Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Social media usage in Mexico - statistics & facts
With the second largest social media audience in Latin America and the Caribbean and the eighth largest worldwide, Mexicans are absolutely wired to social platforms. With more than a hundred million social media users and a considerably high penetration of these platforms in the region, social networks are extensively and frequently used in the country, powering an industry that seems to be a spiritual substitute for its national television consumption and penetration. Additionally, social media expands the followship of local media personalities, creating a powerful influencer market that also reflects on the country’s lucrative social commerce sector.
Messaging apps are the favorite type of platform in Mexico, with Mexicans mostly using social media for sending private messages and interacting with posted content. Meanwhile, other common motivations for Mexicans to use social media include reading news stories, leisure, and finding video content, again reflecting the overall state of media consumption and online social landscape in the country.
While the Californian company still dominates the country’s social media landscape, TikTok has already surpassed Instagram and become the second most popular platform in the Mexico. The success of the Chinese platform is evident with more than 60 million users which are set to increase to 80 million by 2027.TikTok is also the social media platform in Mexico with the longest daily usage time and the highest number of influencers with more than 10 million followers among all competitors. With video consumption remaining strong in Mexico, YouTube also continues to grow its reach throughout the country and region, with Mexican channels furthering the success of their visual and musical productions throughout the region.
Personalities from the audiovisual industries constitute the most popular genre of influencers in Mexico, as musicians and entertainment accounts feature among the most followed types of accounts throughout these platforms. The connection with these personalities also proves good for business, whereas more than half of online consumers claimed to have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation.
Repeating its success across the country's social media landscape, Meta again takes the lead in this sector, as nine out of ten Mexicans who bought via social media have used Facebook for such use, followed by Instagram. Despite the market being recent and still perceived with suspicion, this does not stop Mexicans looking for new fashion and decorations, which rank among the most popular categories for social shopping in the country.
Mexico’s new favorite screens
Accessing social media with the same dedication as one watches a telenovela, nine out of ten Mexicans claim to use social media daily, with smartphones being the main device to access these platforms. But instead of employing it for consuming media, Mexicans are first and foremost motivated to use social networks to keep in touch with acquaintances and relatives, being the most followed type of social account by Mexicans.Messaging apps are the favorite type of platform in Mexico, with Mexicans mostly using social media for sending private messages and interacting with posted content. Meanwhile, other common motivations for Mexicans to use social media include reading news stories, leisure, and finding video content, again reflecting the overall state of media consumption and online social landscape in the country.
What are the main social platforms in Mexico?
Meta’s platforms have a very strong presence in Mexico, with four of its services being the most accessed platforms in Mexico. Facebook and WhatsApp take the front position regarding usage reach, followed by FB Messenger and Instagram. Facebook also leads regarding the number of users and is still the favorite platform for a least 35 percent of Mexicans, as WhatsApp ranks second and Instagram ranks fourth.While the Californian company still dominates the country’s social media landscape, TikTok has already surpassed Instagram and become the second most popular platform in the Mexico. The success of the Chinese platform is evident with more than 60 million users which are set to increase to 80 million by 2027.TikTok is also the social media platform in Mexico with the longest daily usage time and the highest number of influencers with more than 10 million followers among all competitors. With video consumption remaining strong in Mexico, YouTube also continues to grow its reach throughout the country and region, with Mexican channels furthering the success of their visual and musical productions throughout the region.
Love for its celebrities and influencers…
The popularity of telenovelas in Mexico seems to have been transported to the internet. With the country’s constant and intense usage of social media, around 97 percent of residing Mexicans claimed to follow an influencer or content creator on social media, creating a market that received investments of more than 238.5 million U.S. dollars in 2022. Such popularity also makes a fertile ground for influencers and content producers, as Mexico ranks among the countries with the most creators with over 10 million followers – the third for TikTok, fourth for YouTube, and sixth for Instagram.Personalities from the audiovisual industries constitute the most popular genre of influencers in Mexico, as musicians and entertainment accounts feature among the most followed types of accounts throughout these platforms. The connection with these personalities also proves good for business, whereas more than half of online consumers claimed to have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation.
… and for social commerce
With at least 67 percent of online shoppers claiming to have already shopped through social media, Mexico is the country with the seventh-highest share of social buyers worldwide. With at least 43 percent of its users making purchases directly through the platform, social media ads became the main online channel for brand discovery and search in the country.Repeating its success across the country's social media landscape, Meta again takes the lead in this sector, as nine out of ten Mexicans who bought via social media have used Facebook for such use, followed by Instagram. Despite the market being recent and still perceived with suspicion, this does not stop Mexicans looking for new fashion and decorations, which rank among the most popular categories for social shopping in the country.
