South African car buyers are among the most social media savvy in the world, and virtually all buyers spend some time on social media and the Internet prior to buying a car.
TransUnion and MSX International recently released their Mobility Shifts and Market Trends report for the first quarter of 2025.
In the report, the companies highlight the fact that customers are getting increasingly digitally savvy and comfortable with social media.
And while the report shows that this increased use of social media is strongest among the younger Gen Z and Millennials generations, it is clear that virtually all consumer groups are spending more time online and doing much of their browsing and research for a car on social media.
In one of the leading findings from the report, the researchers show that 63% of South Africans actively seek brand content on social media platforms (the fourth highest in the world).
Unlike traditional one-way advertising, social platforms enable two-way interactions between manufacturers, dealerships and finance institutions, engaging directly with potential customers in real time.
The report states that Facebook has a 59.9% Adult Reach Rate (the amount of adults who see the relevant content), and it remains one of the strongest platforms for social media marketing and advertising.
Facebook use in Mzansi is quite high when compared to a world average of only 39.4%. And locally it is still a more preferred platform than YouTube (52.7%), TikTok (52.5%) and Instagram (15.9%), the only platform with a lower uptake rate than the international norm.
And don’t be mistaken. South Africans are digitally savvy and smart shoppers, the Q1 2025 Mobility report shows:
- South Africans spend 3.6 hours a day on social media.
- 76% use social platforms for product research.
- 92% research online before visiting a dealership.
- TikTok ads grew 34% on a year-on-year (YoY) basis.
According to Meltwater’s 2025 Global Digital Report, South Africa has 50 million Internet users — equivalent to 78.9% of the population; 124 million active mobile connections (a penetration rate of approximately 193%); and 26.7 million active social media users.
South Africans spend an average of 9 hours and 37 minutes online each day, with work, movies, research and, of course, social media platforms taking up the 3.6 hours mentioned above. This figure puts South Africa in the number 3 spot in the world for time spent on social media platforms.
Of the social media engagement, 63% look at brands for more information; 75.9% follow influencers for product recommendations, and 33.6% do direct product and brand research.
This search pattern differs by age group. The report notes that:
- Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) use social media and online news to focus on affordability and digital features, with TikTok, Instagram and YouTube being their channels of choice.
- Millennials (also called Gen Y and born between 1981 and 1996) look at digital content for information on practicality and resale value, and they gravitate to Facebook and Instagram.
- Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) have a preference for information on reliability and brand loyalty, and their channels of choice are Facebook and YouTube.
- Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) look for information on comfort, prestige and longevity, and they are the only group studied who prefer traditional media channels, including TV and news channels, for their information.
