Unveiling Digital Marketing Fun Facts: Trends, Stats, and Insights

Did you know that some inkfish can use bioluminescence to create their own light to disguise their shadows?! Well now you do. How about this Inkfish shines some light on some interesting digital marketing facts.

As we shine some light on fascinating digital marketing facts from South Africa’s 2023 landscape, it’s essential to remember: while these insights are rooted in South Africa, they resonate globally. The digital sphere has blurred geographical boundaries, making the insights we share here relevant and applicable no matter where you are in the world. Here’s a vibrant collection of digital marketing facts. From revealing industry stats to quirky SEO findings, we hope these insights help shape your marketing strategy.

Digital Landscape in South Africa 2023:

A massive 72.3% of South Africans were online by early 2023, translating to a whopping 43.48 million netizens! 1
We love some fast internet! Mobile internet zipped along at an average of 36.70 Mbps, while fixed internet connections were slightly faster at 40.12 Mbps. 1
There were 112.7 million mobile connections in SA – that’s 187.4% of the population (Mmmm?). This suggests many use multiple digital devices. 1
Businesses saw an exponential growth in e-commerce during the pandemic with a 40% increase in online shopping – If you’re not online, you’re missing out! 3
With a mobile penetration rate of over 80% in South Africa, mobile-first strategies are imperative. 1

SEO & Search:

Google remains the king! Data shows that most people (over 90%!) use Google as their primary search engine. 4
There might not be ‘sexy singles’ in your area, but there are customers nearby. Searches for “near me” or “close by” seeing a sharp rise. 7

Email Marketing:

Email is still worth it! For every R1 spent on targeted email marketing in South Africa, businesses see an average return of R30. 6
People click through at 100.95% more on segmented emails and open rates are 14.3% greater than non-segmented ones. 6
Revenue attributed to welcome emails averages 320% more per email compared to other promotional emails. 6
B2B email campaigns see click-through rates (CTRs) 47% higher than B2C email campaigns. 6
Mobile Optimisation is Crucial: A whopping 80% of users will discard emails not optimised for mobile devices. 6

Social Media & Ads:

Everyone’s on the socials! Social media usage in 2023 saw 25.80 million users, which is 42.9% of the total population. 1
Facebook remains the dominant social platform in South Africa, followed closely by YouTube and Instagram.
Facebook had 22.15 million users, YouTube had 25.80 million, Instagram had 5.65 million users, and LinkedIn reached 11 million users by early 2023. 1
In line with global trends, TikTok is surging in popularity. TikTok’s usage rose impressively to 11.83 million users, especially among the youth. 1

Video Marketing:

YouTube views in South Africa increased by 15% between 2020 and 2021.
An overwhelming 91% of businesses are tapping into the potential of video as a critical marketing tool. 8
The ‘short video’ trend, with content less than 60 seconds, is taking the world by storm, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. 8

E-commerce Overview:

By 2023, the e-commerce market size was projected to reach R1 trillion (US$72 billion). 5
On average, around 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts before making a purchase. 3
In 2022, almost 80% of South Africans used the internet, with this number projected to grow by 10 percentage points by 2027. 2

The facts are clear, the digital landscape is evolving rapidly. While some trends align with global shifts, others are unique to South Africa’s diverse and dynamic audience. For anyone looking to dive deep into the world of digital marketing, there’s no time like the present. Have these insights piqued your curiosity? Inspired by fresh insights? Don’t just let those thoughts buzz around in your head. Connect with us, and let’s transform your digital marketing dreams into reality!