Mexico currently has approximately 85 million internet users in June of 2017, a number which has increased exponentially since 2015, when the number was around 58 million. Currently, penetration is around 65.3%. Mexico has around 76 million social media users, or around 59% of the total population. The number of social media users is up 27% since January of 2016.
Internet users in Mexico are spending an average of 3.5 hours on social networking platforms, a number which is also steadily on the rise. In the country, 81% of internet users access the internet daily.
- Social networking use is rapidly growing, with Facebook being the most popular platform, but with rapid growths for Instagram and Pinterest
- Mexico is the fifth largest market in the world for Facebook, at 50 million users
Social media is incredibly popular in Mexico, especially among people in the 20 to 30 age range, with 96% of people in that group using at least one social media platform. However, only 57% of individuals in that age group own a smartphone, suggesting that a large number of social media users access social media from desktops.
Internet users in Mexico are online an average of 5 hours and 22 minutes, 3 hours and 10 minutes of which is through mobile devices.
After Google.com.mx, YouTube.com, and Google.com, Facebook is the fourth most visited site in Mexico. Facebook is the preferred social networking site of 95.6% of internet users in Mexico.
The most popular pages on Facebook in Mexico as of November 2017 are: Yo Amo Los Zapatos, an online site that allows users to shop for designer shoes (41,928,623 fans); artist and meme account owner Miltoner (22,983,36 fans); and former football player, vlogger, and meme account owner Gabriel Montiel Gutiérrez WEREVERTUMORRO (22,463,965 fans).
According to data from eMarketer, there are about 25.7 million Twitter users in Mexico in 2016, which is projected to reach over 32 million by 2020. Mexico has had a 9.3% growth in Twitter users from 2016 to 2017, and had a huge boom in the 2013-2014 time period, with a 46.7% growth in users. Twitter is currently the 16th most visited site in Mexico, according to data from Alexa.
The most popular Twitter pages as of November 2017 are: Mexican singer and actress Paulina Rubio (11,510,796 followers); Mexican actress and singer Anahi (9,957,002 followers); and Mexican beauty vlogger Yuya (9,901,533 followers).
YouTube
YouTube is the second most visited website in Mexico as of November 2017. The most popular YouTube channels in Mexico as of November 2017 are: vlogger and internet personality JuegaGerman (6,049,142,719 total video views and 22,487,304 subscribers); record label RemexMusic (2,769,018,764 total video views and 2,976,537 subscribers), and Mexican-American pop duo HaAshVEVO (2,720,675,919 total video views and 3,364,144 subscribers).
Instagram is one of the most rapidly-growing platforms in Mexico, and currently has over 16 million users in the country. The user base is 54% female and 46% male, with 42% of users between the ages of 18 and 24, with 70% of all users between the ages of 18 and 34. Instagram has a 44% penetration rate in Mexico. The website is currently the 17th most visited in the country.
Influence
- Brands are using social media channels in increasing numbers to engage users in Mexico
- Many of the most popular brands on social media are localised versions of American companies or Mexican brands
Currently, the Mexican ecommerce market is dominated by travel ticket sales. In addition, more than half of all internet users do online shopping on international sites, especially American sites such as Walmart. According to a study by Search Laboratory, the fact that ecommerce in Mexico is growing at a slightly slower rate is likely due to low levels of digital penetration, low consumer confidence in site security, and low levels of disposable income.
The most popular branded pages on Facebook in Mexico as of November 2017 are: Bodega Aurrerá, a Mexican discount chain store owned by the American company Walmart (7,846,528 fans); the localised page for American soft drink Coca-Cola (7,151,017 fans); and Mexican beer brand Corona (7,115,477 fans).
According to Socialbakers, the most popular branded pages on Twitter as of November 2017 are: Mexican airline company Volaris, profile name @viajaVolaris (1,915,946 follows); Mexican airline company @Aeromexico (1,738,152 followers); and Mexican bookstore chain @LibreríasGhandi (1,572,301 followers).
YouTube
The most popular branded pages on YouTube in Mexico as of November 2017 are: localised version of American consumer goods chain Procter & Gamble, profile name @PGMexicoMdo (402,381,672 total video views and 44,187 subscribers); localised channel for American telecommunications company Motorola, channel name Motorola Mexico (198,739,983 total video views and 81,750 subscribers); and localised page for French beauty brand L’Oreal, channel name L’Oreal Paris Mexico (192,376,820 total video views and 43,574 subscribers).
Language and Culture
- Mexico is mostly Spanish speaking, though has 68 recognised languages
- Families – as well as extended families – and close-knit communities are an important feature of Mexican society
- Social media has been used in recent years to highlight social problems and campaigns
Mexico has 68 recognised national languages, 62 of which are indigenous languages. Nahuatl, a language known historically as Aztec, is the native language of over one million Mexicans. Spanish is the dominant language in the country, and is the language used for all official purposes. While Mexico does not collect census data on ethnicity, 2012 estimates speculate that 62 % of Mexicans are classified as mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish), 28% as Amerindian or mainly Amerindian, 9% as white, and 1% as ‘other’.
It is also important to note that Spanish in Mexico differs slightly from Spanish in Spain, and even from Spanish in other parts of Latin America. The differences are roughly comparable to differences in UK and US English. Mainly, the differences account for variations in vocabulary, and occasionally grammar. For example, Mexicans are much less likely to use the verb conjugations for the second person informal ‘vosotros’ than Spaniards, and prefer to use the more formal ‘ustedes’ for all second person verb conjugations. However, as ‘ustedes’ does not carry formal connotations in Mexico, it is appropriate for all situations.
Like many Central and South American nations, Mexican culture values strong families and close-knit communities. There is great suspicion of official corruption, which strong local and family ties help to protect against. It is also a very hierarchical society, both within the family and in the workplace.
Mexico also has a very strong traditional culture of masculinity (or machismo), which is starting to diminish somewhat as women are beginning to take on traditional male roles. In 2017, Maria de Jesus Patricio Martinez declared her intention to run for the office of the presidency, making her the first indigenous woman to do so. Mexico has never elected a female president, though several have run for office.
Social media has been used to protest poor social and economic conditions, with the Mexican public stating the “I am 132” campaign which aims to demonstrate to the rest of the world the reality of the problems that people are experiencing in the country. Individual journalists and bloggers have tried to work to help bring down drug cartels by reporting incidents via social media, with several editors and journalists being beheaded by the criminals they were targeting for doing so.
