Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility
Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?
DIGITAL MARKETING
Internet usage in Uganda grew by one million last year, study finds
By our News Team | 2023
Just under 25% of the population is now connected online and a little over 4% of Ugandans are active social media users.
Internet usage in Uganda grew by one million people in 2022, bringing the total number of users in the country to 11.77-million people, which equates to just under 25% of the total population.
In addition, the number of active social media users in the East African nation now stands at 2.05-million, or 4.3% of the total population.
Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile from Pexels
These figures are contained in the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report compiled jointly by Meltwater and We Are Social. The report claims to explore what people are really doing on the internet, social media, mobile devices, and online shopping platforms around the world.
Analysing the data specific to Uganda, local digital media analyst and micro-blogger John Birungi Babirukamu notes that the growth in internet usage was lower than his prediction of 1.35-million new users. Similarly, the total name of users falls below the Uganda Communications Commission’s expected number of 13.9-million users.
In a LinkedIn post, he says betting information still dominates the top Google searches in Uganda, while local music, comedy and translated movies (by VJ Junior & VJ Jingo) dominated activity on YouTube.
LinkedIn proves a big growth winner in 2022
LinkedIn was a big winner in 2022, growing by 23.5% to hit the 1-million monthly active users mark in Uganda. It is still very male-dominated, with 62.3% male users.
Twitter grew by 43.7% to make 601,000 monthly active users, with a 77.1% male user base.
Facebook usage fell by 26% to about 1.85-million monthly active users. Babirukamu says this is a direct result of the government ban on Facebook usage, (implemented in 2021) and the platform’s reduced appeal to Gen Z users.
Instagram dropped by 23.1%, down to 445,000 users as people migrated to TikTok. Usage is 56.1% male, and 43.9% female.
“While I deduce that TikTok grew massively among Gen Z and Millennials, we, unfortunately don’t get statistics from TikTok for the whole of Africa,” he said.
The Digital 2023 Global Overview Report contains a range of African-focused digital information. For African marketers looking to potentially increase their spend on digital, one of the key takeaways is that there are still huge unconnected populations in many countries.
In Nigeria, for example, nearly 45% of the population remains offline. In Kenya, the figure is 67% and in Tanzania it is 68%. Mozambique has 79% of people offline, and Ethiopia has 83%. In Somalia and South Sudan, the figure is 90% and above.
The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI
Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.
Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession
Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.
Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan
Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.
We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?
Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.
Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers
Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.
FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards
South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.
Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths
Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.
Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI
Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.
Top African marketing voices confirmed for AMC 2026
Explore the 2026 AMC Conference speaker line-up. Top African marketing voices gather in Zambia to tackle AI, AfCFTA, and brand power. Register today.
Broadcast Research Council confirms launch of total video measurement
New industry currency will bring South African television and online video audiences together in a single measurement system.