Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The Market
- Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on social media, 30 June 2020
- Facebook boycott demonstrates advertisers’ growing concern about controversial content on social media
- Trump signs executive order that reduces protections for social media networks
- Ofcom’s regulatory role over social media set to be expanded
- Social media platforms start removing political adverts heading into 2020 US election
- Key Players
- Shops launched by Facebook
- Instagram tests hiding public like counts
- Instagram rolling out TikTok-style Reels
- Google reveals YouTube ad revenue for first time
- Twitter tests Stories-like feature Fleets
- The consumer
- More than six in ten people aged 55+ use Facebook
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- Figure 2: Use of social media platforms, 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 3: Use of top-5 social media networks in the last 3 months, 2017-20
- Facebook and Instagram are the most frequently used networks
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- Figure 4: Frequency visit social media networks, 19-30 March 2020
- Decline in use of devices other than a smartphone for social media
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- Figure 5: Devices used for social media, March 2018, March 2019 and 19-30 March 2020
- Figure 6: Preferred device for social media, March 2018, March 2019 and 19-30 March 2020
- People want social media to intervene on fake news
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards social media, 19-30 March 2020
- Ease of content discovery is the greatest priority for younger people
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- Figure 8: Top reasons choose a social network over another, 19-30 March 2020
- Facebook controversies have caused reputational damage
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- Figure 9: Correspondence Analysis on social media platforms, 19-30 March 2020
- Figure 10: Social and Media Networks, March 2020
- What we think
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Media
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- Use of social media booms
- Crisis increases appetite for livestreaming and video calling
- Platforms take strong measures to tackle virus misinformation, which could have long-term implications
- COVID-19 presents opportunity for networks to further e-commerce role
- Networks will need to step up efforts to protect mental health
- Influencers forced to change content in face of restrictions on movement
- Platforms offer COVID-19 help to people and businesses most affected
- Platforms to compete over more limited adspend during COVID-19 recession
Issues and Insights
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- COVID-19 further pushes social networks to regulate content
- The facts
- The Implications
- Mental health becomes a greater focus
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Facebook boycott demonstrates advertisers’ growing concern about controversial content on social media
- Trump signs executive order that reduces protections for social media networks
- Ofcom’s regulatory role over social media set to be expanded
- Social media platforms start removing political adverts heading into 2020 US election
Market Drivers
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- The Impact of COVID-19 on social media
- Short-, medium- and long-term impact on the industry
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- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on social media, 30 June 2020
- Use of social media booms
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- Figure 12: UK online visits to top consumer categories, % change between week of 13-19 January 2020 and 23-29 March 2020
- Crisis boosts importance of livestreaming and video calling
- Platforms take strong measures to tackle virus misinformation
- Tangible COVID-19 help will improve brand images
- Platforms to compete over more limited adspend during COVID-19 recession
- Facebook boycott demonstrates advertisers’ growing concern about controversial content on social media
- Ofcom’s regulatory role over social media set to be expanded
- Trump signs executive order that reduces protections for social media networks
- Social media platforms start removing political adverts heading into 2020 US election
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Facebook’s global user base growing year on year
- Shops launched by Facebook
- Instagram tests hiding public like counts
- Instagram rolling out TikTok-style Reels
- Google reveals YouTube ad revenue for first time
- PewDiePie crosses 100 million subscribers as established YouTubers face more scrutiny
- COVID-19 outbreak contributes to 24% growth in Twitter users
- Twitter tests Stories-like feature Fleets
- Twitter Topics helps people find the content they want
- Strong growth for Snapchat over the last year
- Snapchat announces wide range of new features
Major Players – Facebook, Inc
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- Facebook’s global user base growing year on year
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- Figure 13: Facebook daily and monthly active users, 2015-20
- Figure 14: Facebook Family monthly active people, 2018-20
- COVID-19 drives user growth in Q1
- Advertising revenue up in Q1 but takes a hit in March
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- Figure 15: Facebook daily active users, by geography, 2019 and 2020
- Shops launched by Facebook
- Facebook announces new payment option in US across family of apps
- Instagram sees live streaming use surge
- Ads introduced on IGTV
- Instagram tests hiding public like counts
