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Generative AI is everywhere now. You see it in content, campaigns, customer experiences, and even internal workflows. It promises speed, scale, and efficiency, but there’s a harder question sitting underneath all that progress; Do your audiences actually trust it?

Trust in the Age of AI: What Consumers Really Think About AI Generated Content

Today, PR teams aren’t just tracking media coverage and share of voice. They’re also measuring how their brand shows up in AI-generated answers, search summaries, and large language models (LLMs). This new LLM visibility layer is quickly becoming a critical part of PR performance.

15 Must-Have PR KPIs and How to Track Them

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIN to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.
Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?
The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

What Is Data Analytics? [Beginner’s Guide 2023]
How can I grow my business? 
How do customers interact with my newly launched product?
How do I increase the productivity of my employees?
How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?
We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.
So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.
But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!
But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.
We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

In this guide, we want to give you a peek into the definition of social media management, the daily schedule of a social media manager, social media platforms to promote your business, and the do’s & don’ts of social media management.
Are you ready to begin the journey of becoming a social media superstar?

On our social media management category page, you find blogs about social media management topics. Build and manage your online community.

Social Media Management Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

Your social media strategy doesn’t end with posting content and watching the likes and shares roll in. At some point, you need to step back from your campaigns and see how well you’re performing. That’s where social media reporting comes into play.

Social media analytics tools are essential for tracking your engagement, activities, and other important metrics. Some tools go a step further — compiling metrics and insights into presentation-ready, easy-to-understand reports. 

With comprehensive and consistent social reporting you can answer deeper-level questions about your performance, make decisions on how to improve, and illustrate how social media is contributing toward your wider business goals.

Read on for an all-in-one guide on how to use social media reporting in your strategy. 

Don't forget to download the ultimate guide to social media reporting and use our social media report template below to start implementing these reporting tips!

What Metrics Should You Include in Your Social Media Report?

How to Summarize & Present Your Social Media Reporting (free sample template)

Social media reporting is defined as using analytics to create reports regarding your social media campaigns and activity. 

Here's a quick overview of some of the data and metrics a social report can include:

Engagement metrics like shares, likes, comments, etc.

The actual items in your report may vary by social channels. Each platform has its own set of built-in analytics that track activity on your behalf. You can run reports in each of your social platforms to see which platform is the most valuable to your social strategy.

But checking individual platforms analytics can be time consuming and cumbersome — which isn't exactly sustainable as you scale your social program.

Let’s say you share your latest blog post on your Facebook page. You notice it gets a few likes and shares. Now, let’s say you share another blog the next week and it gets even more likes and shares than the first one. Why is the second post out-performing the first?

Is it because more people saw the second post? Did you gain some new followers since last week? Was it a more intriguing blog title?

The best way to answer these and other questions is to run a social media report on your key social media metrics.

Social media reports collect and compile the data behind your social marketing efforts. They provide quantitative insights, such as the number of mentions, engagement rate, and audience size. They can also give you qualitative data, such as your most popular content and brand sentiment analysis.

Reports are the difference between knowing with confidence how your campaigns and marketing strategy are performing versus going on a hunch. 

If you’re an agency, your clients want to see what you’re accomplishing on their behalf. You can present them with a social media metrics report demonstrating how you’re helping them achieve their goals.

Or if you’re working on an in-house team, reports can show your boss exactly what you’re doing on the company's social media channels. You can analyze reports to see where you’re doing well and where you can improve.

With up-to-date social media data in hand, you can make better use of your time, budget, and energy and leave much of the guesswork behind. 

Tip: A social media report may also help you answer questions like, "What is the best time to post on social media?" or "How is cross-posting impacting my social engagement?". 

Before you can start leveraging social reporting, you first need to consider which metrics you want to measure. Social media managers don’t create reports because they look nice — it’s what’s in those reports that matters most.

Let’s look at some things to consider including in a social media report:

What are the use-cases of the report? You might want to measure the in-depth performance of a specific campaign, high-level engagement on LinkedIn, or how many new followers you get on Instagram. You might want to look at real-time data or short-term vs long-term gains. Focus on metrics that support your goals so that non-essential details don’t get in the way.

What time period are you covering? You can generate a weekly report, quarterly report, or look at progress month-over-month. Or, you might want a longer report that covers your all-time stats.

