In its latest Consumer Sentiment Index, Axia My India found that Facebook was the preferred social media platform for users in 2022. The findings are based on a survey of 5,799 families, 35 percent of whom said that they picked Meta's flagship social network over other platforms.
WhatsApp was second on the list with 26 percent of the votes, and YouTube was a close third with 25 percent. Interestingly, Instagram only got 12 percent of the votes and the last on the list was Twitter with only one percent of the people saying they used the platform.
Commenting on the CSI report, Pradeep Gupta, Chairman & MD, Axis My India, said media consumption trends, spurred on by the growing dependence on the internet, are evolving rapidly. Facebook scored top points because most people still believe social media is the best way to keep in touch.
"The trend of watching content on the go is on the rise and consumers still believe that the best way to get in touch with people is through social media. The potential of the world-wide-web is huge and is only evolving and one can only expect it further enrich consumer experiences," Gupta said.
Fifty-two percent of the respondents also said that their time spent on the internet has increased over the past year as compared to the previous years, while 21 percent claimed that their time spent remained largely static. These findings are based on a survey of 9,785 families.
The consumption of media (TV, Internet, Radio etc.) has also increased for 21 percent of families, which is the same as last month. The overall, net score, which was at -2 last month, remained the same.
The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns changed the way Indians consumed media, with millions turning to their smartphones for social. Some played online games, some scrolled through their social media feed, and others streamed movies, music and other forms of entertainment, all on their smartphones.
As for Instagram's low score, it can perhaps be attributed to how the once-popular photo-sharing platform rapidly morphed into something of a Frankenstein's monster, with
Meta introducing a slew of features in a bid to compete with other social media companies, such as TikTok, Snap, before rolling them back in the face of severe user backlash. In short, a lack of consistency badly hamstrung the platform.
First Published: Jan 4, 2023 2:27 PM IST
