Casey Shull | June 21, 2021

50% of Americans say social media is good for their relationship

Last Updated on June 21, 2021 by Zoi Walker

Follows and filters and hashtags—oh, my! As people nowadays spend an increasing amount of time on phones and electronic devices, terms such as these have weaseled their way into our everyday vocabulary. Though people tend to have mixed feelings about social media, it’s a daily habit for many. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center roughly 72% of Americans use some type of social media; if not daily, then in some capacity.

For some, social media is how they first connected with their significant other. For others, it’s how they remain connected with their significant other. Whether scrolling on a phone or desktop computer, a strong internet connection can have quite the impact on someone’s love life. Who knew?

Rebecca Williams, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Inland Empire Couples Counseling, stated, “Social media often plays a role in couples getting together or getting to know each other during the dating period. Sometimes it is the source of laughter, conversation topics, or couples connecting around things they both care about.”

To find out for ourselves, the CenturyLinkQuote team surveyed over 1,000 Americans, asking how social media impacts their relationship. 50% of respondents said social media makes them feel closer to their partner.

Methodology

To learn how social media affects romantic relationships, the experts here at CenturyLinkQuote surveyed 1,110 people over the age of 18 who were in a relationship at the time of the survey. The survey consisted of questions about general details of the relationship, and how the subject regarded social media in their own romantic situations.

What We Learned

Interestingly, the results of our survey pinpointed more positives than negatives concerning social media and relationships. This may be thanks to the typical platform’s multifaceted nature and endless amount of content including videos, articles, and Buzzfeed quizzes. Where there’s a good cat video, there’s bound to be a couple that shares it with each other. Here are some other interesting things we learned from the survey:

• 75% of respondents said social media sparks interesting conversations with their partner.
• 75% of respondents confirmed that social media helps them relive memories with their partner. 
• 54% of respondents claimed that social media makes it easier to communicate with a long-distance partner.

Rebecca Williams also weighed in on the effect social media has on long-distance relationships, commenting, “Social media can potentially be a real positive for long-distance relationships as it gives convenient ways to keep in touch and to keep up with what the other person is doing.”

Williams also shared advice for couples on how to have a healthy relationship with their social media platforms. “When you are physically together, be together,” she said. “Don’t use social media to get other people on your side during an argument. Use it as a tool. Take what you see online and use it as a conversation starter in real time with your partner.”

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