public figures to reach and engage with their target audiences.
For a platform as large and far-reaching as Facebook, user metrics and engagement data are critical for assessing performance and impact. Facebook makes several key metrics publicly available which provide insight into how the platform is being used. These metrics help Facebook track growth and engagement over time. They also help advertisers and page owners understand their reach and effectiveness on Facebook.
Monthly Active Users (MAUs)
Monthly Active Users (MAUs) measures the number of unique Facebook users who actively logged into and visited Facebook through the website or mobile app in the past 30 days. This provides a snapshot of Facebook’s overall userbase size and how it changes month-to-month. Facebook reported having 2.96 billion global MAUs as of September 2022, making it the social media platform with the largest userbase worldwide.
MAU Growth Over Time
Facebook’s global MAUs have steadily increased over time, but growth has slowed in recent years as the platform reaches saturation in core markets. Here is a look at Facebook’s MAU growth since 2018:
| Year | Monthly Active Users |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2.27 billion |
| 2019 | 2.50 billion |
| 2020 | 2.80 billion |
| 2021 | 2.91 billion |
| 2022 | 2.96 billion |
MAUs by Geographical Location
Facebook breaks down its MAUs by geographic region to provide insight into its penetration and growth worldwide. As of September 2022, the geographical distribution of Facebook’s MAU base was:
- Asia-Pacific: 1.29 billion MAUs
- Europe: 418 million MAUs
- US & Canada: 199 million MAUs
- Rest of World: 1.05 billion MAUs
This shows that the Asia-Pacific region accounts for the largest share of Facebook’s userbase, followed by the Rest of World region which includes Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. North America’s MAUs make up a smaller portion of the overall pie.
Daily Active Users (DAUs)
Daily Active Users (DAUs) measures the number of unique Facebook users who logged in and visited Facebook through the website or mobile app on a given calendar day. Whereas MAUs provide a monthly snapshot, DAUs demonstrate daily user engagement. Facebook reported having 1.98 billion global DAUs on average for September 2022. Other key details about Facebook’s DAUs:
- DAUs are a subset of overall MAUs.
- The ratio of DAUs to MAUs indicates the percentage of monthly users who log in daily.
- DAUs are critical for tracking day-to-day user engagement and retention.
DAU Growth Trends
Similar to MAUs, Facebook’s DAUs have continued climbing over time but at a slowing growth rate as new user acquisition decreases globally. Here are Facebook’s global average DAUs for the past four years:
| Year | Daily Active Users |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.66 billion |
| 2020 | 1.82 billion |
| 2021 | 1.93 billion |
| 2022 | 1.98 billion |
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) measures the average revenue earned per monthly active user from advertising, payments, and other channels. ARPU is a key indicator of Facebook’s monetization effectiveness and how much value each user brings. It is calculated globally by dividing total revenue by worldwide MAUs for a given quarter.
Facebook’s global ARPU was $9.41 in Q2 2022. This was a year-over-year increase from $10.02 in Q2 2021. While MAU growth has slowed, Facebook has partly offset this by steadily increasing monetization through ads, payments, and new revenue streams.
ARPU Trends
Here is how Facebook’s global ARPU has trended over the past four quarters:
| Quarter | Global ARPU |
|---|---|
| Q3 2021 | $8.41 |
| Q4 2021 | $11.57 |
| Q1 2022 | $9.54 |
| Q2 2022 | $9.41 |
ARPU is higher in the US & Canada region compared to other parts of the world based on greater advertiser demand. However, increasing ARPU in developing markets is an ongoing strategic priority for Facebook.
Average Minute per User
Average Minutes per User (AMPU) measures the estimated average time Facebook users spend engaging with the platform on a daily basis. It provides insight into overall engagement levels and how frequently users interact with Facebook.
In Q4 2021, Facebook reported its AMPU was 30 minutes globally. This has increased over time as Facebook has added more video content and features aimed at increasing time spent. However, engagement levels can vary significantly by market and demographic.
Engagement Trends
Here are some key trends in Facebook’s engagement rates over time:
- Global AMPU has climbed from around 20 minutes per user in 2014
- Engagement is higher among younger users
- Video content has helped drive increased engagement
- Facebook likely aims to increase AMPU further through relevant content and features
Page and Profile Followers
In addition to platform-wide user metrics, Facebook provides data on followers and likes for individual pages and profiles. This allows content creators and businesses to track their reach and engagement.
Key metrics available for Pages include:
- Page followers – Total users who have actively followed a Page
- Page likes – Total users who have liked a Page
- Post reach – Total unique users who saw a post from a Page
- Engagement rate – Percentage of post reach generating likes, comments, shares or other reactions
These metrics help Pages understand their follower growth, activity levels, and ability to cut through the noise on Facebook’s crowded News Feed.
Follower Growth Strategies
Pages can aim to drive follower growth by:
- Posting engaging content regularly
- Using relevant hashtags and keywords
- Encouraging likes and follows
- Leveraging ads to extend reach
- Driving website traffic to content and conversion points
Ad Performance Benchmarks
Facebook’s advertising platform provides robust metrics for tracking ad performance. Key benchmarks include:
- Cost per ad click (CPC) – Average cost each time a user clicks an ad
- Click-through rate (CTR) – Ratio of ad clicks to impressions
- Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) – Cost per 1,000 ad impressions
- Conversion rate – Percentage of users taking a desired action after clicking an ad
Analyzing these metrics helps advertisers assess the efficiency and return on investment of their Facebook ad campaigns. They can use the data to optimize targeting, bidding, creative, and placements to improve results.
Industry Benchmarks
Average CPC and CTR vary significantly by industry, target audience and other factors. Here are benchmark ranges for a few top industries on Facebook:
| Industry | Avg. CPC | Avg. CTR |
|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce | $0.50 – $1.00 | 2% – 5% |
| Travel | $0.75 – $1.50 | 1.5% – 4% |
| Financial Services | $2.00 – $4.00 | 0.5% – 2% |
| CPG/FMCG | $0.75 – $1.25 | 1% – 3% |
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook provides a wealth of data through metrics like monthly and daily active users, revenue per user, average minutes per user, followers, and advertising benchmarks. Analyzing these metrics provides deep insights into Facebook’s growth, user engagement, monetization effectiveness, organic reach, and advertising performance.
As the world’s largest social platform, Facebook’s key metrics offer an unparalleled look into global digital consumer behavior trends and dynamics. Both Facebook and its users, advertisers, and partners can leverage these metrics to inform strategies and continually optimize activity on the platform.