Who is the report for? Just like creating content for your target audience, your social reports should be tailored to the person who needs to know what you’re sharing. If it’s your marketing manager, they’re likely familiar with the metrics and analytics terms. If it’s for a boss who doesn’t spend much time with social media marketing, you may need to spell out the role and importance of certain metrics.

What do you need to measure? Circle back to the goal of the report and think about the quantitative and qualitative metrics that support your goal. For example, if you’re running a campaign to increase sales, then you might look at sign-ups, audience growth, post reach, and click-through rates. On the other hand, if your goal is to get new email subscribers, looking at new followers wouldn’t be relevant.

Once you know what metrics and KPIs to measure, you can start creating your social media report.

Note: The metrics you focus on in your report may vary based on the objective of the report. For example, a social listening report can help you determine how your content, brand, and campaigns are being perceived online, which is very different than a social media report analyzing your content's performance.

Let’s look at social media reporting through the lens of each platform’s analytics:

Facebook Page Insights and Audience Insights

Facebook offers two types of analytics: Page Insights and Audience Insights.

Facebook Page Insights offer engagement-related metrics, such as post clicks, comments, views, post reach, and video views.

Audience Insights shares more information about your audience as well as the Facebook population at large. You can drill down into metrics like age, gender, geographic location, education, interests, and other useful data.

Both can be helpful as you’re planning your content marketing and ad campaigns. Use these reports for market research to learn more about the people you’re targeting.

Because Facebook owns Instagram, you can track paid ads on Instagram through the Facebook Ads Manager. In addition, Instagram has its own set of analytics. Get insight into metrics like:

Click-through rates to a landing page or website

Number of unique users that have seen your posts

Similar to Facebook, Instagram also offers Audience Insights. Learn more about your audience demographics, such as age, location, gender, and times of day when your followers are most active.

Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels also offer analytics to track audience reach, impressions, and more.

Twitter Analytics offers basic insight into your content’s performance, such as:

Ad campaign performance and conversion tracking

As with other social media analytics tools, you can use these details to drive your user-generated content program and inform your social publishing strategies to appeal to the right people.

LinkedIn offers built-in analytics for business pages. Some of the metrics provided include:

Engagement metrics such as clicks, comments, and shares

One of the more unique aspects of analytics on LinkedIn is the content suggestions. The platform will recommend types of content to create to increase engagement. This can be very useful information to publish in a social media marketing report. 

Many marketers choose to create separate reports for each of their social networks. This allows you to separate your social media metrics by platform so you can judge each one’s performance individually.

Once you have your data, it’s time to put it together into a clean, usable format and share it with the right people.

Here’s a helpful format you can follow that captures all the details in a logical flow:

Starting with a simple summary that shares engagement, follower change, and impressions by channel is a great introduction to a social media report. From here you can present your hypotheses, insights, and takeaways based on what the numbers say. 

Other overview slides that are useful to include in your intro include: paid, earned, owned performance, brand mentions report, and brand tracking report.

The intro presents the numbers. Then you need to present the why behind the numbers, what they mean and how they will influence the strategy going forward. Here you can also talk about any wins, accomplishments, or learnings. 

You could also dive into the results of various experiments you're currently running on social, such as specific hashtags or using more of a particular post style to see if it generates more engagement from your followers.

Whenever possible, including charts, graphs, or other visuals to help tell your story. Take screenshots of your analytics dashboards to make your report more compelling.

Try to include some actionable takeaways from the report. Talk about ways you might improve your efforts in future campaigns. For example, if you notice that engagement on Instagram has really taken off, you might consider allocating more resources to advertising on Instagram next time.

To help you get started with your social reporting, we developed this template to help you capture essential metrics. Download the free template.

To truly take your reporting to the next level you may want to consider using a social media management platform that can automate your reporting. 

With templated dashboards, as well as customizable dashboards, that can be downloaded or shared via email, a solution like Meltwater can eliminate the work of manual reporting — giving your more time back in your day to optimize your social media strategy. 

Get in touch by filling out the form below to demo our social media reporting and analytics available. 

Complete Guide to Social Media Reporting

The Met Gala is one of the biggest nights in fashion and entertainment, especially when it comes to online discussion. Bringing together the biggest celebrities in the world, dressed by the biggest luxury brands in the world, the event is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This year’s theme was “The Garden of Time” in reference to the Met’s current exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” We used our consumer intelligence solution to uncover the biggest insights and takeaways from the event. 

