Social media use is changing – less time, more voice notes

The average daily time spent on social media has declined globally for just the second time in over 10 years, according to a new report from GWI, which also highlights how a younger generation is using platforms differently.

Social: Behind the Screens, based on responses from more than 970,000 consumers around the world, reveals that the average time spent using social networks per day decreased in 36 of 48 markets tracked over the past year.

Why it matters

Daily use in most regions has actually changed little in the past three years and any pandemic-related increase has largely levelled out. That suggests usage has peaked and brands should now be more focused on how and where users spend their time. 

For example, WhatsApp remains the world’s favourite social media platform, but the number of consumers citing TikTok as their preferred social media platform has doubled in the last two years. 

And as a younger generation embraces voice notes, brands may need to consider how best to incorporate this format into their marketing.

Takeaways 

• Keeping in touch with friends and family continues to be the most popular reason for using social media (54%).
• A significant proportion of consumers (27%) also use social platforms to catch up on news headlines. (The number of Western TikTokers using the platform to keep up to date with the news has jumped by 41% in two years.) 
• Consumers are also leaning on social media platforms to discover what’s trending/being talked about (22%); the number of consumers turning to TikTok for information about products and brands has risen 52%. 
• Gen Z discovers products on social media more than it does on search engines, and millennials aren’t far behind.
• Consumers are increasingly sending voice notes instead of making phone calls; Gen Z is 28% more likely than older generations to send voice notes daily.

The big idea

There’s an element of tech fatigue setting in, leading to people becoming more intentional about how they utilise social media. 

Sourced from GWI