App and social media usage numbers soar in Australia

Social media and general app usage has soared in Australia, with new figures revealing 83% of Australians are now on some form of social media.

The Digital 2022 Australia report by We Are Social and Hootsuite found that a massive uptake in social media use has led to more companies bolstering their systems and strengthening their connections.

It was revealed that the number of Australians adopting social media is up 4.6%, with 21 million social media users across the country, which is over a million more than the previous year.

Despite Facebook continuing to be the most popular app, TikTok is becoming increasingly more used among Australian users, with an average of 23.4 hours of time spent per person per month. This compares to 17.6 hours (a 3% decline) on Facebook and 8.3 hours monthly (2% increase) on Instagram.

Australians were also found to spend an average of 3 hours and 53 minutes using their mobile phones each day, with 788 million mobile apps downloaded in the past year as well.

They spent AUD$2 billion on mobile apps and in-app purchases in 2021, with spending totals attributed the most on Disney+, Tinder, Kayo Sports, YouTube and Bumble.

Gaming on mobiles also saw a more significant uptake, with Pokemon Go, Among Us, Roblox and Candy Crush Saga topping Australia's mobile game of 2021 with the most active users.

"As social media usage in Australia steadily increases, it is more important than ever before for companies to embrace social media to strengthen their connection with their customers," says Hootsuite head of ANZ Letrecia Tippet.

Digital advertising as a result of mass uptake has seemingly created a competitive market, so app and media companies are encouraged to implement solid systems and targeted platforms.

"The significant uplift in digital advertising spend over the past 12 months shows Australian businesses are competing for share of voice and looking to maximise their customer reach across all avenues online," says Tippet

"As we move forward, organisations should continue to prioritise a digital-led strategy, so as not to miss out on key opportunities for growth and new customers."

Tippet also says that the report will help businesses decipher the growing trends and markets in Australia, revealing the growth opportunities and setbacks that will occur in the future.

"As Australians navigate through yet another challenging year of the pandemic, we encourage businesses to make use of the data from our Digital 2022 report to help them navigate which social media platforms will be most efficient in connecting them with their audiences."