Interested in digging in for yourself? Check out a snapshot of social data from this year’s Met Gala in our exclusive insights dashboard.

The biggest day for the Met Gala is the day after

Conversations about the Met Gala jumped markedly on May 6, the day of the event, but they really surged on May 7. That morning, there were already more than 2.2 million posts about it, which racked up more than 65.7 million engagement actions. 

Nevertheless, the three most engaging pieces of content mentioning the Met Gala were posted the day of and the day before. The second- and third-most engaged posts focused on fan favorite looks, Mindy Kaling’s swirling dress by Gaurav Gupta and Chadwick Boseman’s Versace suit from his attendance in 2019. Together, they generated more than 645,000 engagement actions and counting. However, the post that got the most engagement features a look that wasn’t even at the event. 

This post on X, featuring an AI-generated image pulled from Katy Perry’s Instagram account, generated more than 348,000 engagement actions as of the morning of May 7.

Stray Kids helped Tommy Hilfiger score big on social

This year, Tommy Hilfiger unexpectedly beat out maisons like Margiela and Burberry to be the most visible brand on the carpet. This was due to its partnership with K-pop boy band Stray Kids. All eight members, attending as Tommy Hilfiger’s guests, were dressed in Tommy as they became the first K-pop band to attend the Met Gala as a group.

The innovative move highlights how luxury brands can leverage stardom and dedicated, global fan bases at high-profile events.

As the chart above shows, Margiela scored the furthest reach of the featured brands, and it’s all thanks to Zendaya. Not only was she the most-talked-about host of the night, but mentions of her also generated more engagement actions than those of any other individual celebrity.

Before the event began, the actor was already one of the most anticipated attendees of the night. Her appearance capped off two long, fashion-forward press tours for her films Dune 2 and Challengers, and she rose to the occasion in not one but two Margiela gowns. Both looks, and her outfit change, drove the conversation.

The second most talked about co-host of the night was Bad Bunny, who also wore a custom Margiela look. However, by sentiment, Jennifer Lopez, who wore a Schiaparelli gown, was the runner-up co-host.

Our analysis found that hats and headpieces, or the lack thereof, were the most talked about accessories of the event, beating out jewelry, watches, and bags. For example, Bad Bunny and Zendaya’s Margiela headwear generated a lot of buzz, as did Sarah Jessica Parker’s sculptural headpiece by Philip Treacy. 

Notably, Schiaparelli generated the most headwear buzz by not having any at all in its look for Jennifer Lopez. The farthest-reaching content mentioning Schiaparelli and headwear was an allure.com article titled, “Only Jennifer Lopez Could Get Away with Wearing a Messy Bun to the Met Gala.”

Smaller brands generated the most conversations about the theme

Each year, celebrities and the brands that dress them are judged for how well they embodied the gala theme. This year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” and dress code, “The Garden of Time,” was interpreted in many imaginative ways, but no brand was mentioned in relation more than Loewe. 

The brand, which was also a co-sponsor of the event, dressed multiple attendees, including Anna Wintour and Ariana Grande. Still, Loewe mentions only accounted for 9.7% of the overall conversation about brands and the theme, while 17.9% mentioned brands outside of the top 20 analyzed. For example, Loewe’s white lace floral dress for brand ambassador Greta Lee was a popular, on-theme look from the night, but so was Doja Cat’s wet T-shirt dress by Vetements, which took the theme in an innovative direction by highlighting “the world’s most-used flower… cotton.” 

Compare this brand spread to last year’s when Chanel came out on top, as expected, with 27.2% SOV. The 2023 gala theme honored designer Karl Lagerfeld, who was the artistic director of Chanel from 1982 until his death in 2019. This year’s numbers may suggest that many designers had a harder time interpreting “The Garden of Time” or ignored it altogether. 

Many more topics emerged from Met Gala 2024, including the presence of jewelry producers and how topics like sustainability and inclusion fared against geopolitics. Dive into the data first-hand with our exclusive insights dashboard. 

Looking to get tailored insights into the retail sector? See how with a demo of the Meltwater Suite.

The Met Gala 2024: A Social Media Deep Dive

Note: This blog is based on the Global Digital Report 2024 – produced in partnership with Meltwater and We Are Social. See Simon Kemp's article about The Changing World of Digital in 2024. Download the Global Digital Report 2024 and the Global Digital Report 2023 for free.

