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.
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In the modern digital era, social media has undergone a significant transformation, becoming a space where marketers have continued to understand dynamic trends to engage their customer base. Effective utilisation of social media platforms can significantly elevate a brand, promoting client interaction, audience expansion, and successful conversions. This article aims to shed light on the most recent social media statistics for Indonesia heading into 2024, seeing how online user behaviour is changing and what these changes mean for businesses and marketers.
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
What's ahead for social media in Indonesia in 2024?
Population essentials in Indonesia
As we begin to explore Indonesia's digital landscape, we discover a lively ecosystem where digital connections form the foundation of daily interaction and commerce. Indonesia stands out in the APAC region due to its distinctive digital footprint, a prominent feature of its broad online base. Discussing the nuances of Indonesia's social media environment allows advertisers to understand better and connect with this dynamic and diverse audience.
When looking at Indonesia's general social media statistics for 2024, the numbers show that internet usage remains relatively constant. The amount of internet users has increased slightly by 0.8%, or around 1.5 million more than the previous year, bringing it to 185.3 million. Similarly, the number of cellular mobile connections has risen by 0.7%, reaching 353.3 million, with 2.5 million more connections added since last year. Because some people may have more than one mobile phone subscription for other purposes, such as work, the ratio of cellular connections to the total population is 126.8%.
These numbers demonstrate Indonesia's slow yet consistent growth in digital connectedness, which is essential to comprehending the nation's present social media and internet usage patterns.
Internet usage statistics in Indonesia
As we can see from the data collected concerning Indonesia's internet usage statistics in 2024, there has been a slight decrease in the amount of time people spend online. Over the past year, there has been a 1% drop, or 4 minutes, in the average amount of time spent online across all devices daily. Still, over two-thirds of Indonesians have access to the internet, as over 66.5% of the country's population use it regularly.
Knowledge, interaction, and inspiration remain the main drivers of internet use among Indonesians. Firstly, 83.1% of users go online to find information, making the internet the average Indonesian's go-to place for news and statistics. As we'll see later, with WhatsApp being the country's top social media network, keeping in touch with friends and family is a priority for 70.9% of Indonesians online. This reason for using the net highlights digital communication's vital function in sustaining social relationships. New ideas or inspiration are sought after by 70.6% of Indonesian internet users, demonstrating that the internet also serves as a centre for innovation and discovery for them.
Internet usage across a range of devices in Indonesia has decreased, reflecting the slight decline in online engagement discussed earlier. Notably, tablet devices and feature phones have experienced the most significant declines, with 18.2% and 27.9% decrease, respectively. This development suggests consumers are moving towards more integrated and multipurpose devices, such as the old reliable mobile phones, as their continued go-to internet-accessing device.
Internet usage in Indonesia through mobile devices has been relatively stable, increasing by 0.6% over the previous year. This is supported by mobile internet connection speeds in the country, which have improved significantly, with download speeds going up by 42%. This indicates better network capabilities, which may contribute to the continued use of mobile phones for internet-related activities. This is coupled with a 16.4% increase in internet download speeds overall, leading to a more efficient and better user experience. In line with worldwide trends towards mobile-centric internet consumption, this supports the notion that Indonesians value the immediacy and convenience of mobile phones while accessing the web.
Social media usage statistics in Indonesia
Statistics on social media use in Indonesia show a subtle change in how the internet is used. Compared to a year ago, Indonesians on social media - which account for 49.9% of the total population - now spend an average of 7 minutes fewer each day online. The overall trend of social media's reduced significance in brand discovery is reflected in this decrease in engagement time. More specifically, in the past year, there has been a marked decline in the number of people using social media to learn about new brands and products.
Compared to the previous year, there has been a 1.8% decline in the total use of social media platforms for brand research. Blogs and vlogs, content-driven platforms, have seen a steep decline of 28.0% and 19.5%, respectively. Indonesia's advertisers and social media influencers face a challenge as the country's audience becomes increasingly selective when discovering new companies online. Heading into 2024, Indonesian marketers must adapt to and engage with a customer base that shows less interest in using social media to learn about and connect with brands.
Three factors stand out as primary drivers of social media use in Indonesia heading into 2024.
With 58.9% of Indonesians using social media for leisure, it's clear that this platform is mostly used as a source of entertainment. The social nature of these platforms is further supported by how 57.1% of users say they use them to keep in contact with friends and family. As we'll see, WhatsApp is the social media platform Indonesians spend the most time on, with the most monthly app sessions and being users' favorite network. Meanwhile, 48.8% of users turn to social media to see what's being talked about, establishing social media as an essential source of information for Indonesians online in addition to conventional media channels.
