November 10, 2011
With increased access to broadband networks, a proliferation of WiFi
sites and a burgeoning smartphone market, it is little surprise that
residents of six countries in Southeast Asia are going online with
gusto. But what is really raising eyebrows is the fact that in some of
these countries Internet usage is now surpassing traditional media such
as TV, radio or print.
Nielsen’s new Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report
examined the digital media habits and attitudes of consumers in
Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Singaporeans led the region in online usage, spending more than a day
(25 hours) online each week, while Filipinos and Malaysians came close
behind, spending 21.5 hours and 19.8 hours a week online, respectively.
Indonesians trailed the region, spending an average of 14 hours per
week.
“The increasing availability and uptake of Internet-capable mobile
devices is driving the surge in digital media usage across the region
and bringing about considerable changes in the way media is consumed,”
said Melanie Ingrey, APMEA Region Research Director. “More and more,
consumers are accessing multiple media platforms simultaneously, such as
accessing the Internet while watching TV.”
While PCs continue to be the primary way to access the Internet,
smartphones are on track to supplant them: in four of the six SEA
countries, ownership of mobile devices equals or exceeds owner ship of
PCs, either desktop or laptop. In Indonesia, for example, more than
three-quarters (78%) of consumers owned Internet-capable mobile phones
compared to just 29 percent who owned notebook computers or 31 percent
with desktops. Tablets are just starting to make their mark in the
region, but they are likely to show rapid growth in several countries in
the region in the year ahead.
Reading and sending email was the most popular activity for netizens
in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand, while reading news was
the favourite digital activity in Vietnam and Indonesia. Accessing
social networks ranked in the top five activities for all of the
countries except in Vietnam, with Facebook dominating the landscape in
Indonesia, where 90 percent said that they maintained an active profile
on the site, which was also popular in the Philippines and Malaysia.
Facebook does not enjoy the same penetration in Thailand or Vietnam,
however, with competitors such as 4Shared and Zing having significant
popularity. YouTube ranked as one of the top five most popular sites in
all six countries.
As in other parts of the world, social networking sites have become
an increasingly important way for consumers to connect with the brands
they like. In the Philippines, nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents
said they interacted with brands, products or companies via social
media, while 60 percent of Malaysians and 56 percent of Singaporeans did
the same.
Online engagement with brands is particularly important for consumers
in making purchase decisions, with vast majorities of consumers in four
of the six countries (Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand)
indicating that they read product reviews online. Majorities in those
countries also post their own reviews of products and services
purchased.
“Social media platforms offer myriad opportunities for organizations
to engage with consumers, and it is becoming an increasingly critical
means of influencing consumer decision making,” noted Ingrey. “As
Southeast Asian digital consumers are becoming more familiar and
comfortable using social media, their level of participation is also
increasing. A significant proportion of consumers visit online
discussion forums at least monthly and many are now starting to take an
active role in these online discussions.”
Online advertising is still in its infancy in the region, with
Singapore leading the way in terms of proportion of total ad spend in
the channel at 6.9 percent; in Malaysia and Thailand, the figure is less
than one percent. Digital consumers in Vietnam indicated the highest
positivity toward online ads, while those in Thailand were less
receptive. As always, creating ads that are relevant to the needs and
interests of individual consumers is critical to gaining their interest.
“Online activity is only going to increase in the years ahead as more
consumers obtain smartphones, and 3G and broadband access become more
common and affordable. Marketers would be well-advised to examine how
they can fully leverage these trends through innovative, creative and
most importantly, relevant ad executions,” said Ingrey.
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/surging-internet-usage-in-southeast-asia-reshaping-the-media-landscape/
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