As one of the fastest growing regions in the world, Southeast Asia has a population of over 650 million and is experiencing an explosive growth in the use of social media. Their unique geographical location and cultural background have fostered a series of unique social media ecosystems, and these social media platforms are also a battleground for many cross-border merchants to conduct brand marketing. In this market with increasing Internet penetration, it is crucial to understand the characteristics of these social media platforms and make use of them for brand marketing. This article will deeply analyze the current status of social media use in Southeast Asian countries and gain an in-depth understanding of the most commonly used social media platforms in various regions of Southeast Asia.
Indonesia
As of January 2024, Indonesia has 185.3 million internet users, with an internet penetration rate of 66.5%; 75% of internet users (regardless of age) use at least one social media platform.
1. Dominant platforms: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Telegram have a very high user base in Indonesia and have become the main platforms for daily social interactions. These five platforms meet the user needs of a wide range of Indonesian users by providing rich social and entertainment content.
2. Local Forum: Kaskus, as the largest local online community in Indonesia, demonstrates a strong demand for localized content and is also an important venue for local cultural expression.
3. Large scale of e-commerce: According to reports, the scale of Indonesia's e-commerce is expected to reach US$62 billion in 2023, making it the largest e-commerce market in Southeast Asia.
the Philippines
As of January 2024, there are 86.98 million Internet users in the Philippines, with an Internet penetration rate of 73.6%; 99.7% of Internet users (regardless of age) use at least one social media platform.
1. Dominant Platforms: The top five social media platforms in the Philippines are Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, and X (Twitter). Facebook is the most popular social platform in the Philippines.
2. Local forums: There are some smaller community forums in the Philippines, such as PinoyExchange and SkyscraperCity's Philippine sub-forum, which may be popular among specific interest groups. However, in comparison, the user base and influence of these forums are not as large as those of major social media platforms.
3. High proportion of young people: The average age of the Philippines is 25.1 years old, and the proportion of people under 35 years old is as high as 64.1%, which is the highest proportion of young people among these Southeast Asian countries. TikTok is the most popular software among the younger generation in the Philippines, attracting a large number of young users with its short videos and high interactive nature.
Thailand
As of January 2024, there are 63.21 million Internet users in Thailand, with an Internet penetration rate of 88%; 77.7% of Internet users (regardless of age) use at least one social media platform.
1. Mainstream platforms: The top five social media platforms in Thailand are Facebook, LINE, WhatsApp, TikTok and Instagram, among which Facebook and LINE dominate social media in Thailand. Facebook is widely used for social networking and brand marketing, while LINE is popular among Thai users for its instant messaging function and sticker culture.
2. Local forum: Pantip is an online community popular among Thai users, where users discuss various topics such as entertainment and daily life.
3. Social e-commerce is developing well: Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, more consumers are gradually accepting the idea of conducting business directly as a retailer on social media platforms or using social media as a platform for promotion. The popularity of social e-commerce in Thailand is growing steadily year by year. Merchants who want to enter the Thai market can try this track.
Vietnam
As of January 2024, there are 78.44 million Internet users in Vietnam, with an Internet penetration rate of 79.1%; 92.7% of Internet users (regardless of age) use at least one social media platform.
1. Mainstream platforms: The five major social media platforms in Vietnam are Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, Messenger and Instagram. Zalo is a local instant messaging application in Vietnam with a huge local user base, equivalent to WeChat in our country.
2. Local forums: For example, VOZ Forum (vozForums) is very popular among Vietnamese netizens. It is a discussion platform for technology and life topics. In addition, Lotus is an emerging social networking platform supported by the Vietnamese government and is also a forum that Vietnamese users love to use recently.
3. Positive government attitude: Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, the Vietnamese government is more active in the management and participation of social media, and many platforms can receive government support. However, the Vietnamese government's supervision of Internet content is relatively stricter than other Southeast Asian countries.
Malaysia
As of January 2024, Malaysia's total population is 34.49 million, an increase of 367,000 (+1.1%) from 2023. There are 33.59 million Internet users, with an Internet penetration rate of 97.4%.
1. Mainstream platforms: The top five social media platforms in Malaysia are WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and Messenger.
2. Local Forum: Lowyat Forum is one of the largest online forums in Malaysia, covering multiple fields such as technology, finance and life.
3. Multilingualism: Malaysian social media users often use multiple languages on their platforms, including Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil, a language diversity that is less common in other regions.
Aggregate information from multiple social media platforms in Southeast Asia
As an omnichannel customer communication platform, SaleSmartly allows users to manage customer interactions from multiple channels such as Livechat, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, Line, Email, WeChat, etc. in a centralized interface.
When operating in the Southeast Asian market, facing messages from customers on multiple social media channels, SaleSmartly can ensure that we can communicate seamlessly with these potential customers. No matter which channel they choose to contact the brand, we can respond extremely quickly and ultimately convert more potential customers into loyal customers.
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