GWI-2021社交媒体报道（英文）-2021.4-31页_2mb

Social Media Trends Report Summary

Core Content Overview

This report by GWI provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest trends in social media usage, with a particular focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes key insights, behavioral changes, platform performance, and the psychological aspects of social media engagement.

Main Points

• Lockdown Impact: Initial spikes in social media usage during the pandemic have stabilized, though some age groups, particularly boomers, have increased their engagement compared to the start of 2020.
• Platform Popularity: Facebook remains the world's most popular social network, while Instagram has become the favorite among Gen Zs. Despite this, Facebook continues to dominate globally.
• Social Commerce: Content that is entertaining and inspirational drives social commerce. Instagram has expanded its checkout features to include IGTV and Reels, indicating a strategic move to enhance shopping capabilities.
• Mental Health Concerns: Increased social media usage is linked to heightened anxiety, especially among younger users. Initiatives like Snapchat's "Here For You" campaign aim to address these concerns.
• Behavioral Shifts: The pandemic has caused a shift in how people use social media, with keeping in touch with loved ones becoming the top reason for logging on. Gen Zs still use social media for both content consumption and following influencers.
• Time Spent on Social Media: Daily time spent on social media increased in 2020 across 32 of 47 tracked markets. However, this trend has plateaued in many regions.
• AR and Social Media: Augmented reality (AR) features are gaining traction, with platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok leveraging them for immersive experiences and viral content.
• Regional Insights: Different regions have varying preferences and behaviors. For instance, Latin America and MEA are among the most active in social media, while China has a unique ecosystem with platforms like WeChat and Douyin leading the market.

Key Insights

• Global Engagement: Social media usage has seen a slight decline from the Q2 2020 peak, but remains high in many regions.
• Gen Z Behavior: This generation is more likely to use social media for content consumption and following influencers, and they are more open to using it for mental health support than medical professionals.
• Platform Trends:
  • Facebook: Remains the most popular platform, especially for connecting with friends and family.
  • Instagram: Leads among Gen Zs for content sharing and product information.
  • YouTube: Has seen increased engagement and is expanding its e-commerce features.
  • Douyin (TikTok): Gaining traction in China and is becoming a significant player in the social media space.
• AR Technology: AR is becoming a key feature in social media platforms, with Snapchat leading in its use for filters and lenses. Instagram and TikTok are also leveraging AR for marketing and content creation.
• Social Shopping: The integration of shopping features into social media platforms is on the rise, driven by users' interest in entertaining and inspirational content.

Behavioral Trends

• Stories: Stories have become a popular format for engagement, with Instagram users creating more Stories than Snapchat users. These features are useful for brands and influencers to drive participation and create meaningful conversations.
• Gaming and Dating: Both gaming and online dating platforms have started to resemble social media, with features like in-app video chat and virtual events enhancing user interaction.
• Mental Wellbeing: There is a growing demand for digital wellbeing tools, especially among younger users. Companies are investing in these tools, but many users still struggle with managing their screen time effectively.

Methodology and Definitions

• Data Sources: The report uses data from GWI's online research among internet users aged 16-64.
• Sample Size: The data is based on over 688,000 interviews annually, with some samples including only users who completed the survey via PC/laptop/tablet.
• Indexing: Indexes are used to compare different groups against the global average, where 1.00 represents the global average.

China's Social Media Landscape

• WeChat: Leads in China with a high percentage of users, though the gap between WeChat and Douyin has narrowed.
• Douyin: Gaining popularity with over 600 million daily active users, and expanding its features to include free movie streaming and live podcasts.
• Audio Chat: Audio-focused social apps are rising in popularity, especially with the growth of Clubhouse in the West, creating opportunities for homegrown solutions in China.

Conclusion

The report highlights that while the initial lockdown-driven surge in social media usage has stabilized, the platform continues to evolve with new features and trends. Understanding these shifts is crucial for marketers and content creators to engage effectively with their audiences, particularly Gen Zs and boomers, and to address the growing concerns around mental health and digital wellbeing.