Top Social Media Platforms in Indonesia
As Indonesia's most used social media platform and messaging application, WhatsApp is utilised by 90.9% of the country, with Instagram second at 85.3% monthly usage. Although not as popular in Indonesia, the percentage of individuals using Facebook remains relatively high at 81.6%, while the percentage of people using TikTok is 73.5%. These social media platforms cater to Indonesian users' needs in terms of communication, information, and entertainment, three of the chief reasons discussed earlier.
One reason for WhatsApp's popularity in Indonesia is the high rate of mobile phone usage in the nation. With so many people relying on their mobile devices for everyday tasks, it's unsurprising that WhatsApp is designed to be user-friendly and optimised for mobile devices. Statistics reveal that users open WhatsApp over 1,347.8 times each month, almost four times more than the next-highest used app, TikTok, which is at 373.7 times opened monthly, further demonstrating WhatsApp's popularity. This significant distinction highlights the function of WhatsApp in Indonesians' everyday interactions through their digital lives.
Take note that WhatsApp is much more than simply a chat app; small businesses may reach a large audience and promote their products and services via WhatsApp business, taking advantage of the messaging app's widespread adoption. Given the nation's steady usage of mobile devices, this contributes to Indonesia's social media statistics, including the number of monthly uses and the amount of time spent on the application, streamlining commercial transactions via its user base and facilitating communication through the platform.
As mentioned, Indonesians use social media for communication, content discovery, and enjoyment. Instagram, the second most used social media network in Indonesia, has many features that appeal to all three. Users can also keep in touch with loved ones, follow their favourite celebrities, and immerse in these activities in an aesthetically pleasing and engaging format—all in one convenient location.
The opportunity for marketers is shown by the platform's advertising reach, which surpasses 100.9 million individuals, further emphasizing the social media app's usage in Indonesia. Instagram is one of two Indonesian social media platforms seeing significant increases in ad reach, along with TikTok, which is demonstrating extensive and rising exposure. Supported by a 13.2% growth in ad reach from the previous year, Instagram has become an ideal platform for advertising efforts in Indonesia due to its growing popularity and capacity to attract and engage a large and active audience.
TikTok is the most popular social media app in Indonesia in terms of time spent on the platform, with users using it for an average of 38 hours and 26 minutes every month. Meanwhile, YouTube, with its high advertising audience, follows, with consumers spending 31 hours and 28 minutes monthly on it. WhatsApp and Instagram are third and fourth, at 26 hours and 13 minutes and 16 hours and 10 minutes, respectively.
TikTok has the most significant increase in advertising reach from the previous year and is also where most Indonesians spend their time on social media. Compared to Instagram, whose ad reach has declined over the last quarter, Tiktok's ad reach has increased by 19.1% over the same period and 15.4% over the previous year overall. TikTok provides marketers with an ideal platform to reach a large and engaged viewership thanks to its entertaining mix of features and the ability for social media influencers to create videos to promote products. The swift and steady increase in its ad reach highlights TikTok's increasing impact on Indonesian consumers, demonstrating how it's become an important application to monitor moving forward.
Meanwhile, considering YouTube in particular, the platform has a noteworthy ad reach, capturing the attention of 75% of Indonesia's total internet users and a potential reach of 139 million users, both of which are the highest among all the social media networks in Indonesia as of this study. With the most considerable reach of any social media network, YouTube allows advertisers to reach a diverse range of Indonesians.
The top demographics of Indonesian social media users by age comprised of a younger audience, giving advertisers a clearer idea of where to target their efforts. Males make up 20% of the advertising reach, and females 17.7% in the 25-34 age group, making it the largest segment when it comes to social media usage. Next are those in the age bracket of 18–24, where males account for 13.1% and females for 14%. The third comprises Indonesian users aged 35–44, with males making up 11.5% and females 9.3%.
Advertisers can tap into the tastes and routines of this younger demographic by adjusting their marketing efforts to appeal to them specifically. Marketers looking to take advantage of TikTok's jump in ad reach entering 2024 should think about interacting with users through fresh, short-form video content that is authentic, entertaining, and fitting of the social media platform's tone. By utilising social influencers that cater to their specific demographic, incorporating dynamic visuals, and creating engaging content, they can attract a younger audience and cash in on current trends.
