Each year brings huge changes in social media, and 2016 was no exception. Here are five social stats from 2016 that will take you by surprise.
No. 1. Social Commerce Makes Up 30% of Digital Sales in Southeast Asia
In the US, social commerce is basically a non-starter. Despite years of trying, it just hasn’t taken off. But in Southeast Asia, it’s a different story. Bain & Co. predicted that 30% of digital sales in the region would come via social networks. Although eMarketer predicts that total ecommerce sales in southeast Asia will amount to only $14 billion this year, the region is well-suited to ecommerce because of its youthful population and high adoption of both smartphones and social networks. Get more details about social commerce in Southeast Asia.
No. 2. More Than a Quarter of the World Will Use Mobile Messaging Apps by 2019
Mobile phone messaging apps have become the de facto social network for many people around the world, and their use is rapidly moving toward a majority activity in some markets. In fact, in South Korea, more than half of the entire population used messaging apps, and several European markets are expected to tip past 50% soon. By 2019, eMarketer forecasts that 25.2% of world’s population will be using messaging apps. That’s a lot of emoji. Learn more about the growth of mobile messaging.
No. 3. Snapchat Ad Revenues Will Reach Nearly $1 Billion in 2017
After weathering criticism of its initial ad offerings, Snapchat is poised for explosive growth in ad revenues in the coming years, according to eMarketer’s first forecast of ad revenues for the social platform. Worldwide, it will generate $366.69 million in ad revenues this year, with that figure jumping to $935.46 million in 2017. Right now, the vast majority of its ad revenues are US-based, but that will change quickly. By 2018, we expect 25% of its ad revenues to come from other markets. Find out more about our Snapchat ad revenue forecast.
No. 4. Twitter Has an Ardent, Young User Base in Japan
Homegrown social network Line may be the platform of choice for social users in Japan overall, but Twitter has won over a key user group in that market: the young. According to Colopl, nearly 80% of girls in Japan age 10-19 have a Twitter account. The figure is almost as high for boys of that age. Read up on Twitter’s Japanese usership.
No. 5. BlackBerry Messenger Is Still a Player
BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM, has lost much of its user base, but in at least one market it is still a major presence—Indonesia. According to GfK data, BBM had the highest reach of all Android smartphone apps in the country, at 90%. Learn more about Indonesia’s evolving social messaging space.