Note: This blog is based on the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report – produced in partnership with Meltwater and We Are Social. See Simon Kemp's article about The Changing World of Digital in 2023. Download the Global Digital Report 2023 for free.
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With the massive scale of social media users, there is no doubt that advertising experts want reliable data to be more strategic in achieving their objectives, budgeting, forecasting, and client acquisition efforts. Effective social media use may help a company grow rapidly, as marketers may use these platforms to get their goods and services out and generate more consumer interest.
As a country, Indonesia's social media scene is unlike any other. It has one of the largest social media user penetrations in the APAC region, with more than 167 million users. This article will examine Indonesia's social media statistics in 2023, providing insight into how the country stays connected through digital media.
Table of Contents
Population essentials in Indonesia
Internet usage statistics in Indonesia
Social media usage statistics in Indonesia
Mobile usage statistics in Indonesia
Ecommerce statistics in Indonesia
Digital marketing statistics in Indonesia
Population essentials in Indonesia
As the fourth most populated country in the world at 276.4 million people, Indonesia’s social media landscape presents both a great challenge and an even greater opportunity. With as many cellular mobile connections as it has, at 353.8 million, the ability of a successful social media marketing campaign has the potential to create ripples across the inhabitants of its 18,000 islands. Indonesia is only behind China and India in Asia regarding the number of active social media users, with 60.4% of its total population connected on its many social media platforms.
Indonesians’ average daily media consumption is 7 hours and 42 minutes. This includes time spent on television, radio, social media, and other electronic devices. One of the key reasons for this relatively high amount of online time is the broad availability of cell phones and the internet across the nation. 99.5% of the total population of users aged 16 to 64 years old own a cellular phone. In Indonesia, most users access the internet through a small device, with 64.52% of all web pages accessed.
Due in part to the country's gradual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of time Indonesians have spent on the internet has dropped by 10.6%. On top of this, print and radio use has also significantly decreased by 13.5% and 11.3%, respectively. These factors pose a real challenge for advertisers even with the number of people on the internet, as fewer people spend time online. With the advertising playing field increasing and spending slightly less time a day online, it’s even more crucial to monitor what people are talking about to capitalise on these few opportunities.
Internet usage statistics in Indonesia
Having said that, even if people spend less time on the internet and on different forms of media, the amount of people using the internet is growing steadily. Indonesia internet users have increased by 5.2% over the previous year. As of 2023, there are 213 million internet users in Indonesia, making it one of the largest internet markets in the world.
This has led to a vibrant digital economy in Indonesia, with many startups and tech companies catering to the growing needs of Indonesian internet users. The evolving digital media landscape presents exciting possibilities for companies and brands, as we’ll see what’s been working for brands in these Indonesia social media statistics.
Finding information is the top online activity for 83.2% of Indonesians. Most Indonesians now utilise the internet as their primary source for gathering information on anything from current events to health advice given these times.
73.2% of Indonesians also use search engines like Google to discover new concepts and ideas. The average Indonesian is just as interested in creating the next great thing as the country's largest corporations, and marketers are in capitalising on the vast market of prospects presented by the country's thousands of islands.
Meanwhile, 73% of Indonesia internet users are actively online, so it's no surprise that many people use messaging applications like WhatsApp to keep in contact with loved ones and spread the latest news.
Social media usage statistics in Indonesia
The demographics of Indonesian social media users by age reflect the country's youthful and quickly expanding population. Statistics show that most Indonesians who use social media are under 35.
32% of Indonesians who use social media are between 18 and 24, and 30.6% are between 25 and 34. According to the potential advertising reach across popular social media platforms, three-quarters of Indonesia’s social media users are under the age of 35.
Several variables, including the country's huge young population, the widespread adoption of smartphones, and the widespread use of social media for various purposes, including but not limited to entertainment, communication, and information dissemination, are driving this development. The age distribution of Indonesian social media users indicates the growing relevance of digital platforms among the country's youth and the opportunity for companies and marketers to reach this group via strategic social marketing campaigns.
One statistic that stands out like a sore thumb is the massive increase in the use of Tiktok in the country. It is Indonesia’s fastest-growing social media platform, with a 25.5% increase, or 5 hours and 54 minutes of additional screen time per month. The rise in the use of Tiktok - and the overall popularity of short-form media consumption - means the rise of a new trend in Indonesia in 2023: ‘Shoppertainment’.
With physical and digital slowly coming together - particularly the popularity of being entertained by short-form videos and shopping - a trend in Indonesia is digital shoppertainment. It’s exactly what you think it is: online shopping mixed with influencer marketing. Whether through interactive content entertaining and engaging customers on social media, hosting live events, or offering unique experiences, companies must strategically engage shoppers in 2023 and beyond.
While this trend is only in its rising action, nearing its climax, brands must do what they can to capitalise on this opportunity. Indonesia’s social media statistics and publishing the correct content will help navigate a battlefield where many will try to take control.
Top Social Media Platforms in Indonesia
In recent years, no surprise that WhatsApp has become one of Indonesia’s most popular messaging applications, with 92.1% of all Indonesian social media users aged 16–64 using it regularly. The app is well-liked due to its accessibility, low price, and dependability, even in areas with little network coverage.
WhatsApp satisfies all conditions of Indonesian internet use in 2023. It's a convenient way to contact loved ones, disseminate information, and conduct business. The app's ability to let companies of all sizes in Indonesia access a wide audience for a modest investment has made it an indispensable resource.
