It is no secret that social media has become an almost indispensable part of daily life for a large share of the population. However, how consciously do we use it? Is social media still primarily used for communication? Each year the role and application of social media continues to expand.
To explore social media usage habits in Latvia, Norstat conducted a study in April with 500 respondents. The results reveal an interesting picture – social media improves users’ mood, yet people want to reduce the time they spend on it.
A Place for Purchase Inspiration
Social media is not only an entertainment platform but also an effective sales channel when used strategically. 62% of respondents admit that they have purchased a product or service they noticed on social media. Importantly, the majority (48%) of them have made repeat purchases.
This shows that social media not only inspires and serves as a communication platform for sharing information, but also acts as a powerful sales tool that should be considered when developing a company’s strategy.
Social Media Improves Mood
Work, stress, fatigue, conflicts… When daily life is filled with negative emotions, social media can serve as a space to retreat and temporarily disconnect from the surrounding environment. It is important to remember that feelings and emotions are also influenced by the content consumed.
51% of people stated that social media has a positive impact on their mood, while 43% experience neutral emotions. Only a small portion (6%) report that social media negatively affects their mood.
Entertainment, Inspiration, Communication, and Information
Initially, social media was primarily used as a communication tool. However, only 14% now say that communication with others is what they enjoy most on social media. The three main reasons cited are: entertainment (videos, humor) by 35% of respondents, staying informed and following news by 23%, and inspiration by 17%.
The least appealing aspects of social media are participating in contests (2%), following other people’s lives (4%), and expressing one’s opinion (1%). This indicates that content consumption currently plays a greater role than active communication.
Too Much of a Good Thing
Although social media evokes positive emotions and offers a wide range of opportunities, 54% of people would like to reduce the time they spend on platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and others.
The digital age can be exhausting, and some people are seeking a slower, more balanced daily rhythm. A social media detox or reducing time spent online is one way to become more present and at ease.
The Price of Attention
The constant battle for attention and the rapid change of content is a challenge not only for users, but also for content creators. How to create content that gets attention? And how to keep that attention?
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This article is based on data from a Norstat online survey conducted in April 2026.
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