People are spending less time online but more time on social

Online behaviours are changing again, with people around the world cutting their average daily internet use post-pandemic, even as they up the amount of time they spend on social media so it now exceeds the time spent watching broadcast and cable TV. 

That’s according to Digital 2023, the latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide from socially-led creative agency We Are Social and social and media intelligence firm Meltwater.

Key stats 

• Average daily internet use has declined almost 5% over the past year and now stands at 6 hours 37 minutes.
• Average time spent on social platforms has increased to more than 2.5 hours per day — 40 minutes more than the time spent watching broadcast and cable TV.
• 16- to 34-year-olds are now more likely to visit a social network when looking for information about brands than they are to use a search engine (48% vs. 45%). 
• Half of the world’s social media users say that they actively visit social platforms to learn more about brands and see their content. 
• The rise of TikTok search has grabbed headlines but the latest data suggest that Instagram is social media users’ preferred destination when researching things. 
• TikTok tops the global list of social media platforms when it comes to time spent per user on Android devices, followed by YouTube and Facebook.

Why it matters 

The study suggests that people are looking for more purposeful internet use, with a focus on quality over quantity. That seems debatable given the rise of algorithmically-powered platforms like TikTok; but it’s certainly the case that they’re spending more time on social, the platforms they use are changing, and how they use them in relation to brands is also shifting. 

Marketers have to better understand the role of different social platforms in the customer journey and deliver relevant content that can capture attention and engagement, both there and in other digital channels. 

Sourced from We Are Social