This article particularly relates to news consumption via social media and social media trends for 2023.
The Reuters Institute has released its annual review of news consumption trends, which, in many ways, also reflect broader online usage habits, and as such, it includes some valuable points of note for social media marketers that are looking to better connect with their audiences.
The report, conducted in partnership with YouGov, incorporates responses from almost 100,000 internet users, across 52 nations.
How social media is effecting news consumption –
Social media has had a profound impact on news consumption in several ways. Here are some of the key effects:
- Increased Accessibility: Social media platforms have made news easily accessible to a wide audience. Users can quickly access news stories, articles, and videos from various sources with just a few clicks. This has led to a significant increase in the overall consumption of news content.
- Diversification of News Sources: Social media has enabled individuals to explore news sources beyond traditional media outlets. Users can follow and engage with a wide range of publishers, journalists, and bloggers, allowing them to access news stories and perspectives that may not be covered by mainstream media. This diversification has contributed to a more pluralistic news landscape.
- Citizen Journalism: Social media platforms have empowered ordinary individuals to act as citizen journalists. Anyone with a smartphone can capture and share news events in real time, allowing for immediate dissemination of information. This has facilitated the reporting of news stories that might otherwise go unnoticed or be suppressed by traditional media outlets.
- Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers: One of the downsides of social media is the potential formation of filter bubbles and echo chambers. Algorithms used by platforms tend to show users content that aligns with their existing preferences and beliefs. This can create a situation where individuals are primarily exposed to information that reinforces their own views, leading to a limited perspective and potential misinformation.
- Spread of Misinformation: Social media has been criticised for enabling the rapid spread of misinformation and fake news. Due to the speed and ease of sharing information, false or misleading stories can quickly go viral, reaching a large number of people before they can be fact-checked or corrected. This has the potential to distort public understanding of important issues.
- Decline of Traditional News Outlets: As more people turn to social media for news consumption, traditional news outlets, such as newspapers and TV networks, have experienced declining readership/viewership and revenue. This has led to significant challenges for the sustainability of traditional journalism and raised concerns about the quality and reliability of news.
- Interactivity and Engagement: Social media platforms have transformed news consumption into a participatory experience. Users can like, comment, and share news content, and engage in discussions with others. This interactivity has allowed for greater engagement with news stories and facilitated public discourse on important topics.
Now this is what the report says for news consumption and social media trends for 2023 –
First off, the data shows that social media is now the preferred source of news content, overall, in comparison to accessing news publisher websites and apps direct.
As you can see in the chart below, that’s especially pronounced in younger user groups, with those under the age of 24 (in the UK in this example) far more likely to rely on social media platforms to get news content, as opposed to visiting a publisher website direct.
The data also shows that this behaviour varies significantly by region, with users in Asia, Latin America, and Africa more likely to lean on social apps, while Asia-Pacific markets tend to turn to news aggregator sites, like Yahoo, to stay up to date.
The data also provides some interesting insights into evolving social media usage habits, including this overview of how younger users are shifting their social media attentions over time.
In terms of news consumption specifically, Facebook remains the key driver among social apps, though it has declined significantly in recent years.
As per the report –
“Facebook remains the most important network (aggregated across 12 countries) at 28%, but is now 14 points lower than its 2016 peak (42%). Facebook has been distancing itself from news for some time, reducing the percentage of news stories people see in their feed (3% according to the company’s latest figures from March 2023), but in the last year it has also been scaling back on direct payments to publishers and other schemes that supported journalism. The growth of YouTube as a news source is often less noticed, but together with the rise of TikTok demonstrates the shift towards video-led networks.”
“Twitter users are more likely to pay attention to hard news subjects such as politics and business news than users of other networks, whereas TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook users are slightly more likely to consume fun posts (or satire) that relate to news.”
You can download the full report for social media trends for 2023 here.
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