Businesses are recognising the potential of catering to this market, and we’ll soon see some exciting developments for the benefit of global marketers everywhere
Using social media to market on a global level has always presented unique challenges for business owners, particularly when a large portion of your target audience resides in Southeast Asia. How do you get more Instagram followers, grow leads on Facebook, and pin relevant content on Pinterest when this population doesn’t use social media as prolifically as we do in the United States?
Despite the challenges, social media in Southeast Asia is changing with more benefits on the horizon. Businesses are recognising the potential of catering to this market, and we’ll soon see some exciting developments for the benefit of global marketers everywhere.
Social Media in the United States vs. Southeast Asia
Social media seems to be a constant presence in the United States with more than two thirds of the population visiting a platform like Facebook or Instagram every single day. However, the scene is different in Southeast Asia where internet restrictions and censorship run rampant. Here, just over half of internet users have a social account.
That being said, social media is expected to be the largest market of internet users in Southeast Asia by 2020. However, social media is more directly emphasised in the United States than it is in this region.
The disparity between these two populations is distinct, largely in the way that information is delivered. “Contrary to once idealistic expectations that social media would usher in a new era of unity and democratisation, technology’s empowerment of the masses seems to have engendered societies in which people are more isolated and polarized than ever before,” says Brandon Paladino, author of the Brookings study Democracy Disconnected: Social Media’s Caustic Influence on Southeast Asia’s Fragile Republics.
Paladino identifies Southeast Asia as a major player in the societal and political effects of social media. However, political factors make shared information unreliable. As a result, many do not use social media in the same way that U.S. citizens do.
“In Southeast Asia, such behavioral manipulation has occurred at the grassroots level as charismatic leaders and groups have taken to social media to spread hate speech and fake news with the intent of gaining adherents to their cause in long-running communal conflicts that threaten democratic consolidation,” Paladino continues. “At the same time, a couple of prominent, democratically-elected strongman leaders in the region have also taken advantage of social media’s persuasive power to undergird their rule as they simultaneously seek to silence the professional media organizations that pose a challenge to their carefully curated narratives.”
This makes it difficult to determine the truthfulness of information spread here, and rather than trying to dispel the myths and lies spread by politicians, the effort has been placed on teaching the populations to think critically about each piece of content presented.
This information can be invaluable in helping you create your marketing campaigns. Putting emphasis on credible information can help you connect on a stronger level with your target audience in this area.
Also read: 3 ways blockchain can change the future of social media in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asians Rely on Social Media for E-commerce
In the United States, social networks are primarily geared towards personal use, with individuals posting and sharing content for their own interests. E-commerce posts weave their way in, trying to catch users’ attention through creative and high-quality content. Only 40 percent of U.S. citizens refer to social media before buying something, however, according to a Nielsen survey.
However, for the Southeast Asian population, 67 percent of social media account holders use the platform for making informed purchasing decisions. For these individuals, that’s the primary purpose of having a social media account—not to connect with friends but to learn more about products and services that are useful to them.
As a marketer, the lesson here is clear: You don’t have to worry as much about seeming too promotional or creating a truly unique and creative brand because this market is already tuned in to the commercial market.
There’s Untapped Opportunity in Southeast Asian Markets
When you consider that the population of this region is 2.4 billion people, but only 55 percent of them use social media, the untapped potential of this market is obvious. This percentage of social media users is also about four times the size of the U.S. market, even though 66 percent of American citizens are on social media.
According to Govinda Giri, contributor for AdWeek, such a small percentage of the population holds a social account because it’s not geared towards their interests.
“Potential users in south and southeast Asia aren’t just avoiding social media because they want to,” Giri says. “They’re avoiding social media because it doesn’t do anything for them.”
She says that a rebranding of social media is in order for those in the Southeast Asian market. Nothing exists as of yet that entices their interests, but it could present a momentous opportunity for a developer or the current social media platforms in the future.
“South Asian social media users want meaningful and productive relationships with other users and an enriched quality of social media interactions,” she says. “By allowing users to engage in direct commerce with one another, there is a tremendous opportunity for social e-commerce to enhance and humanise these relationships in a way that these users want.”
Businesses in the global market can clearly benefit from this untapped potential. Creating a platform that appeals to those in the Southeast Asian sector could be the solution to many problems in the global marketing sector. Researching market indicators in this part of the world and implementing what you can to appeal to this massive audience can unlock incredible brand awareness around the world.
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