SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

Report says TikTok is shaking up the SA social media landscape

By our News Team | 2023

Facebook remains number one in South Africa, but TikTok has seen ‘explosive growth’ and surpassed Instagram to claim second position.

The ‘Big Five’ social media platforms in South Africa have been shaken up as TikTok leaps past Instagram into second place and challenges the dominant social network, Facebook, in several segments.

This is one of the key findings of the South African Social Media Landscape 2023 study, released by brand intelligence consultancy Ornico and market research house World Wide Worx.

Photo by Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash

Facebook, with a commanding 56.7% penetration among South Africans aged 15 and over who are living in cities and towns, continues to dominate the social media scene.

However, TikTok has seen explosive growth and surpassed Instagram to claim second position at 30.6%. Notably, TikTok’s appeal extends beyond its under-15 target audience, making significant inroads into the 15+ market.

Instagram remains a popular choice among South African social media users, boasting 27.6% penetration, while Twitter retains a significant following despite its troubled takeover by Elon Musk – standing at 22.5%. LinkedIn is far behind, but its 14.7% penetration is healthy for a professional networking platform that does not hold youth appeal.

Data gathered from a variety of sources

Data used in the South African Social Media Landscape 2023 report is based on Ask Afrika’s Target Group Index (TGI), which surveys 16,000 South Africans every six months.

Ornico and World Wide Worx also conduct a survey of social media usage by South Africa’s biggest brands, and integrate the findings with several additional data sources.

“The youth audience is key to social media in South Africa,” says Arthur Goldstuck, CEO of World Wide Worx. “When a platform like TikTok, which has deep reach among those aged under 15, breaks through to this extent in the older youth market, as well as among young adults, we can see the landscape undergoing a significant shift.”

The study highlights the correlation between social media platforms’ popularity and the proportion of highly active users. Facebook emerges as the leader, with nearly 8 out of 10 users being highly active. TikTok and Instagram exhibit similar levels of user engagement, while LinkedIn has a relatively small proportion of highly active users.

This distinction implies that platforms like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram are deeply integrated into users’ lifestyles, whereas LinkedIn is more closely associated with their ‘workstyles’, says Goldstuck.

You can download the report here.

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

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?

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

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.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

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.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

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.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

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.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

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.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

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.