In today's digital age, marketers, influencers, and organizations must grasp their audience’s online usage dynamics to make an impression. This article will examine the changing trends and user behaviors influencing Malaysia's digital environment by reviewing its social media statistics over the previous year.

Our main focus this year is to look at how Malaysians are becoming reliant on social media for everything from personal relationships to doing business and sharing information. The ever-increasing popularity of social media sites like TikTok demonstrates how our culture is becoming more wired and tech-savvy. By delving into Malaysia's social media statistics, we will discover how these platforms transform into digital marketing and ecommerce industry leaders and their traditional role as communication facilitators.

Keep an eye out for our Global Digital Report 2024, which covers all the bases, including the present state of social media in Malaysia and its changing trends. Whether your goal is to enhance your digital presence or gain an understanding of Malaysia's digital scene, this article will provide you with the tools you need to succeed in the country's dynamic social media landscape.

Social media usage statistics in Malaysia

What's ahead for social media in Malaysia in 2024?

In 2024, Malaysia has shown a willingness to embrace digital connection, as seen by the general social media statistics from the previous year. The country's overall population has grown to 34.49 million, and digital usage is seeing a consistent increase year after year. Connectivity has become essential in Malaysian life, as seen by the 1.1% growth in online engagement to 97.4% of the population. In addition, the number of social media user identities has increased by 20%, with a current total of 28.68 million people actively maintaining a social media presence.

The minor rise in cellular mobile connections, currently at 44.55 million, comprising 129.2% of the country's total population, shows the significance of mobile connectivity in Malaysians' daily lives.

Among internet users between the ages of 16 and 64, 98.5% own a mobile device, an increase of 0.9% from the previous year, representing near-universal mobile phone ownership. Desktop computers and laptops continue to be common, with 69.3% of users having one or more devices, up 1% from the previous year. These constant increases further demonstrate the significance of popular gadgets for gaining access to the internet and social media. 

A noteworthy trend to observe is the rapid expansion of smart gadgets. The ownership of smart watches or wristbands increased by 5.1%, the use of TV streaming devices by 15.4%, and the adoption of smart home devices by 8.6%. The increasing number of linked smart gadgets in Malaysian households gives residents more power and ease of use, and it's clear that the country's residents are becoming increasingly in tune with more interconnected and advanced forms of technology.

Looking at the bigger picture of Malaysian social media statistics in 2024, we see that internet and social media usage have been two constants regarding the country's media consumption. The average time Malaysians spend online has increased by 2.5% over the previous year, reaching 8 hours and 17 minutes. Around a quarter of this online time is spent on social media, with users spending an average of 2 hours and 48 minutes daily on these sites—a 0.7% increase. Although not significant increases, these figures represent Malaysians' steady presence on the internet over the previous year.

Various forms of media consumption have decreased, in contrast to the slight increase in internet and social media use. Specifically, television and radio have seen 9.4% and 13.8% decreases, respectively; there has also been a 4.4% decline in podcast engagement, indicating a change in content consumption habits in digital platforms.

Discovering what draws Malaysians to the internet and social media will be the next step in delving deeper into Malaysia's online landscape. Looking closely at these social media statistics will help us understand which platforms are popular and what kind of content is popular with Malaysians, enabling us to navigate the country's move towards digitalization.

Key internet usage statistics point to a steadily connected Malaysia in 2024, where internet use has been constant. In 2024, 97.4% of Malaysians have access to the internet, making up 33.59 million people, the same amount of internet users from the prior year.

The average daily use duration is 8 hours and 17 minutes, a rise in internet usage time compared to the previous year, increasing by 2.5% or an extra 11 minutes daily. One factor that may be attributed to this slight increase in time spent on the internet might be related to the improved internet speeds across Malaysia.

Looking more closely at these now-lightning-fast internet speeds, we find that the median download speed for mobile internet connections is 66.64 Mbps and the median upload speed is 18.25 Mbps, which have increased by 83.4% and 77.5% respectively from last year. Meanwhile, the median download speeds for fixed internet connections are 112.21 Mbps, and the upload speeds are 55.49 Mbps, which are gains of 22.6% and 8.8%, respectively. Increased internet speed has significantly improved the user experience, making online tasks quicker and more pleasurable. With its recently upgraded internet infrastructure, Malaysia's citizens can access reliable, lightning-fast internet connections.

