ZCS BLOG

In a scenery of continuous turmoil, we try to point out some data on what 2016 has been from the point of view of Social Media and how these channels that are increasingly important to communicate, have more users. These data allow us to understand how much the Italians use these devices and therefore companies could get some useful information especially to optimize their strategy.

Often, it is not only the number of users who crowd a platform rather than another, but it is the quality of the REPORT that is built according to the CONTENT.

The approach to the report is something the Italian companies lack, the research from 2016 SocialMediAbility 2016, made by the IULM observatory on Social Media at the beginning of this year reminds that. 

After Facebook, the most widely used Italian platform is YouTube with 27 million registered users, much used by young people, we get 73,9% in the group of people aged between 14-29. 

2016 was the year of Instagram in Italy, without exaggerating. During these months this platform of Facebook has introduced several new features that reflected on the Italian users. This figure has increased till to reach 9 millions, a very interesting number that makes the platform the phenomenon to be observed even in 2017. Instagram, as well as Facebook, will highly focus on live videos next year; we are waiting for the Live modality that is activated by Instagram to come to Italy.

Another platform that has over 9 million users in Italy (with a growth rhythm even of 1 million per month) is LinkedIn, the social "business" network that has registered more than 140,000 Italian companies and over  200 universities. The only feature that LinkedIn has been carrying out for a long time is that, if we look at the number of users using it actively, then the figure drops to 25% of the total. Namely, active users would be 2.250.000 out of 9 million.

Twitter, the 140 characters platform has been overtaken in terms of users both by Instagram and LinkedIn and 2016 will be a year to forget. Unfortunately , from this point of view there are no sure data, but it can be said that Twitter counts in Italy on a basis of about 8 million users. The Censis data tell us that considering the use, the true weak point of the platform, the 140 characters platform is used by 11,2% of Italians, about 4,4 million and we get to 24% among the youngest.

According to some data, the Italian market from the point of view of the growth of social media, will increase in 2017 of 2,6% with a total active population of 24 million Italians.

Keep in mind the great success WhatsApp has in Italy, the instant messaging app used nowadays by 61,3% of Italians, with percentages of 89,4% among the young.