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Social Media in Brazil - 2023 Stats & Platform Trends

Last Updated: October 30, 2023
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How is social media in Brazil?

With an internet penetration of more than 80% and mobile penetration of close to 100%, the internet market in brazil is relatively developed comparing with other regional peers. Hence, the use of social media is maturing in the country and even leading in the Latin American market.

The regulation of social media has been a highly debated topic among various groups in recent years, with bills such as the “Fake News Bill” remaining stalled in Congress for nearly two years. However, recent violent attacks on Brazil’s Congress and other government buildings have brought attention to the role of social media algorithms in these events, and may lead to increased pressure for the passing of regulations on content moderation and digital platforms in the near future.

The way people use social media changed dramatically during the pandemic, it becomes more than just connecting with friends and family or following fan page etc for most Brazilian. The pandemic has led to a significant shift towards social media for Brazilian retailers as the lockdown was imposed.

Beauty specialist retailers, in particular, have used WhatsApp as a platform to reach customers and enable direct payment, a trend known as social selling. Despite the lifting of quarantine restrictions, many retailers have continued to see strong growth in online sales, and as a result, they are turning to social media to remain relevant and offer customers a favorable online shopping experience.

Home and garden specialist retailers also saw a strong shift towards social media during the pandemic. Even retailers that were classified as essential businesses and were able to continue operating throughout the year saw strong growth in online sales. In response, retailers are turning to social media-oriented marketing strategies to increase their digital presence. In particular, the use of messaging app WhatsApp to establish and maintain close contact with customers formed a key element of the shift towards digital channels during the pandemic. This is likely to continue as many Brazilian consumers have a strong preference for social commerce and WhatsApp is the most commonly used messaging app among Brazilian consumers. Therefore, it is likely that the forecast period will see numerous players operating in home and garden specialist retailers increase their digital presence on social media platforms.

Historical Internet Penetration
Unit: % of Total Population
Cellular Subscription %
Unit: per 100 People

Social Media's User Demographics in Brazil

Given the latest survey available, in Brazil there are about 171.2 million active social media users (Log in at least once in a month) in 2022. This is about 79.9 % of the addressable  demographics. Also, Throughout 2021 to 2022, the number of users has grown 14.3 %.

Social Media User Demographics
Note: Meta's figure as reference, 2022

Key Drivers of Using Social Media in Brazil

Source: GWI. Users aged 16-64 years old

Key Accounts Followed For Users in Brazil

Source: GWI. Users aged 16-64 years old

What Platforms are Users in Brazil Typically on?

According to data on search trends, WhatsApp has maintained its position as the top platform in Brazil since surpassing Facebook and Instagram during the pandemic. According to estimates by GWI in 2022, approximately 96% of internet users in Brazil use WhatsApp, while usage of Facebook and Instagram is around 88% and 90%, respectively.

In 2022, Instagram surpassed Facebook in terms of users in Brazil, as many Brazilian users are visual shoppers and the platform’s design supports this trend. This is also why TikTok has been gaining popularity. Note that data from Napoleon suggests otherwise, but based on observation and interviews with local marketers, Instagram is more widely/heavily used.

Most Used Platforms, 2022
Unit: %
Most Liked Platforms | 2022
Unit: %

How's Facebook Doing in Brazil?

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 0.99%, there is now around 163.1 million Facebook users in Brazil . With male users account for around 45.13% and female users account for around 54.87%.

Facebook Users as a % of Population in Brazil
Unit: %
Facebooks Users in Brazil
Unit: '000 Thousands
Facebook User Penetration in Brazil
Unit: % of Total Population
Facebook User By Age Group in Brazil
Note: As legal restriction, figure of 13-17 is often underestimated(underreported) and 18-24 is overestimated|Unit:'000 People
Facebook User Age Penetration in Brazil
Note: Number may exceed 100% as multi-accounts holders or fake accounts prevail in the country|Unit: %

How's Instagram in Brazil?

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 1.03%, there is now around 122.9 million Instagram users in Brazil . With male users account for around 42.39% and female users account for around 57.61%.

Instagram Users as a % of Population in Brazil
Unit: %
Instagram Users in Brazil
Unit:'000 People
Instagram User Penetration in Brazil
Unit: % of Total Population
Instagram User By Age Group in Brazil
Note: As legal restriction, figure of 13-17 is often underestimated(underreported) and 18-24 is overestimated|Unit:'000 People
Instagram User Age Penetration in Brazil
Note: Number may exceed 100% as multi-accounts holders or fake accounts prevail in the country|Unit: %

How's TikTok in Brazil?

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 1.02%, there is now around 74 million TikTok users in Brazil . With male users account for around 0.375 and female users account for around 0.625.

TikTok Users as a % of Population in Brazil
Unit:'000 People
TikTok User Penetration in Brazil
Unit: %

How's LinkedIn in Brazil?

With the latest data published in January 2023, we can see that at the growth rate of 1.11x, there is now around 59.01 million LinkedIn users in Brazil.

LinkedIn Users as a % of Population in Brazil
Unit: %
LinkedIn Users in Brazil
Unit:'000 People
LinkedIn User By Age Group in Brazil
Unit:'000 People
Reference
  • Internet & Cellular Subscription:World Bank, ITU
  • Currency Exchange: Based on IMF data in 2023/1
  • Demographics: UN Population Database
  • Social Media Behavior: GWI, Hootsuite 2022 Digital Report
  • Meta, LinkedIn Data: Napoleon Cat Stats
  • Data Calculation & Regression:OOSGA.org
  • Analysis:OOSGA Analytics
  • Note: The data for monthly platform usage and the data for the most frequently used platforms are sourced from different research, hence there may be discrepancies in the numbers as both are estimated rather than real figure.
Author: CR Team

Our consumer research practice tracks what customers spend and how they make decisions across major economies in the world.

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