A review of Malaysians' daily internet use statistics finds that a significant portion of their time online, 4 hours and 37 minutes, is spent on mobile phones versus 3 hours and 40 minutes on laptops and tablets. This usage split shows that mobile devices are a primary means of accessing the internet for people in Malaysia, representing 55.8% of daily online time.

When we look at why most Malaysians use the internet, finding out more information is at the top of the list for 78.3% of users. As we'll discuss later, Malaysian companies are seeing a rise in digital advertisements spend to reach Malaysians, who are most likely to seek the promoted information. On top of that, the tech-savvy Malaysian audience uses the internet's abundance of tools to do extensive product research before buying anything, prompting businesses to adjust their online presence to better serve customers who do extensive research before making purchases. 

Keeping up to date with news and events is also a primary reason Malaysian users aged 16 to 64 use the internet, as 68.3% of Malaysians are online. Just as important is keeping in touch with friends and family, with 68.2% of users maintaining social connections through the many social networks the Malaysians engage in daily. 

Given the percentage of online users to find information, Malaysian consumers are highly reliant on their digital devices and rely heavily on the web to make well-informed decisions, as we can see from our exploration of the country's internet use patterns. To successfully engage the Malaysian market, online advertising tactics must consider this when planning your digital marketing strategies.

Examining Malaysia's social media usage statistics for 2024 reveals that 28.68 million people, or 83.1% of the country's population, have a social media identity. An extra 4.8 million user identities have joined social media in the last year, contributing to this figure's surge of 20% from the previous year. This number has also increased significantly in the short term, with quarterly growth showing an additional 1.9 million accounts joining the digital population, at a 7.1% increase.

Users still spend an average of 2 hours and 48 minutes each day engaging with social media, up 1 minute from last year, but otherwise, it stays largely constant. Since this consistency is present, there is a well-established pattern of social media use among Malaysians. Examining the breakdown by gender among social media users reveals that 55.7% of all social media user identities are male, suggesting that men in Malaysia are slightly more active online than women.

These numbers demonstrate the growing influence of social media in Malaysia and show that marketers and brands have an excellent opportunity to reach a large and consistently active audience. Digital marketing and online initiatives find a lively market in Malaysia, thanks to the country's growing online population that is actively engaged in its social media ecosystem.

Social media's ability to bring people together has become fundamental to maintaining connections in Malaysia. Among Malaysians, maintaining personal relationships is the top reason for utilizing social media, as keeping in touch with friends and loved ones is the priority of 57.6% of its users. This shows up in their platform selections and the kind of social media profiles they follow, with 57% of users following individuals they know on social platforms. To that end, 26.8% of users choose WhatsApp - Malaysians' favorite social media platform - which brings everything together regarding connection with friends and loved ones.

These choices make clear the importance of interpersonal relationships in Malaysians' digital habits, suggesting a significant desire for social media to serve as a means of connection between loved ones, regardless of location.

When it comes to other reasons Malaysians are on social media, 57.5% use social media in their free time, suggesting a growing tendency towards utilizing these platforms for fun and relaxation. Another essential reason to use social media is to read news stories, with 44.4% of Malaysians using these platforms to stay up to speed on current events.

When looking at the kinds of accounts Malaysians follow online, actors, comedians, and other entertainers' accounts are enjoyed by 37.8% of all Malaysian social media users. In addition, 35.2% of users in Malaysia follow accounts belonging to restaurants, chefs, or food celebrities. Another notable category of accounts being followed is bands, singers, and other musicians, followed by 35.1% of social media users. The wide variety of interests among Malaysians, from entertainers to foodies, is evident in the kinds of accounts watched closely by the Malaysian online user base.

Also, among Malaysia's most popular social media sites are TikTok, which is loved by 21.9% of users for its engaging short-form video content, and Facebook, which has captured 18.8% as a mainstay of social media for its all-around uses. Instagram is also a popular social media platform in Malaysia and is the favorite app for 14% of Malaysian users.

These numbers show how social media platforms benefit Malaysians in many ways, from keeping in touch with friends and family to keeping up with current events and finding entertainment.

Tip: Check out the top 20 Instagram influencers in Malaysia, the top TikTok influencers in Malaysia, and the top food influencers in Malaysia.

The most used social media platforms in Malaysia in 2024, according to social media statistics, provide us with a glimpse of the country's tastes regarding digital connection - as we just discussed, interaction with friends and family is essential for Malaysians' online lives. This is supported by the fact that WhatsApp is the most used social media app among users aged 16 and 64, with 90.7% using it monthly. By a wide margin, with 852 sessions, WhatsApp tops all social media apps in terms of monthly use,  over TikTok, the app that users access second most often at 368.4 sessions.

