Spanish Internet users use Instagram more than Facebook and are aware of digital trends such as the metaverse and NFTs

March 16 (Portaltic/EP) –

The panorama of social networks confirms the leadership of Instagram, which for the first time has surpassed Facebook in use, among Spanish Internet users, who, in addition, are up to date with the latest digital trends, such as the metaverse, which is known to nearly 83 percent, and non-fungible tokens or NFTs (close to 58%).

The choice of the ‘smartphone’ as the main device to access the Internet has been consolidated for years, but it has experienced a growth of five points (51.6%) compared to 2021 (46.1%), being the laptop (21, 7%) and desktop (21.2%) the other two favorite computers for Internet users.

These data reinforce the more general context by which the ‘smartphone’ is positioned as the device with which the Internet is accessed (92.2%), followed equally by laptops (69.9%) and desktop computers. (49.2%), as stated in the 25th edition of the report ‘Navigantes en la Red’, from the Association for Communication Media Research (AIMC).

As reflected, most Spanish users spend at least two hours a day connected (69.2%), 42.1 percent of them more than four hours. And more than half (52.5%) already have an unlimited mobile data rate.

Regarding 5G connectivity, 48 percent say they already have it on their mobiles, compared to 11.2 percent in 2019. But this popularization has lowered the expectations that were held with the fifth generation of mobile connectivity, once users have verified what it offers them, pointed out AIMC’s general technical director, Pablo Alonso, during the presentation of the report this Thursday to the press.

The report offers an exploration of the habits of Spaniards with the aim of identifying trends in Internet use, as the commercial director of ODCE, Luis Pistoni, a collaborating company, has qualified, which has provided the 16 servers that have supported participation in the period it has been active.

Specifically, 19,765 questionnaires have been carried out -although the final sample has remained at 18,801 after a depuration process-, to Spanish Internet users aged 14 and over who visit Spanish websites, between October 18 and December 11, 2022.

INSTAGRAM SURPASSES FACEBOOK IN USE

Spanish Internet users have been using social networks for years, which became more intensive in 2017 and 2020. In the period covered by the study, 2016-2022, an evolution is perceived in the use of specific platforms that has made, for For the first time in Navigators of the Network, it can be said that Instagram has ousted Facebook from the first position.

87 percent of those surveyed used Facebook in 2016, a figure that has now dropped (66.1%) and has caused it to be relegated to second position. Instagram, for its part, has gone from being used by 40.4 percent in 2016 (then in third position) to being used by 67 percent.

Twitter is also on the podium, which began the period analyzed in second position (48.9%) and, after being surpassed by Instagram in 2017, currently ranks third among the most used social networks (46.9% ).

In this evolution, it is worth noting the case of Pinterest, which in 2019 managed to occupy fifth position in the ranking after the end of Google+, although its use began to fall in 2020 with the appearance of TikTok, which now occupies that position (26.5 % compared to 13.8% on Pinterest), as explained by Pablo Alonso.

However, when it comes to the preferred social network, Facebook maintains its leadership (31.7%), although Instagram is not far behind, in second position (31.6%). Twitter is also in third place here (18.2%) and is followed by TikTok (6.7%) and LinkedIn (4.7%). The report also highlights that 36 percent of Internet users follow some ‘influencers’, in a ranking led by Ibai Llanos (13.4%), followed by María Pombo (6.2%).

METAVERSE AND NFT

The report also addresses the influence that the metaverse has on Spanish Internet users. Specifically, the survey highlights that 82.7 percent have heard of it, although only 42 percent acknowledge knowing what it is and 23.1 percent believe it is interesting. Close to half (46.7%) defend that it is overrated.

In this context, only 13.3 percent of the participants have accessed a metaverse in the month prior to the survey, the most popular being those linked to video games: Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox, although they also appear on the Second list. Life, considered the first metaverse.

Advertising seems to have found its place in this space for virtual interaction, as it occupies the first position (15.1%) of the activities that Internet users carry out in the metaverse, ahead of work meetings that are not videoconferences ( 6.3%) and attendance at an exhibition (6.1%).

When it comes to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), 57.6 percent have heard of these digital assets, but only 31.5 percent of them know what they are. If the latter group is attended, 4.3 percent say they have video game elements in NFTs, works of art (3%) and property or land in virtual worlds (2.3%).

On the other hand, 13.2 percent claim to have cryptocurrencies, a figure that has grown in recent years compared to 7.5 percent in 2019, mainly bitcoin (8.5%), but also ethereum (6.4%). and cardano (3.4%). And they have them mainly as an investment (78.3%), which can be related to the fact that payments in this type of cryptocurrency have decreased compared to last year: from 84.7 percent in 2021 to 77.9 percent in 2022.

THE CONNECTED HOME

Home automation has also grown. 44.8 percent say they have a connected device at home, compared to 23.6 percent who said so in 2018, the most common being smart light bulbs (17.3%), security cameras (16.7 %) and small household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners (15.2%).

And linked to the connected home, the voice assistant has also experienced growth in recent years, both in use (from 45.7% in 2019 to 56% in 2022) and in frequency (from 22.4% in 2019 to 33 9% in 2022): specifically, 33.9 percent admit that they use them several times a week and 12.6% several times a day.

These assistants are used mainly on mobile phones (63%), but also on a smart speaker (55%), an option that is growing, as highlighted in the report. Amazon Alexa occupies the first position as the most used (54.8%), followed by Google Assistant (42.5%) and Apple Siri (33.3%), and Internet users turn to them to listen to music or the radio (63%), search (53%) and check the weather or traffic (47.2%).