KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Malaysians are the most active Instagram users in the Asia Pacific region, according to a survey by research consultancy Kantar TNS.
The survey found that the percentage of Malaysian Instagram users has risen from 59 per cent of connected consumers last year to 73 per cent this year.
“Developments in mobile technology are a clear driver, with the number of smartphones users across the Asia Pacific region now numbering over a billion — 11 million of them in Malaysia — and increasingly powerful smartphone cameras giving connected users the opportunity to take and share photos instantly,” Kantar TNS said in a statement today.
It also found that the trend was not limited to the youth demographic as 48 per cent of Internet users in Malaysia aged 55 to 65 were also active users of the social media application.
“While young people are the biggest social media users across all platforms, the rise of the ‘Insta-Gran’ is also gaining momentum; almost half of Internet users in Malaysia aged 55-65 now use Instagram,” it said.
The survey, which was conducted between June and September 2016, also found that Snapchat penetration in Malaysia was the third highest in the region, tying with Singapore at 37 per cent, behind New Zealand (39 per cent) and Hong Kong (46 per cent).
“However Snapchat remains more the domain of the younger user, with only 19 per cent of users in Malaysia in the 55-65 age category.”
Kantar TNS head of client service in Malaysia Dan Foxman however pointed out that businesses needed to avoid being invasive when engaging with users as 30 per cent of those surveyed said they feel that they are being “constantly followed” by online advertising and another 17 per cent said they “actively ignore” content from brands.
“As our study shows, people are increasingly turning away from overtly branded messages,” he said.
“Social media provides brands with a way of interacting, not broadcasting, in the space that consumers are already spending their time.”
The Connected Life survey is an annual global study of the digital attitudes and behaviour of 70,000 Internet users across 57 countries conducted by research agency Kantar TNS.
