Technology

Facebook, WhatsApp top social media apps in Kenya - report

The Facebook app logo is seen in this illustration taken on August 22, 2022. (Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

By Lucy Mumbi | Sunday, May 26, 2024

The report also noted that social media access predominantly occurs through mobile phones, making them a crucial part of media consumption in the country.

Facebook and WhatsApp are the most popular social media platforms in the country, according to a report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK).

The ‘Audience Measurement and Industry Trends Report' for the third quarter of the financial year 2023–24 (January–March) ranks YouTube and TikTok third and fourth, respectively.

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According to the report, these digital platforms are popular for reasons including instant interaction and have a big impact on Kenya's online world.

In quarter 1, Facebook usage stood at 45.2 per cent, WhatsApp at 45.9 per cent, YouTube at 18.6per cent, and TikTok at 19.3 per cent.

By Quarter 2, Facebook's usage had increased to 47.5per cent, WhatsApp to 47.3 per cent, YouTube to 21.0per cent, and TikTok to 17.8 per cent. In quarter 3, Facebook was still leading with 49.4 per cent, WhatsApp 47.0 per cent, YouTube 29.5 per cent, and TikTok 23.0 per cent.

“The prevalence of Facebook and WhatsApp in social media mentions highlights their extensive adoption and influential presence in the Kenyan digital landscape,” reads the report.

Other platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Google, Opera Mini, Chrome, Telegram, Email, Snapchat, and LinkedIn followed in popularity.

The report also noted that social media access predominantly occurs through mobile phones, making them a crucial part of media consumption in the country.

It states that over the three quarters, media consumption patterns remained steady.

According to the report, about one-third of radio listeners use mobile phones to access radio content. Despite this significant share, traditional radio sets are still the most common listening method, which indicates that while mobile phones are increasingly popular for radio access, the conventional radio set continues to be the primary choice for most listeners.

On the other hand, television is predominantly watched on TV sets rather than on other devices such as mobile phones or computers, suggesting that traditional television viewing habits persist, with most people preferring to watch TV on a standard television set.

The report adds that the consistent daily engagement for TV and radio was 57 per cent in both Q1 and Q2 2023/24, with a slight reduction to 52 per cent in Q3 2023/24.

Social media usage rose from 46 per cent in Q2 to 47 per cent in Q3, and online video streaming increased from 22 per cent to 24 per cent over the same period.