Generational trends in Thailand’s social media use: how Gen Z differs from other age groups

Looking for a new lunch spot or place to visit on the weekend? A quick Google web or maps search is probably the first thing most people the world over would do.

But, in July 2022, Google disclosed that among US users aged 18-24 years, almost two in five are now turning to social media platforms TikTok and Instagram to discover new places, according to the platform’s internal data.

But is this generational shift in online behaviour US-specific – or reflective of age differences across geographies? In this article, we throw a spotlight on Thailand: is the use of TikTok and Instagram on the rise among Gen Z consumers here? And, if so, how are Thailand’s Gen Z using these social media and messaging platforms?

Are there significant generational differences in social media usage in Thailand?

Latest YouGov RealTime Omnibus research shows that Facebook, Line and YouTube are the top three social media and messaging platforms in Thailand by current usage.

While Facebook enjoys the highest reach among younger consumers – 94% of Gen Z (born 1997-2009) and 95% of Millennials (born 1981-1996) – and Line among older consumers – 97% of Gen X (born 1965-1980) and 96% of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) – membership of all three platforms is largely similar: over nine in ten consumers of each generation say they currently use them.

In contrast, current usage of TikTok and Instagram is significantly higher among younger consumers – especially Gen Z, where more than three-quarters are on TikTok (76%) and six in seven on Instagram (87%). Among older consumers, however, membership of both platforms drops to around two-thirds of Millennials (65-66%), and close to half of Gen X (53%) and Baby Boomers (49-50%).

When asked about the social media platform that they used most often, about one in five Gen Z consumers indicated TikTok (20%) and one in seven Instagram (14%). This is a significantly larger proportion compared to other generations, where less than one in eight indicated TikTok (4-12%) and less than one in thirty Instagram (0-2%).

How does Gen Z’s usage levels of TikTok and Instagram compare with other generations in Thailand?

Gen Z also tends to spend more time on TikTok and Instagram relative to other birth cohorts. Over half of Gen Z consumers spend two or more hours on TikTok daily (53%), compared to 41% of Millennials, 32% of Gen X and 16% of Baby Boomers.

Similarly, close to two in five Gen Z consumers spend two or more hours on Instagram daily (38%), compared to 25% of Millennials, 10% of Gen X and 4% of Baby Boomers.

Notably, a significantly larger proportion of Gen Z consumers say their usage of TikTok and Instagram has increased over the past year (44% for TikTok; 7% for Instagram) compared to other generations (32-37% for TikTok; 2-5% for Instagram).

What are Thailand’s Gen Z using TikTok and Instagram for?

Data from YouGov RealTime Omnibus also reveals the top three activities that Gen Z consumers do on TikTok: watch live broadcasts, such as from online sellers (37%), follow the movements of artists and celebrities (36%) and follow the news (30%). In particular, Gen Z is more likely than other age groups to use TikTok to follow celebrities/artists (Gen Z: 36% vs cross-generation average: 30%).

About one quarter of Gen Z users of TikTok say they use the platform to find interesting information (26%) and listen/stream music (24%), while one in five say they post content on it (21%).

On Instagram, the top three activities that Gen Z consumers in Thailand do are: posting pictures/messages/videos (58%), keeping track of their friends and family’s movements (41%) and following the movements of artists and celebrities (41%). In particular, Gen Z is much more likely than other age groups to post content on their Instagram profiles (Gen Z: 58% vs cross-generation average: 48%).

About one third of Gen Z users of Instagram say they use the platform to chat with others (34%), while more than a quarter say they follow the news on it (27%).

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Methodology: YouGov RealTime Omnibus provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 29 August 2022, with a nationally representative sample of 2,041 adults in Thailand (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by gender, age, region and monthly household income to be representative of the adult Thai online population (18 years or older), and reflect the latest National Statistical Office of Thailand (NSO) population estimates. Learn more about YouGov RealTime Omnibus.