These key trends push digital growth amongst mobile consumers in SEA: report

Singapore – Southeast Asia(SEA) is among the world’s fastest-growing digital regions, with at least 90% of the region’s population being avid smartphone users, according to marketing and monetisation technologies provider InMobi’s latest report on mobile marketing, which further stated that mobile usage in SEA surpasses that of North America and Europe.

Notably, data from InMobi’s report shows that the activities of Southeast Asians as mobile consumers frequently revolve around tuning in to live streams for games and shopping, playing mobile games, using super apps, and utilising lock screen apps.

In the case of live streaming, live streaming games has been in a constant rise in SEA, with an annual growth rate of 10.23%, indicating a potential market volume of $830 million by 2028. On the other hand, live commerce is also making waves, with 50% of SEA consumers tuning in to livestream shopping sales at least once a week. In the Philippines, it was also observed that 60% of consumers have been shopping from live streams as early as 2021.

For mobile gaming, the report predicted that 246.9 million Southeast Asians will be gaming by 2027, with a market penetration rate of 34.7% across various types of games. This interest in gaming is further amplified with the inclusion of esports as an official sport for the Asian games.

Additionally, super apps are also continuing to grow as a key trend in the region. The sheer amount of services provided by these apps have allowed it to become a multi-billion dollar market in SEA, indicating a growing appetite in Southeast Asians to access multiple experiences in a single app destination.

Lastly, smartphone lock screen apps such as Glance are now emerging in usage. For instance, in Indonesia, 30 million Glance active users are discovering personalised content, single tap gaming, news, live experiences and more, directly on their lock screen, without the friction of unlock, download, search.

With these key themes in mind, InMobi says that the current state of mobile consumers in SEA allow for many significant opportunities for integration by brands and marketers, especially in the aforementioned trends and apps where most SEA consumers spend most of their time.

Talking about the results, Vasuta Agarwal, chief business officer of InMobi Group, said, “In 2024, mobile transcends its role as a mere brand messaging platform, transforming into a gateway for immersive experiences, personalized interactions and engagement. In this dynamic landscape, key touchpoints like the smartphone lock screen have emerged as pivotal frontiers for marketers.”

“As emphasized in our Mobile Marketing Handbook 2024, success hinges on establishing a presence on these surfaces to build early connections with consumers, delivering immersive experiences and driving engagement innovatively. Utilizing generative AI for customized content, and adeptly navigating privacy regulations are also vital,” she added.