Singaporeans using more social platforms but consuming less media, says report

Singaporeans are using more platforms, despite lesser social media consumption. According to We Are Social's Digital 2025 report, Singaporeans are spreading their social media time across even more platforms, with the average number of platforms used monthly increased 4.3% to 7.2. This is despite social media use declining 8.4% year-on-year with the average time spent dropping to two hours and two minutes. 

Interestingly, six out of Singapore's top ten most downloaded mobile apps are social media platforms. Meta's Threads ranks second after OpenAI's generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. TikTok, Telegram, Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook continue to be among the most popular app downloads. 

Don't miss: Which social media platforms are SEA users frequenting? 

How are Singaporeans using social media? 

Out of the social media platforms, TikTok wins the battle for eyeballs and wallets, with the video-sharing app capturing the greatest share of social media time and consumer spend. Users spend an average of 34 hours and 29 minutes monthly on the platform - equivalent to more than an hour daily. YouTube ranks second for time spent in the app, with users clocking 29 hours and 45 minutes monthly. 

That said, the most visited types of apps and websites by Singaporean internet users are chat and messaging (97%), followed by social networks (95.9%). The primary reason why nearly half (48.5%) use social media is to stay in touch with family and friends too. 

While Instagram is the favourite social media app globally, Singaporeans prefer WhatsApp (30.4%), said the report. The chat and messaging app is also the most used social media platform, with 80.1% of Singaporeans using it monthly, with an average of 837.8 monthly sessions. 

Moreover, Facebook remains as a popular app among Singaporeans, ranking second for Singapore's favourite (15.3%) and most used platform (71.9%). It also remains the number one referral channel against other social media platforms. 

Outside of following the people they know, Singaporeans love to follow social media accounts for food and entertainment. Nearly 24.7% follow restaurants, chefs or food personalities, while 22.7% follow TV shows or channels and 20.1% follow entertainment, meme or parody accounts. In tandem, 40% of Singaporeans watch music videos and more than a quarter (27.6%) watch comedy, meme or viral videos online each week. 

Finally, 11.7% of Singaporeans follow journalists or news companies. This come as concerns regarding misinformation online continues to grow, with 71.4% of Singaporeans say they are concerned about what is real versus fake online. 

Social media ad spend 

According to the report, the total ad spend in Singapore in 2024 has grown to US$2.60 billion, with digital making up approximately 74.6%. The total digital ad spend grew 11% to US$1.94 billion. 

The report also revealed that social media makes up 26.3% of the digital piece of the pie, amounting to US$510 million. This is up 15.9% year-on-year. 

Separately, influencer advertising also continues to grow as brands invest in the influencer and creator economy. In Singapore alone, influencer ad spend grew 13.6%, amounting to US$106 million. 

In a 2024 report by R3, it was revealed that local nuance and trust is needed for influencer marketing in the Southeast Asia region. This is especially since consumers in SEA are savvier and crave genuine connections, leading to influencer marketing campaigns prioritising transparency and "deinfluencing", said the report. 

Moving forward, brands should also collaborate with influencers to create content in specific formats that align with their campaign goals. For example, a travel brand might partner with an influencer for a series of Instagram story highlights showcasing a new destination. 

Other popular formats include product demo and tutorial, hauls and unboxing, brand events, affiliate codes, educational content and advice and recipes. 

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