Social media usage survey for adults: 36 questions on platforms, time, news and habits
A social media usage survey for adults asks which apps people use, how often they open them, roughly how long they stay and what they go there for. The core 12 covers all of that plus news and five habit statements, with answer scales that match Pew Research Center's, so your group can be set against US adults.
- 36questions
- 12in the core set
- 4 minto answer the core
- 5optional sets
By Michael Hodge, BSc Psychology Updated September 2026
All 36 social media survey questions
Ticks are already on the twelve core questions. Add a set for your job or choose single rows. Each row gives the full answer list plus a note on reading the result, so the survey can go out online, on paper or pasted into another tool.
Core 12: platforms, time and reasons12 questions
Six questions on which apps, how often, how long, why and news, five statements on habits, and one open question. Send it alone and you still get a full picture of how a group uses social media.
-
Which of these social media sites or apps do you use?
YouTubeFacebookInstagramTikTokWhatsAppRedditLinkedInXAnother appNone of theseTick all that applyThe platform mix. The list starts with the apps most US adults say they use, so your percentages can be compared line by line.1
-
Which one do you use the most?
YouTubeFacebookInstagramTikTokAnother appTwo people can both tick five apps and live on different ones. This names the channel that gets the most attention.
-
About how often do you visit or use the app you use most?
Several times a dayAbout once a dayA few times a weekEvery few weeksLess oftenPew asks frequency on this five-point scale, so the share opening an app several times a day compares directly with national daily use.1
-
On a typical day, about how much time do you spend on social media?
Under 30 min30 to 60 min1 to 2 hours2 to 4 hoursOver 4 hoursBands are easier to answer than an exact figure, and people tend to overestimate their time online anyway. Treat the result as a rough level.2
-
What do you mostly use social media for?
Family, friendsNewsEntertainmentShoppingLearningWorkHobbiesTick all that applyThe reason for the visit decides what content lands. A group that comes for learning wants different posts from one that comes to relax.
-
How often do you get news from social media?
OftenSometimesRarelyNeverThe exact scale Pew uses for news on social media, so you can compare your group with its yearly figure.3
-
Most of what I see in my feeds is worth my time.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeFeed quality in the reader's eyes. Low agreement means people scroll out of habit rather than for value.
-
I can put social media down when I mean to.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeSelf-control asked as a plain behaviour, without labels such as addiction that people push back against.
-
I check whether a post is true before I share it.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeA sharing habit that matters for anyone who publishes news, health or public information.
-
I know how to control who can see my posts.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreePrivacy skill. A low score points to a quick how-to that a library, school or employer can offer.
-
Social media helps me stay in touch with people I care about.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeThe benefit most people value. Without it the survey would only count costs.
-
What would make your time on social media better?
Open answerPeople name fixes you did not think to list: fewer ads, better settings, less time, other people to follow. Sort them into piles.
Posting and taking part5 questions
For creators, community managers and researchers who want to know who talks and who only watches.
-
Which best describes how you use social media?
Mostly watch or readReact and commentPost my own thingsMostly private messagesMost audiences are mainly watchers. This shows how many will reply to a post and how many only see it.
-
How often do you post something of your own?
DailyWeeklyMonthlyRarelyNeverSeparates regular posters from occasional ones, which tells you who can spread your message.
-
Which kinds of posts do you enjoy most?
Short videosLong videosPhotosText postsLive streamsStoriesTick all that applyFormat preference. Put it next to the most-used app to plan what to make for each channel.
-
How often do you send posts to friends in private messages?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysPrivate sharing is invisible in public likes and comments, yet it is how many posts travel.
-
I feel comfortable giving my opinion in public posts.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeShows whether a community will speak up in comments or needs a private route, such as a poll or a form.
Brands, ads and shopping (for marketers)7 questions
For businesses and nonprofits asking customers or followers. Send the core first, then these seven.
-
Where do you usually find out about new products or brands?
YouTubeInstagramTikTokFacebookSearch enginesFriends in personTick all that applyDiscovery, not just use. An app people use every day is not always where they find new things.
-
Do you follow any brands or businesses on social media?
Yes, more than tenYes, a fewNoHow open this audience is to following a business at all.
-
In the past three months, have you bought something after seeing it on social media?
Yes, more than onceYes, onceNo, but I thought about itNoA dated, concrete purchase question. "Does social media influence you?" gets vaguer answers.
-
The ads I see on social media are relevant to me.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeAd fit as the viewer sees it. Read it by platform to learn where ads work for this group.
-
Which kind of brand post are you most likely to stop for?
A how-to or tipA discount or offerBehind the scenesA customer reviewA creator I followOne pick forces a real preference, which is what a content calendar needs.
