Social media spreads in Kingdom

Developments in mobile technology are a clear driver, with the number of smartphone users in Thailand now numbering 20 million, and increasingly powerful smartphone cameras giving connected users the opportunity to share updates with friends and followers instantly.
For many mobile-first consumers in the country, social media are the totality of the Web experience, as well as the main access point for the Internet, causing a rapid uptake of new channels as they explore the social ecosystem.
However, despite Line’s far-reaching influence over Thai Internet users, global platforms continue to attract a substantial user base, with 86 per cent of connected consumers using Facebook, 31 per cent using Instagram, 16 per cent using Twitter and 6 per cent using emerging platform Snapchat.
Kantar TNS’s study called “The Connected Life” involved more than 70,000 consumers. This research showed that on average, connected consumers use 5.6 social-media or instant-messaging platforms, highlighting that other channels still have a role to play in providing brands with a variety of ways to connect with consumers, beyond the Line ecosystem.
For example, the highly curated Instagram network is skewed towards the younger generation, with people aged 16 to 24 making up more than half (59 per cent) of Instagram users in Thailand, providing strong opportunities to connect with younger audiences.
The in-the-moment platform, Snapchat, is less prevalent and attracts only 6 per cent of all Internet users in Thailand, but this has increased from 1 per cent in 2015, showing modest growth.
The success of these platforms provides brands with new opportunities to engage consumers. However, brands need to be mindful of evolving consumer attitudes, as they look to take advantage of the diversifying social-media landscape. The Connected Life results reveal that a quarter (27 per cent) of connected consumers in Thailand “actively ignore” social posts
 or content from brands. Businesses need to avoid being invasive, as 29 per cent already feel “constantly followed” by online advertising.
“As brands race to actively engage with connected consumers, they risk being seen as invasive,” said Arpapat Boonrod, chief executive officer of Kantar Consumer Insights Thailand. “This results in either being ignored or rejected.
“Our study shows that this is becoming a key issue for brands in Thailand. It’s now essential for brands to focus on the impact rather than just the reach. The ability of brands to grab attention, to make an impression on Thai consumers, and to stand out from the crowd is more important than ever before if they want to connect meaningfully.”
The Kantar TNS study found that influencers and celebrities hold the key to connecting with consumers. Just under half (48 per cent) of online 16-24-year-olds in Thailand say they trust what other people say online about brands more than “official” sources, such as newspapers, brands’ own websites or TV adverts.
Again, younger people are the more influencer-oriented group, trusting bloggers and peers rather than information from brands. The older generation’s “influencer network” is still primarily friends and family. However, considering this group’s adoption of other trends, they may soon begin referring to social media influencers for inspiration and information.
Zoe Lawrence, Asia-Pacific digital director at Kantar TNS, said it was clear that Line dominated the social-media landscape in Thailand, as the platform had been very successful in creating an ecosystem of apps that deliver various consumer needs – from photo-sharing to games and music.
“However, it’s important not to forget the other platforms in use that can deliver an effective and targeted strategy. The adoption of additional platforms amongst Thais is incremental, and so brands need to see these channels as multiple new ways to engage with consumer, and not defer to Line for every campaign,” she said.
What is crucial is that brands no longer look at social channels as blank media space for advertising.
The results showed that consumers are demanding content that is integrated seamlessly into the platform, enhancing rather than interrupting the use of it. To do this successfully, it is essential to maintain the brand values of the platform being used.
“Brands need to approach each platform individually to ensure the content created mixes seamlessly into the user-generated feed and maintains their own integrity,” Lawrence said.