We Are Social reports on the state of digital in 2016

Social media agency, We Are Social, released a report that takes a hard look at digital in 2016, highlighting digital, social and mobile usage around the world.

The report found that there are currently 3.42 billion internet users, equalling 46% global penetration; 2.31 billion social media users, for a 31% global penetration; 3.79 billion unique mobile users, representing 51% global penetration; and 1.97 billion mobile social media users, equating to 27% global penetration.

Aside from providing statistics for digital, social and mobile media in 2016, the agency also mentioned three key takeaways and forecasts for digital in 2016:

Mobile is dramatically changing everything. Mobile phones are not just a more convenient way to access the internet; they are changing people's fundamental connected behaviour whether it's shifting social media habits to a more one-tone, private conversation context, to accessing m-commerce whilst at physical world stores, to paying for things directly in physical stores and on public transport using mobile wallet. Success tomorrow won't just be about a mobile web presence, but about optimising the entire organisation for a mobile-centric world.

Connectivity is becoming the norm. People now expect everything to be connected, from their real-time public transport schedule to the voting system and real-time stock availability in physical world stores. The internet is no longer just an information portal; it's the 'electricity' of modern society and commerce, connecting people and things they care about most. As a result, businesses and brands need to explore how connectivity can improve every element of their business, not just their advertising.

For most people, social is (once again) about conversations. For everyone except marketers, social media is quickly returning to what 'social' has always been for human beings: connecting on a personal basis with people you care about most. Indeed, social's role can now evolve into more value-added experiences, providing the one-to-one meaning that social has always promised, but that marketers have shunned in favour of more flashy, advertising-led 'public social' activities. For organisations and brands to succeed in this more personal environment, marketers will need to get better at listening to people and understanding what they want, and not simply using social media as a way to say what people want to say in new ways.

You can read the full report here.