Along with the high engagement rates on WhatsApp, it raises the possibility for marketers in Indonesia to take advantage of cross-platform strategies that reach and influence people in this age bracket more deeply. Keeping an eye on what kinds of content use social media statistics such as these and making adjustments based on that data is key. Marketers should monitor social chatter and engagement metrics to determine the most effective content formats. This allows them to make quick, real-time adjustments to their strategies based on what's being discussed, ensuring their campaigns are highly engaging and relevant to Indonesia's young and active users.
Mobile usage statistics in Indonesia
Amidst the tide of shifting digital behaviours, Indonesia's mobile landscape in 2024 has remained stable. With 353.3 million cellular connections—more than its population—and a mobile phone penetration rate of 126.8%, mobile phones are, as mentioned, a necessary aspect of many people's lives in Indonesia.
The average Indonesian spends 6 hours and 3 minutes on their phones daily. Apps for entertainment, which include audio and video streaming media, account for 35.6% (~2 hours and 9 minutes) of smartphone time, suggesting a strong desire for multimedia content consumption. 28.7% (~1 hour and 44 minutes) of this time is occupied by social media apps, highlighting the significance of these platforms for connecting and communicating. Additionally, mobile games have a lot of influence in this space, as users are engaged for 13.7% (~49 minutes) of mobile time with gaming, which shows how popular gaming is as a leisure activity. Apps for utility and productivity come in at 11.9% (~43 minutes), indicating the use of mobile devices for a mix of work and play.
Despite a slight drop in overall app downloads, consumer spending in Indonesia's mobile app market has increased. Mobile app and in-app purchase spending reached $757.3 million in 2024, a 20.5% increase from the previous year. This uptick among Indonesian consumers reflects a rising inclination to spend on digital goods and in-app offerings.
Given its position as Indonesia's most used social media platform in terms of time, TikTok is the app with the most prominent consumer spending. TikTok coins are a way for users to show their support for their favourite content creators by purchasing in-app purchases. This paves the way for influencer marketing, where an appropriate influencer choice can result in direct monetisation, thanks to passionate fans eager to spend money on content creators with whom they connect deeply.
Consumer spending on Vidio, an Indonesian video streaming service, is second only to that; as an entertainment app, this reflects the amount of time Indonesians spend on their smartphones for that purpose. Video streaming continues to be one of the primary forms of leisure activity, reflecting the broader trend of Indonesian social media usage.
Businesses and marketers can gain valuable insights from customers' spending habits on mobile apps. Their points highlight the value of entertaining or informative content that engages users and the possibilities for monetisation through purchases made within applications and subscriptions such as memberships.
Ecommerce statistics in Indonesia
Ecommerce has become a necessary part of Indonesians' weekly shopping routines. Investigating the data for this in Indonesia leading into 2024, we can see this based on Indonesians' weekly online shopping behaviour. In the country's ecommerce landscape, 59.3% of internet users between the ages of 16 and 64 make purchases online weekly, demonstrating the widespread reach of digital marketplaces nationwide.
Most Indonesian ecommerce shoppers are turning to online grocery shopping, with 34.4% of users doing so. This emphasizes the convenience and reliability of digital transactions for basic necessities and everyday items in today's fast-paced world. Another noteworthy market is online businesses offering a buy now, pay later service; at 38.7%, over a third of Indonesia's population shops for items they can get now with flexible payment options.
Several factors encourage Indonesians to shop online, enabling these purchasing behaviours. At 52.3%, half of all Indonesian online shoppers find coupons and discounts appealing, which shows how effective promotional efforts drive sales. The significance of reputation and consumer satisfaction is made clear by the fact that 48.2% of users are influenced by the experiences of others, highlighting the role that consumer reviews play in online shopping activities. The importance of ease and conserving money in Indonesian ecommerce is further demonstrated by how 47.4% of Indonesians are motivated by the offer of free delivery, which saves both time and budget. In Indonesia's digital marketplace, offering free delivery, quality control on items for good public sentiment, and attractive savings are major strategies businesses have employed to increase online customer engagement and sales.
Spending on digital media in Indonesia has been rising across every category reported, suggesting that demand for digital products and services is booming. Expenditure on digital media increased by 11.7% year-over-year, reaching $2.38 billion. Purchasing in the video games sector alone rose by 9.8%, at $1.12 billion. Also experiencing a significant uptick are video-on-demand services like the mentioned Vidio, with spending reaching $670 million, a 17.5% bump from the previous year. Digital music was close behind, with a 14.3% increase reaching $320 million, and the ePublishing sector followed with an 8.0% growth hitting $270 million.
