Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Social media usage in Peru - Statistics & Facts
Hosting what is the third-largest social media audience in Latin America, Peru is an example of a market with still room for growth in the many spheres of its online life. Despite only 70 percent of its population having access to the internet, the increase in connectivity throughout its territory proves its population can become intensive and interested social media users when provided with the right conditions. As social platforms reach one of the highest penetration rates within Latin American countries, they help power Peru’s trending digital advertising market with extensive investments in social media ads.
The magnitude of Peru’s social media landscape is best proven by the size and reach of networks among local audiences. Meta once again establishes its dominance in the country, which hosts Facebook’s fifth-largest audience in Latin America. Meanwhile, Messenger and WhatsApp gather more than 20 million users each, solidifying the company’s reign through the most used type of platforms by Peruvians.
The increasing connectivity throughout the country’s territory is also changing this picture, seemingly benefiting primarily video-focused platforms more than others. TikTok overran Instagram and amassed the second-largest social media audience in Peru, with more than 20 million users, while YouTube is the second most-used platform in the country, placing itself between Meta’s offerings and proving once again its success within the region. On the other hand, Instagram has a proportionally smaller audience of 8.25 million users, a difference even more visible when comparing its popularity in markets like Chile, Brazil, or Argentina.
But Peru’s growing market still proves somewhat challenging, with shares of digital advertising within the country’s ad spend distribution being the lowest among the six largest Latin American economies. Additionally, Peruvians still have not fully opened themselves to the increasing presence of search ads or social influencers, showing that this market still demands more strategy by potential companies and investors to thrive in the Andean country.
How do Peruvians use social media?
When able to overcome the country’s online access hardships, Peruvians are avid users of social networks, with 81 percent of its users accessing these platforms daily. Prioritizing direct communication, instant messengers are the most used type of platform by locals, being another showcase of Latin America’s fever for messenger apps. On the other hand, locals prefer to primarily interact or post content when online.The magnitude of Peru’s social media landscape is best proven by the size and reach of networks among local audiences. Meta once again establishes its dominance in the country, which hosts Facebook’s fifth-largest audience in Latin America. Meanwhile, Messenger and WhatsApp gather more than 20 million users each, solidifying the company’s reign through the most used type of platforms by Peruvians.
The increasing connectivity throughout the country’s territory is also changing this picture, seemingly benefiting primarily video-focused platforms more than others. TikTok overran Instagram and amassed the second-largest social media audience in Peru, with more than 20 million users, while YouTube is the second most-used platform in the country, placing itself between Meta’s offerings and proving once again its success within the region. On the other hand, Instagram has a proportionally smaller audience of 8.25 million users, a difference even more visible when comparing its popularity in markets like Chile, Brazil, or Argentina.
Digital advertising in Peru
Powered by its developing online sphere and local’s appetite for a connected life, Peru is now the fastest-growing digital advertising market worldwide, growing around 20 percent in 2023 at a faster rate than neighbors with better online connectivity, like Argentina, and Chile. The local audience’s desire for social media is well availed , with advertisings on social media reaching 120 million U.S. dollars in 2022, as ads in platforms like TikTok and YouTube constitute an important part of these investments.But Peru’s growing market still proves somewhat challenging, with shares of digital advertising within the country’s ad spend distribution being the lowest among the six largest Latin American economies. Additionally, Peruvians still have not fully opened themselves to the increasing presence of search ads or social influencers, showing that this market still demands more strategy by potential companies and investors to thrive in the Andean country.