There are many platforms in Malaysia's social media landscape that users choose to suit their requirements and tastes. Facebook, which is still an integral part of Malaysians' social media diet after WhatsApp, is used by 84.9% of users, while Instagram follows with 77% of users. TikTok had a considerable influence on the social media landscape, appealing to the generation that is content-hungry and capturing 68.8% of users - and as we're about to discuss, TikTok is the social media platform that Malaysians use for the most extended amount of time each month.

When we switch gears and look at how much time Malaysians spend on different social media sites each month, we find that TikTok has the highest monthly interaction with the audience in terms of time spent. Users stay engaged on the site for 38 hours and 49 minutes per month thanks to its ability to deliver personalized content consistently via its short-form, algorithm-boosted content. This reflects a larger digital landscape trend, where users constantly gravitate towards fresh, engaging material for amusement and a sense of community.

The amount of time that Malaysians spend in front of screens each month is also heavily influenced by other platforms, as with an average of 35 hours and 34 minutes each month, YouTube is the second most popular app in Malaysia, drawing in a large number of users who like watching videos for leisure. Facebook, which remains a center for connection with others and news browsing, comes afterward with users committing 17 hours and 20 minutes to the network.

WhatsApp may have more users than any other app each month, but its usage time of only 16 hours and 4 minutes shows that it is more of a tool for interacting with others than an entertainment platform. Rounding out some of the more popular media platforms in Malaysia, Instagram users spend 8 hours and 46 minutes a month on the app, which shows how popular it is as a way to share photos and connect with others.

More than simply software, these social media platforms are online spaces where Malaysians interact, share, and connect through relevant material in their everyday lives. In Malaysia, these social media platforms significantly impact people's daily lives, including their communication habits, content consumption routines, and recreational pursuits.

Looking at the social media data for Malaysia in 2024 by platform reveals a trend when it comes to the effectiveness of Facebook ads. The social media platform's ad reach increased by 10.4% in the last 12 months, giving advertisers access to 22.35 million prospective customers. Even more impressive is that Facebook advertisements reach 64.8% of Malaysia's population. This is only 0.7% lower than the number of ads that reach internet users in the country, suggesting that nearly all of Malaysia on the internet is exposed to Facebook ads. 

We see that 95.8% of the male population aged 18+ may be reached via Facebook advertisements, indicating that Facebook has a sizable male audience. Additionally, when comparing the platform's ad reach by its demographics, the number of males targeted by ads outnumber women, as 55.2% of all advertising targets men. 

In Malaysia, TikTok has surpassed all other social media platforms in terms of user engagement and ad reach and has arguably become the most popular platform in the country overall. In comparison to the previous year, TikTok has seen a significant rise of 48.6%, which corresponds to an extra 9.4 million users that can be targeted. With this, the total number of people who might see ads on TikTok is 28.68 million.

With 83.1% of the population exposed to the platform's ads, it reaches a sizable audience, especially among those adept at using the internet. Furthermore, the platform's 85.4% ad reach compared to total internet users is even more remarkable; with this figure, TikTok engages the great majority of online users in Malaysia.

These statistics show that TikTok has become Malaysia's key social media platform for digital marketing efforts. In addition to its strong ad reach growth and monthly exposure to Malaysian social media users, TikTok is an influential fixture in Malaysians' social media routines, making it an essential point of contact for marketers trying to target the country's dynamic demographic.

Tip: Take a look at the top TikTok influencers in Malaysia to find the right accounts to partner with.

By breaking down Malaysian social media usage by age group in 2024, we can see how users from each generation interact with the internet. According to the demographic distribution, Meta's advertising audience in Malaysia is engaged across different age groups.

The most significant reach is among younger populations, namely those between the ages of 25 and 34, with 17.9% male and 15% female in this group of users. Close behind is the 18-24 year age group, with men making up 11.6% of the ad reach and women 12.9%. This highlights the youth demographic's social media affinity and the possibility of influencing them in digital marketing. Notable participation is also seen in the 35-44 age group, with men accounting for 10.7% and women 9.8%. These numbers show that although a younger demographic is leaning, there is still a sizable presence from all ages, opening the door to tailored advertising possibilities.