Meanwhile, Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram have become the direct channels through which Indonesians get news and other information online. These sites are widely used to disseminate media like videos and news articles in huge doses to millions of Indonesians with their short-form video format.
Mobile usage statistics in Indonesia
An item that unifies Indonesians is their mobile phones. There are 353.8 million active mobile phone connections in Indonesia, more than 28% of the country's population. People everywhere, from the busiest cities to the smallest villages, use their mobile devices for communication and information access. In Indonesia, mobile phones are more than a convenient method to stay in touch with friends and family.
Affordable mobile phones have contributed to the rise in social media usage in Indonesia. There is a wide variety of cheap mobile phone possibilities in Indonesia, particularly among android phones, at 89.81% of total web traffic share versus Apple’s 10.09%. Thus practically anybody can own one. In addition, the proliferation of mobile network infrastructure throughout the nation has made it much simpler for individuals to maintain constant contact regardless of their physical location.
People continue to use their mobile devices to access social media sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, where they can communicate with friends and family, post photos and updates, and network with companies. There's no denying that the use of mobile devices to access social media is a trend that will continue in 2023, with a 4.3% increase in the time Indonesians are on their phones.
Many reasons, including the popularity of social media and the significance of e-commerce and education, have contributed to Indonesia’s cellular phone market explosion. But at its core, cellular phone use is all about communication. They have become indispensable in Indonesia, a nation of such size and variety that it may be difficult to get about without one.
As mobile commerce expands, e-commerce in Indonesia is becoming more important to the country's economy. This is further boosted by the increased spending on apps and in-app purchases in the country. On top of online shopping, there is an 18.1% increase overall in net spending for these commodities.
Ecommerce statistics in Indonesia
The rising significance of e-commerce contributes to expanding cellular phone usage in Indonesia. People are increasingly utilising their mobile devices for retail, financial, and transactional purposes, with an additional 20 million citizens purchasing online goods over the past year. This is further helped by the growing number of traditional online marketplaces such as Tokopedia, Shopee, and Lazada, providing Indonesian consumers with everything they could ask for.
The increasing popularity of online shopping in Indonesia reflects the country's digital growth and the shifting purchasing preferences of its customers. A growing number of Indonesians are making their everyday purchases, from groceries to electronics, online, thanks to the improvement of Indonesia's digital infrastructure and the proliferation of e-commerce platforms. The ease of buying from home has become an element that Indonesians have grown to love, with many being pushed to make purchases when incentivised by free delivery.
This brings insight into the promising future of e-commerce in Indonesia, which is encouraging for both e-commerce businesses and consumers. Having a tool and team that can provide actionable insights based on online consumer spending will help brands set themselves apart from the competition.
A sizable audience exists for digital media due to the large number of internet users nationwide. As a result, major players in the digital market, like Netflix and YouTube, have been joined by regional services like Vidio and GoPlay, which cater to the Indonesian audience and include material created in the country.
Overall spending on digital media in Indonesia is up 10.6% from a year ago, indicating a growing need for Indonesian companies to throw a hat in the ring to capitalise on the increased spending on digital content. Video-on-demand accounts for most of the 11.9% increase in Indonesian digital consumer spending, highlighting the growing importance of fast and easy access to demands among Indonesian consumers.
Digital marketing statistics in Indonesia
Because of the quantifiable nature of digital marketing in Indonesia, companies can monitor the success of their efforts as they unfold in real time with the right social media monitoring tools. For businesses, this means being more calculated with strategies and fine-tuning their marketing initiatives based on data and statistics. Indonesia presents marketers and communications strategists with many opportunities, with companies dabbling in digital advertising. Companies know this, as Indonesia has had an 8.1% increase in digital ad spending over the previous year. This is especially significant in Indonesia, where customers are very mobile and often switch between digital channels to interact with companies.
Furthermore, social media has become a dominant force in Indonesian culture, with platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok all seeing explosive growth in recent years. This has led to a surge in digital advertising spending as businesses aim to reach a young and engaged audience through these platforms.
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of social media influencers to the marketing strategy of many Indonesian companies. With a rise of 24.6%, it is the fastest-growing digital marketing strategy among Indonesian businesses. As a result, firms that want to reach certain demographics or specialised markets may find them valuable. Across the board, companies in Indonesia have boosted their expenditure on digital advertising by 16.2%. This is due to their success using digital channels to reach sizable and engaged user bases and roll out highly specific marketing initiatives.
Communicating the union between communities and influencers collaboratively will be a great way for brands to stay connected with their consumers. A brand’s identity is formed by those who support it, whether it be those who buy or choose to support and advertise it. Brands can teeter between being liked and disliked by a larger audience based on how people take their marketing, usually on short-form videos. It’s important to listen to what people are discussing and capitalise on these opportunities.
The success of businesses in Indonesia in 2023 will depend on their ability to respond to the truths of society today. People are fluid and take their identities wherever they want when they want. The lines between online and reality have been blurred as people spend more time connecting and living online. This has created new opportunities and challenges in how we connect and communicate.
Monitoring what works and what doesn’t with your audiences can help you decide what social media strategies to take when tackling Indonesia’s social media landscape. Consistently interacting with customers across multiple platforms is an excellent approach for companies to keep expanding their reach and fostering loyalty among their clientele.
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To reach today's tech-savvy web users, you'll need a solid social media strategy that pinpoints and engages that target with the right message at the right moment. If you want to know how your products or services are being received by the market and how to best position them, you must invest in sophisticated social analytics and listening.
