Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Social media usage in Colombia - Statistics & Facts
With an audience almost as big as the one of Argentina, Colombia is the fifth largest social media market in Latin America, with more than 35 million users. Overcoming regional differences in its online landscape, the country has an overall high social media penetration rate, with its number of users projected to grow another 2 million by 2027. The eagerness of Colombians to use social media turns the country into one of the most vibrant and profitable social advertising industries in Latin America, where video platforms take the spotlight and show the country’s potential for connecting and entertaining.
Like most of its neighboring countries, messaging apps are an absolute must in Colombia, as local users primarily employ social media to communicate and keep in touch with each other. However, Colombians do tend more to interact with shared online content instead of primarily sending private messages, also reflected in the country’s usage overall usage of networks for informing themselves and consuming news.
Despite Colombia’s problems of connectivity taking a toll on the internet and networks’ penetration, social video remains an essential part of the country’s social media landscape. YouTube, for example, has the smallest penetration rate among the region’s biggest markets, but is the most visited website in Colombia. Having much higher access through desktop devices 1101078, its local success confirms that Colombians will overcome online obstacles to enjoy its globally popular musical industry’s productions.
Colombian influencers also benefit from such buzz, receiving annual investments of almost 67 billion Colombian pesos. Meanwhile, the success of digital video and social media strength also supports the country’s ever-rich musical industry. Established names like Shakira and J Balvin, and newer artists like Karol G, all have successful social media accounts, but it is on YouTube where they really shine. Among Colombia’s most viewed channels, all belong to its most successful artists, who are also featured among Latin America’s and worldwide most popular YouTube videos of all time.
How do Colombians use social media?
Despite imbalances in internet penetration throughout the country’s regions, Colombia has one of the highest social media access rates in Latin America, the third highest among its largest markets, and one of the highest rate of active users in the Americas. Notably, around 85 percent of Colombians claim to access social networks daily, as the online domains of these platforms figure among the country’s most visited websites.Like most of its neighboring countries, messaging apps are an absolute must in Colombia, as local users primarily employ social media to communicate and keep in touch with each other. However, Colombians do tend more to interact with shared online content instead of primarily sending private messages, also reflected in the country’s usage overall usage of networks for informing themselves and consuming news.
What are the most popular social media platforms in Colombia?
Colombia has a slightly better balance in its social media landscape when compared to its neighbors. As commonly seen throughout the region, Meta still leads the country’s social media landscape, with four of its services having the highest usage reach, three of them being the favorite social platforms among Colombians, and Colombia represents some of its services’ biggest audiences in Latin America. But while Facebook leads in terms of number of users, TikTok already has the second-biggest social audience in the country, surpassing Instagram by almost 3 million users in 2023.Despite Colombia’s problems of connectivity taking a toll on the internet and networks’ penetration, social video remains an essential part of the country’s social media landscape. YouTube, for example, has the smallest penetration rate among the region’s biggest markets, but is the most visited website in Colombia. Having much higher access through desktop devices 1101078, its local success confirms that Colombians will overcome online obstacles to enjoy its globally popular musical industry’s productions.
Advertising, influencers, and music
Such movement brings good business, as social media remain the main channel to search for brand and product information in Colombia and, alongside video platforms, are the main touchpoints for digital advertising. In 2022, more than 735 billion Colombian pesos were invested in social media ads, with spending on digital video format amounting to more than 200 million U.S. dollars during the same period.Colombian influencers also benefit from such buzz, receiving annual investments of almost 67 billion Colombian pesos. Meanwhile, the success of digital video and social media strength also supports the country’s ever-rich musical industry. Established names like Shakira and J Balvin, and newer artists like Karol G, all have successful social media accounts, but it is on YouTube where they really shine. Among Colombia’s most viewed channels, all belong to its most successful artists, who are also featured among Latin America’s and worldwide most popular YouTube videos of all time.