These data from social media sites provide insight into how Malaysians spend their time online, showing a preference for sites that combine interesting, informative, and engaging material. Platforms like TikTok have grown rapidly and attracted a large user base, particularly from specific demographics. These social media statistics give essential insights into consumer behavior as these platforms change their strategy to continue attracting Malaysian audiences. Likewise, content creators, advertisers, and marketing professionals must adjust their approaches to appeal to various media-savvy consumers. These numbers show that targeted ads on growing social media platforms may reach a very receptive audience in Malaysia, which is excellent news for marketers trying to enter the country's digital market.

The extensive overview of Malaysia's mobile usage in 2024 sheds light on the essential function of mobile devices in the country's connectedness. With a mobile penetration rate of 129.2%, there are currently 44.55 million cellular mobile connections—a number that tops Malaysia's total population. This statistic shows that mobile usage is widespread and that Malaysians possess numerous devices. With a 0.4% rise, or 169,000 new mobile connections since last year, mobile connections show a slight yearly shift. With 95.7% of these connections offering high-speed internet - compounded by the country's improved internet infrastructure - mobile usage is trending in the right direction for Malaysia.

The typical Malaysian uses their smartphone for 5 hours and 6 minutes daily. Entertainment applications are the most popular apps, accounting for 39.8% of smartphone time. This aligns with the fact that YouTube and TikTok are Malaysians' most popular social media platforms. 

 Apps for social media account for 26.7% of this time, with a variety of mobile applications including gaming (14.9%), utility and productivity (10.7%), web-browsing (5.4%), shopping (1.8%), and a variety of other applications consuming the rest of Malaysians' screentime. From entertainment and connection to functionality and information access, this distribution demonstrates the many use cases of smartphones.

In 2024, ecommerce in Malaysia has shown strong demand and customer preferences. This strong preference towards online shopping is apparent from the statistic that 61.9% of Malaysian internet users between 16 and 64 have purchased something through the internet. As a sign of the growing confidence and ease of online purchases for necessities, 27.2% of users buy groceries online. 

Also, 13.6% purchase pre-owned goods from an online vendor, 22.2% have used online price comparison services, and 11.1 % are using 'Buy Now, Pay Later' services, which shows that the Malaysian e-commerce market is seeing an assortment of payment preferences to hunt for the best deals and save their hard-earned money.

When we look at the main reasons people shop online, 64.8% of Malaysians who engage in ecommerce say that free delivery is a big incentive. Moreover, coupons and discounts are extremely important, as they encourage 51.2% of users to wrap up their purchases via the web. Customers' opinions matter to 43.3% of prospective purchasers, while 40.4% value loyalty points and 40.1% prefer easy online checkout options. 

Discounts, brand loyalty, and ease of purchase are big factors that influence the typical Malaysian consumer. Statistics like these shed light on the state of ecommerce in Malaysia, showing how many people shop online and how and why they make purchases. Businesses aiming to thrive in Malaysia's digital marketplace would do well to familiarize themselves with these critical drivers and statistics as ecommerce continues growing in the country.

Malaysian ecommerce is booming, with digital purchases of all kinds of consumer goods seeing significant jumps in value. The electronics, fashion, beauty, home, and DIY & hardware categories dominate the top consumer goods sales online, demonstrating the market's diversity and Malaysian's growing reliance on purchasing online.

The substantial yearly spending in the electronics sector, which reaches $2.32 billion (up 15.4% from the previous year), indicates the market's tech-driven appetite. Following closely behind with a yearly spend of $2.01 billion (up 8.1%), the fashion industry highlights Malaysia's expanding online retail scene. Also thriving in the online marketplace is furniture, with $670 million (up 13.6%) spent by customers, and beauty, at $520 million (up 8.3%), not far behind. Spending $500 million (up 6.4%), the DIY & Hardware sector completes the top five, reflecting the growing strength and the ease of buying such goods online.

Directing our focus on the expenditure on digital media, which has totalled $966.9 million (up 13.1%), there is also an upsurge in numerous industries. There is a healthy market for digital content and recreation, with video game spending at $588.1 million (up 12.1%), VOD services at $225.5 million (up 19.2%), and E-publishing at $87.39 million (up 7%). Finally, with $65.95 million (up 11.9%) going into digital music, the growth of digital spending and online shopping in Malaysia sends a strong message to businesses about the abundance of opportunities in the digital marketplace. 

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