- Instagram rolling out TikTok-style Reels
Major Players – YouTube
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- Google reveals YouTube ad revenue for first time
- YouTube claims viewership has surged since COVID-19 outbreak as it aims to create more helpful content
- Tackling COVID-19 misinformation
- Bans for more far right users
- PewDiePie crosses 100 million subscribers as established YouTubers face more scrutiny
- YouTube launches fashion vertical
Major Players – Twitter
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- COVID-19 outbreak contributes to 24% growth in users
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- Figure 16: Twitter monetizable daily active users (mDAU), 2018-20
- Advertising revenue drops as outbreak causes brands to pull back
- Trump tweets get fact-checked
- Plans in the works for option to stop people replying
- Ban on political advertising
- Twitter tests Stories-like feature Fleets
- Twitter Topics helps people find the content they want
Major Players – Snapchat
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- Strong growth over the last year
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- Figure 17: Snapchat daily active users, 2018-20
- Snapchat stops promoting Donald Trump’s posts
- Wide range of new features announced
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Growth of Instagram and YouTube continues
- TikTok gains greater prominence
- Facebook and Instagram are the most frequently used networks
- Decline in use of devices other than a smartphone for social media
- People want social media to intervene on fake news
- Almost half of social media users would prefer platforms not to show the popularity of content
- Consumers are in favour of banning political advertising
- Ease of content discovery is the greatest priority for younger people
- Data security concerns could impact use
- Facebook controversies have caused reputational damage
Social Media Networks Used
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- More than six in ten people aged 55+ use Facebook
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- Figure 18: Use of social media platforms, 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 19: Repertoire of social media networks used, 19-30 March 2020
- Growth of Instagram and YouTube continues
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- Figure 20: Use of top-5 social media networks in the last 3 months, 2017-20
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- Figure 21: Use of Top-5 social media networks in the last 3 months, by generation, 19-30 March 2020
- TikTok gains greater prominence…
- …but controversy over censorship and data collection could limit growth
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- Figure 22: Used TikTok in the last 3 months, by generation, 19-30 March 2020
Frequency of Social Media Visits
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- People increase use of social media during COVID-19 outbreak
- Facebook and Instagram are the most frequently used networks
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- Figure 23: Frequency visit social media networks, 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 24: Frequency visit social media networks [at least once a day], 2018-20
- Three in four Snapchat users visit daily
- The on-going crisis can limit appeal of social media for some
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- Figure 25: Whether people feel uncomfortable doing selected activities, 21 June – 1 July 2020
Social Media Devices
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- Decline in use of devices other than a smartphone for social media
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- Figure 26: Devices used for social media, March 2018, March 2019 and 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 27: Preferred device for social media, March 2018, March 2019 and 19-30 March 2020
- Mobile livestreaming being used to set Facebook Gaming apart
Attitudes towards Social Media
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- People want social media to intervene on fake news
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- Figure 28: Attitudes towards social media, 19-30 March 2020
- Figure 29: Attitudes towards social media [Answered Yes], by generation, 19-30 March 2020
- Removing public popularity scores could embolden people to post more
- Consumers are in favour of banning political advertising
Social Media Priorities
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- Ease of content discovery is the greatest priority for younger people
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- Figure 30: Top reasons choose a social network over another, 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 31: Top reasons choose a social network over another, by younger generations, 19-30 March 2020
- Many are considering the mental health ramifications of social networks
- Fewer adverts could make a difference for platforms
- Data security concerns could impact use
Perceptions of Social Media Platforms
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- Facebook controversies have caused reputational damage
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- Figure 32: Correspondence Analysis on social media platforms, 19-30 March 2020
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- Figure 33: Social and Media Networks, March 2020
- YouTube considered the best for making money
- People don’t think social media is currently a very helpful shopping tool
- COVID-19 presents opportunity for networks to further e-commerce role
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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