-
If you have a question for a company, where do you ask it first?
A social media messageEmailPhoneChat on their websiteI search for the answerTells a support team whether social inboxes need staffing or a pointer to the help page.
-
Name a brand that does social media well. What do they do?
Open answerExamples your audience already likes, in their own words. Often the fastest brief for new content.
News, trust and privacy4 questions
For libraries, newsrooms, schools and public bodies who share information on social platforms.
-
How much do you trust the news you see on social media?
A lotSomeNot muchNot at allRead it with the news frequency question: people who get news there often but trust it little are worth a closer look.
-
How often do you see posts you think are false or misleading?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysHow much doubtful content this group notices, which shapes how your own posts are received.
-
What do you usually do when a post looks false?
Scroll pastCheck another sourceReport itReply or commentTell the person who shared itThe action, not the attitude. Pairs well with the checking statement in the core.
-
Which of these settings have you changed in the past year?
Who sees my postsAd preferencesLocation sharingTwo-step loginNone of theseTick all that applyA concrete privacy check. Compare it with the core statement on controlling who sees your posts.
Time and balance5 questions
For wellbeing programmes, workplaces and researchers who want more than a single time estimate.
-
Check the screen time settings on your phone. How many minutes did social apps use yesterday?
Open answerA logged figure is far closer to real use than memory. Ask for it when accuracy matters.2
-
When do you use social media most?
MorningBreaks at work or schoolEveningIn bedSpread across the dayTiming tells a marketer when to post and a wellbeing lead where the habit sits.
-
How often do you scroll while doing something else, such as watching TV or working?
NeverRarelySometimesOftenAlwaysDivided attention. A post seen during a TV show gets a few seconds of thought.
-
I usually feel better after using social media than before.
Strongly disagree12345Strongly agree1 = Strongly disagree, 5 = Strongly agreeA mood check people can answer from their own experience.
-
Have you taken a break from a social media app in the past year?
Yes, I deleted an appYes, a few days offNo, but I thought about itNoShows how many people already manage their use and how many are thinking about it.
About you (optional)3 questions
Add these to split results. The age bands are Pew's, and every group you report should be large enough to keep each answer anonymous.
-
How old are you?
18 to 2930 to 4950 to 6465 or olderPlatform use changes sharply with age, so this is usually the first split to make.1
-
What is your gender?
WomanManAnother identityPrefer not to saySome platforms skew by gender, and a sample that leans one way can shift the whole platform mix.
-
Which best describes where you live?
CitySuburbSmall townRural areaLocal groups and community pages matter more in some places. Useful for councils and local businesses.
Set your group against US adults
Four questions on this page use the same answer scales as Pew Research Center's national surveys. Once your answers are in, put your figures next to these.
| Question here | National figure | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Sites and apps used | YouTube 84%, Facebook 71%, Instagram 50%, TikTok 37%, WhatsApp 32%, Reddit 26% of US adults.1 | An app well above the national share is where your group gathers. |
| How often you open it | About half of adults visit Facebook daily, and about half YouTube; 24% use TikTok daily.1 | Compare the share choosing several times a day or about once a day. |
| News from social media | 53% get news there at least sometimes: 21% often, 32% sometimes.3 | A higher share means your posts double as a news source. |
| Age | 80% of adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram, against 19% of those 65 and older.1 | Split every answer by age before comparing groups. |
Pew asked about platforms in a survey of 5,022 US adults in 2025 and about frequency in a second survey of 5,123. Your group will rarely be that big, so treat small gaps as noise and look for differences of ten points or more. For TV, streaming and podcasts alongside social apps, use the media consumption survey.
Four choices that make social media answers reliable
People answer quickly about apps they use without thinking. These four design choices keep the answers honest and comparable.
US adults who say they ever use each platform
List every platform, then ask for the favourite
Ask about one app and you miss where the rest of the audience lives. In 2025, 84% of US adults used YouTube and 71% Facebook, while TikTok reached 37%.1 A tick list catches the whole mix, and the follow-up on the most-used app shows where attention really goes.
Offer time in bands
A blank "how many hours" box invites a wild guess. When 49,934 people in 15 countries were compared with Facebook's own logs, they overestimated their time and underestimated how often they visited, and heavy users and younger adults were furthest off.2 Wide bands keep the question quick, and the screen time question in the balance set collects a logged figure when you need precision.
Send it beyond one app
A survey posted only on Instagram hears mostly from younger adults: 80% of 18 to 29 year olds use it, against 19% of people 65 and older.1 Share the link on two or three channels plus email, and add the age question so you can see who answered.
Ask watchers and posters apart
Likes and comments only show the people who post. The first question in the posting set asks how each person takes part, so quiet viewers count too, and the private messages question picks up the sharing that never shows in public.
