Life is fast becoming connected

According to TNS Thailand’s latest survey, “TNS Connected Life 2015”, up to 55 per cent of global Internet users use instant messaging every day. Of the global users, 61 per cent are in Asia-Pacific, with 74 per cent of them in Thailand alone. The survey involved more than 60,000 Internet users worldwide. 

In the Asia-Pacific region, 77 per cent of the total users of instant-messaging are based in Malaysia, 73 per cent in Hong Kong and 69 per cent in China. The West, however, is lagging behind, with just 39 per cent of total users in the United Kingdom and 35 per cent in the United States. 

The instant-messaging platform is also particularly dominant in emerging “mobile-first” markets, with daily usage rising higher. 

The popularity of instant messaging in Thailand, which can be considered a “mobile-first” market, rose from 34 per cent last year to 74 per cent this year, with 79 per cent of the users opting for LINE and 48 per cent for Facebook Messaging.

Social-networking platforms have also shown a 6 per cent rise in daily usage globally since last year. 

Facebook has also maintained its position as the world’s favourite networking platform, with almost a third of global Internet users, or 30 per cent, saying they use it daily. 

This platform is also hugely popular in the Asia-Pacific region with 78 per cent Thais, 75 per cent Taiwanese and 72 per cent Hong Kong residents using Facebook daily. 

According to the TNS Thailand study, Facebook and Instagram are the most popular among Internet users in Thailand, clocking in daily usage at 78 per cent 20 per cent respectively. 

The Connected Life study proves that people are more connected across several different platforms nowadays. Despite the popularity of instant messaging, social-media platforms are also holding strong, allowing content to go viral more quickly. Hence, if businesses want to take advantage of these platforms, they will need to create content that consumers actually want to share. 

Businesses also seem to be relying on newer platforms, with 44 per cent of Snapchat users saying they check out content offered by different brands every week, while 43 per cent WeChat users often seek information about the services a business may offer.