By far, the most popular form of digital content spent on by Indonesians is movie or TV streaming services, which are enjoyed by 30.8% of internet users every month. Music streaming services are another popular option, with 24.6% of users. Of these online users, 22.0% make purchases through mobile games, which has been a major factor in the increase in digital shopping. These numbers show that Indonesians are spending more and more on digital media, especially with Indonesians' love for using their devices to fill their leisure time.
Tip: Take a look at the top Indonesian YouTube influencers and the top beauty influencers in Indonesia to partner with.
Digital marketing statistics in Indonesia
Brands face an increasingly challenging environment when attracting consumers via digital marketing initiatives, according to the current Digital Marketing Statistics Indonesia.
Researching companies online before making a purchase has decreased by 3.4%, indicating an overall loss in engagement. Meanwhile, only 45.0% of users had been to a brand's website in the last 30 days, a decline of 6.2% from the previous year. Banner ad click-through rates dropped 2.4% yearly to 14.1%, while sponsored social media post engagement fell 5.7% to 21.7%. The percentage of people who have downloaded or used branded mobile applications in the last 30 days has dropped to 16.8%, showing a sharp decline of 15.2%, with brands needing to spend more on a better UI and UX experience to capture the audience's attention.
Nevertheless, despite these challenges, Indonesians use various internet platforms to learn about and explore products. The impact of social and celebrity on social media is significant, as 63% of Indonesians still rely on these sites to learn about new brands. 55.3% of users seek more information on goods and services they already know, as search engines rank as the second most used medium. As mentioned, customer reviews are relied on in the country, with 51.6% relying on consumer testimonials as their primary source of product feedback.
Genuine evaluations are essential for customers who need help making a purchase decision. Nowadays, when companies make many advertising claims and reviews that can be paid for, consumers rely on genuine assessments from neutral sources. Because of the community-focused and influencer-led dynamics typical in Indonesian online platforms, marketers in this context need to develop authentic, engaging approaches to leverage consumer engagement.
Despite declining user engagement with digital marketing campaigns, advertising expenditure is increasing for Indonesian firms heading into 2024. At $6.66 billion, overall ad expenditure is up 5.2% from the previous year. Additionally, digital ad spending hit $3.06 billion, an increase of 10.1%, reflecting a market rapidly adjusting to the digital transition.
Spending on influencer ads has increased by 18.8%, making it one of the most rapidly expanding segments of the digital advertising market. Indonesian customers' inclination to depend on trustworthy and familiar voices when purchasing online is well matched by the increase of $190 million in influencer ad expenditure. By combining the appeal of social interaction with online assessments, influencers influence consumers' purchase choices via their reviews and suggestions.
Digital audio ads have increased by 21.2%, showing that audio podcasts and streaming services are becoming more popular for Indonesians to hear advertisements. Recognising the vital significance of search engines in product discovery among Indonesians, firms have invested $1 billion, leading to a 9.9% increase in online search advertisements. But, as we see in these digital marketing statistics, even with this methodical distribution of advertising funds, Indonesian online engagement has still seen a decrease; this demonstrates that it takes more than just an in-depth comprehension of the ever-changing ways in which Indonesians interact with companies to understand how consumers' habits are altering.
What's ahead for social media in Indonesia in 2024?
The future of Indonesian social media in 2024 can be examined using these social media statistics that may help brands and marketers navigate this exciting digital age. Despite declining engagement with digital marketing campaigns, total investment in digital ad expenditure is increasing, indicating a promising but challenging new boundary for brand connection.
Now is the time for marketers to reevaluate their strategies to take advantage of Indonesian consumers' social media and spending habits. With Indonesian social media users continuing to use their mobile phones to access the internet and spending more money on applications and in-app purchases, digital strategies have a clear path to follow. There is a favourable environment for influencer marketing because Indonesians are on social media in the first place, with these people being reliable and familiar voices that affect customer ideas and behaviours.
Companies now need to go beyond conventional measurements and focus on developing ads and marketing initiatives that speak to the individual tastes of the Indonesian audience. This means not only accepting the unique features of each platform, such as TikTok's focus on artistic freedom and WhatsApp's wide use case for Indonesian social media but also making sure that the brand story has something new and fresh to offer consumers.
The personal touch is undeniably important as we employ data from user behaviour and spending patterns. Authentic reviews, recognisable suggestions, and relatable content are the keys to winning Indonesian customers' hearts. The future of social media marketing in Indonesia lies in adapting to its unique population's ever-changing digital habits.
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.