Need one fast answer from your followers first? Turn the favourite-app question into a live poll and drop the link in a post or story. For ideas that suit a story sticker, see these Instagram poll questions.
A quick audience check you can drop into one post
Planning a content calendar or picking a new channel? These five tell you which apps your followers use, which one they favour, why they are there, where they find new brands and what makes them stop scrolling.
- 01Which of these social media sites or apps do you use?
- 02Which one do you use the most?
- 03What do you mostly use social media for?
- 04Where do you usually find out about new products or brands?
- 05Which kind of brand post are you most likely to stop for?
Read the five habit statements at a glance
Fill in the number of replies at every scale point for the five habit statements: worthwhile feed, putting the phone down, checking before sharing, privacy control and staying in touch. Each is phrased so that a 4 or 5 is the healthy reply, so the lowest bar shows the habit to tackle first.
- 1Count the replies at each point of the scale for every statement. The builder converts agree and strongly agree into one percentage.
- 2A short bar on checking before sharing or on privacy control is the easiest to fix: a two-minute how-to post often moves it.
- 3Split the bars by the most-used app. Habits differ more between platforms than most people expect.
- 4Send the survey again in six months and put the two charts side by side for the group that answered.
Social media habits
Which sets to send for your goal
Each plan below builds on the core 12. With a single extra set, most people finish in under eight minutes.
| If you want to | Include | Send it to |
|---|---|---|
| Choose channels for a business or nonprofit | Brands, ads and shopping | Email list and customers, not only followers |
| Plan what to post | Posting and taking part | Your own followers on each channel |
| Public information and news | News, trust and privacy | Members, readers or residents |
| Wellbeing at work or a study of adults | Time and balance, About you | A whole team, class or panel |
Surveying students about school, sleep and grades? The student social media questionnaire is written for them. More sets for audience and customer research sit under marketing survey questions.
The questionnaire on paper, for workshops and library desks
Paper suits a workshop, a library desk or a community meeting where people answer on the spot. Each prints cleanly on either common paper size, letter or A4.
Social media questionnaire
Page one holds the twelve core questions, ready for a pen. The following pages carry posting, brands, trust, balance and About you; leave out any sheet you will not use.
Download PDF
Results worksheet
Count replies to the how-often question and the five habit statements, turn each into a share who agree, then mark the habit your group should tackle first.
Download PDFSocial media questions to fix before you send
Each weak version below shows up in real surveys, including the one this page used to carry. For question types beyond social media, see these survey question writing tips.
How many hours a day do you spend on social media? ____
On a typical day, about how much time do you spend on social media? (Under 30 min to Over 4 hours)
An open number gets a guess, and guesses run high. Bands are faster and just as useful for comparing groups.
Do you use Facebook, Instagram and TikTok?
Which of these social media sites or apps do you use? (tick all that apply)
Three apps in one yes or no. Someone who uses only TikTok cannot answer it truthfully.
Please rate your overall satisfaction with the platforms you use. (Strongly disagree to Strongly agree)
Most of what I see in my feeds is worth my time. (Strongly disagree to Strongly agree)
The old version asks for satisfaction on an agreement scale, and about every platform at once. The fix is a statement people can agree or disagree with.
Don't you think brands post too many ads?
The ads I see on social media are relevant to me.
The first wording hints at the expected answer. A neutral statement lets fans and critics answer on the same scale.
Social media surveys: quick answers
For marketers, community teams and researchers planning their first round.
What should a social media survey ask?
Which platforms people use, the one they use most, how often they open it, roughly how long they spend and why they go there. Then add the part that fits your goal: posting habits, brands and ads, trust in news or time and balance.
How many questions should a social media usage survey have?
Twelve covers most groups in roughly four minutes. Then bring in one set of five to seven questions for a specific goal. Use the five-question audience check when you only have a moment, such as a link in a post.
How do I share a survey on social media and get answers?
Post the link with one line on why it matters and how long it takes, pin it, and repeat it in stories or a group. Share it on more than one app and by email too, because each platform reaches a different age mix.
Is there a validated social media use scale?
Yes. Researchers often cite the Facebook Intensity Scale for how much social media is part of daily life,4 and addiction scales for problem use. Take their items from the original papers. Everything here is written from scratch and measures behaviour and habits rather than one overall score.
Can I use this survey with students?
The core works for students aged 18 and over. For school pupils, or when the topic is grades, sleep and schoolwork, use the student questionnaire linked above, which was written for that age group.
Find out where your audience scrolls
Load the twelve core questions into the builder, pick the one set that fits your goal, and share the link on your channels and by email this week. Print the questionnaire for any meeting where people answer on paper.
