Messenger Wars How Facebook lost its lead
Aug 19, 2015
Facebook is the giant in social networking but
WhatsApp has taken the lead in social messaging on mobile
A survey of 3,759 Android and iOS smartphone owners in the US, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia and China, carried out by mobile market research company On Device Research, reveals that Facebook Messenger no longer leads in social messaging.
Top 3 social messaging apps on smartphones Research data from the US, Brazil, South Africa, China and Indonesia shows that Facebook Messenger leads only in the US.
46% 35%
24%
Facebook Messenger
WhatsApp Twitter
72%
49% 30%
WhatsApp Facebook Messenger
Skype
43%
37% 36%
WhatsApp BBM Line
68% 47%
34%
WhatsApp Facebook Messenger
BBM
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
93%
46%
6%
WeChat Sina Weibo Skype
The dominant way to stay in touch Messaging apps aren’t just competing against each other. They are challenging calling, texting and emailing on the phone. Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
63%
31% 40%
24% 17%
33% 28% 24%
6% 9% 7% 12%
86% 73% 75%
60%
Social messaging Voice calls SMS Email
Average of 5 countries
10+ times/day 2-3 times/day Once a day At least once/day combined
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
% o
f res
pond
ents
61% 48%
41% 10%
85% 81% 79%
40%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=1406 in the US, n=544 in China, smartphone owners Per country charts can be found in the annex at the end of the presentation.
46%
29% 44%
29%
72% 75% 71% 69%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
Visible differences between the US and China Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
Two main reasons which drive people to use multiple instant messaging apps
1. Different friends using different platforms is the biggest reason – the network effect is a challenge all messaging platforms need to overcome to grow. 2. Different apps for different features is a close second. Only 12% globally said they use different apps for friends vs. for strangers (for dating, commerce etc.)
58% 57% 54% 55%
73%
50% 52%
42%
55% 62%
47% 55%
12% 13% 10% 8% 15% 12% 10% 10% 8% 11%
7% 12%
Global US Brazil Indonesia South Africa China
Different friends use different apps Because of different features One for people I don't know well, other(s) for friends/family It used to be free, it's not any more
58% use a variety of IM apps because their friends are spread over different networks. Q: Why do you use different messaging apps?
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Average number of messaging apps installed?
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
4.2 4.1
2.6 2.4 2.1
Indonesia South Africa Brazil China US
Big differences country-to-country - popularity of WeChat mostly driven by China Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
US 35%
US 46%
US 6% CH
3%
CH 9%
CH 93%
ID 43%
ID 23% ID
20%
BR 72%
BR 49%
BR 5%
SA 68%
SA 47%
SA 18%
WhatsApp Facebook WeChat
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
WhatsApp is now the leader in social messaging apps across the 5 markets covered Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
44%
35%
28%
19% 17% 16%
WhatsApp Facebook Messenger
WeChat Twitter BBM Skype
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
40% 46%
50% 51%
37% 39% 33%
22%
16-24 25-34 35-44 Over 45 Facebook Messenger WhatsApp
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=1167, US smartphone owners
Even in the US, Facebook Messenger is facing stiff competition as WhatsApp gains popularity – especially in the 16-24 age group Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
[We] did see a
decrease in daily users
specifically among
younger teens.
David Ebersman CFO of Facebook October 30, 2013
Source: Facebook earnings call, October 30, 2013
45% use only
31% use only
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=895, US smartphone owners who use Facebook and/or WhatsApp
Only a quarter of smartphone users in the US use both platforms actively Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
24%
WeChat spilling out of China Line’s popularity outside of Japan is well known, our
research shows that WeChat is similarly being adopted
in new markets. WeChat crossed 100 million registered
users outside of China back in August 2013.
Source: On Device Research, November 2013, TechinAsia, August 2013 N=2524, US, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
6%
20% 18%
US Indonesia South Africa
% of smartphone owners using weekly
BBM shows significant popularity in Indonesia and South Africa Our survey excluded BlackBerry owners so people who use this messenger have installed the BBM app which was released 3 weeks prior to the survey.
Q6. Which of these messaging services do you use at least once a week?
13%
37% 34%
US Indonesia South Africa
% of smartphone owners using weekly
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=2524, US, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
CEO and founder of WhatsApp
Source: https://twitter.com/jankoum/status/394259718606053376, October 2013
More photos are now shared via Snapchat than Facebook
400m
400m
350m
55m
Snapchat
Millions of photos shared a day
Source: Company reports, November 2013
Snapchat with its self-destructive photos and videos is a strong challenger despite a relatively small user base Q: Which social messaging app do you use at least once a week?
16-24 20%
25 or older
3%
Snapchat in the US
Source: On Device Research, November 2013, WSJ November, 2013 N=1167, US smartphone owners
In the 5 countries that we researched only the 16-24 age group in the US showed significant use of Snapchat. According to Evan Spiegel, the CEO of Snapchat, 70% of the services users are women.
With the social graph being built
into the address books of our
mobile devices, freely accessible
for all messaging platforms, the
barriers to entering the market
are tumbling down.
Alistair Hill CEO, On Device Research
How do instant messengers make money?
• Stickers, e.g. $0.99 for a set of 16 in WeChat. Line makes over $10 million a month this way.
• Promoting other apps and
games that monetise via in-app purchases
• Subscription fees
Source: The Next Web, October 2013
35%
24%
46% 38%
43%
18%
37%
13% 18%
13%
74%
54%
84%
69%
82%
Use daily Never used Have used
Stickers are well known and actively used by almost 40% of smartphone users Q: Do you use stickers / emoji in messaging apps?
Have used at least once
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
US Brazil Indonesia South Africa China
As Spaniards like to express our
feelings using our bodies and
facial expressions the stickers
are very cool. I can never stay
angry at my boyfriend long if
he sends me a cute sticker.
Marina Couso (29), Line user from Spain
Source: Reuters, October 2013
Over 20% of sticker-users have purchased paid stickers at least once Q: Have you ever paid for stickers / emoji in messaging apps?
80%
11%
9%
Never Yes, once More than once
31% 27%
19% 14% 12%
China South Africa Indonesia US Brazil
Have bought stickers at least once
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=2610, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
On Device Research uses the mobile internet to gain access to consumer opinions at any time, place or country.
Want Excel tables with the survey data? Request from [email protected]
On Device Research uses the mobile internet to gain access to consumer opinions at any time, place or country. We have undertaken projects in 58 countries Over 12 million people have taken one of our surveys on their mobile
46%
29%
44%
29%
18%
35%
21% 27%
8% 11%
6%
13%
72% 75%
71% 69%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day 2-3 times a day Once a day Daily
US Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Brazil Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
67%
24%
40%
28%
15%
30% 24% 26%
4% 8% 7%
12%
86%
62%
71% 66%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day 2-3 times a day Once a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
Indonesia Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
61%
24%
48%
22% 21%
36% 30% 28%
7% 9% 5%
13%
89%
69%
83%
63%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day 2-3 times a day Once a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
South Africa Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
79%
31% 29% 31%
13%
2% 10% 8% 11%
94%
75% 73% 65%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day 2-3 times a day Once a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners
China Q: How often do you use these ways of staying in touch on your phone?
61%
48%
41%
10%
17%
28% 31%
18%
7% 5% 7% 12%
85% 81% 79%
40%
Social messaging apps Voice calls SMS Email
More than 10 times a day 2-3 times a day Once a day Daily
Source: On Device Research, November 2013 N=3759, US, Brazil, China, South Africa, Indonesia smartphone owners