Popular Internet Trends in South Africa – The evolution of the Internet over the last two decades has been lightning-fast. People are now benefiting from increased connectivity worldwide, with high-speed broadband being introduced in countless countries.
For example, there were 41.19 million active Internet users in South Africa in January 2022, and this number is only going to increase as time goes on. As a result, South Africans are enjoying various online trends in ever-growing numbers.
From social media to entertainment streaming, widely available online connectivity has delivered tons of exciting options for people from Durban to Cape Town. In fact, studies have shown that well over half the population takes advantage of things like music streaming and online video gaming. Keep reading for a comprehensive look at the most popular Internet trends in South Africa.
Popular Internet Trends in South Africa
Online Shopping
Online shopping has been a popular pastime for most of the last decade. Nevertheless, the more recent growing number of mobile users has dramatically increased the amount of online shopping going on in South Africa. The digitalization of the high street has also played a big role, as consumers now spend longer searching for products online and less time out on the streets.
This online trend is only going to get more popular as 2023 rolls on. Amazon recently dropped very strong indications that it’s looking to launch a full spectrum of Prime and e-commerce services in South Africa during 2023. This would make buying products online even easier than before.
“Battle Royale” Multiplayer Games
Online multiplayer games have been popular for a while but the new breed of “Battle Royale” games, like Fortnite, has taken things to a whole new level. More than half the population is thought to engage in some kind of online multiplayer game and these FPS “Battle Royale” games are by far the most popular.
No wonder there is an increased demand for high-spec computer gaming gear, like the Nvidia RTX 4090 Ti graphics card. We expect this trend to continue throughout 2023 as more and more South Africans discover the wonders of online multiplayer video games.
Social Media
Social media is undoubtedly one of the most significant online trends in South Africa. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been around for more than a decade but the new wave of social media apps, such as TikTok, has supercharged this particular digital environment. Nowadays, people of all ages are accessing social media to keep in touch with friends, watch viral videos, post photographs, play games, and more.
Despite TikTok’s success, Facebook is still the leading South African social media tool. Many people also use the instant messaging app, WhatsApp. We cannot see this changing anytime soon, as social media and digital messaging services make it so much easier to keep up with friends and family in an ever-changing modern world.
Online Lotto Betting
Online lotto betting is rapidly gaining popularity in South Africa. Instead of entering official lottos, punters place bets on what numbers they think will be called. The great thing about this is that it lets people bet on various worldwide lottos. For example, it makes it easy to bet on the German lotto in South Africa.
Just remember, you’re not really entering an official lotto. Instead, you’re placing fixed odds lotto bets on Europe’s lottos and those further afar. This interesting trend is gaining traction across South Africa, so we don’t expect it to lose popularity any time soon. If anything, the opposite will be true!
Music and Movie Streaming
The popular TV and movie streaming website, Netflix, launched in South Africa in 2016 and the population has been hooked on an entertainment streaming ever since then. This is certainly one of the most popular Internet trends in the country, especially when you factor Spotify into the equation.
South Africa is experiencing something of a musical renaissance at the moment, with pivotal genres like am a piano and gqom reaching audiences all around the world. Music lovers in the country are also using Spotify like never before, demonstrating a significant thirst for music that’s available on demand.
Reading News Online
People rarely buy physical newspapers in South Africa anymore. Reading news online is by far the most popular way for people to learn about current affairs and goings-on. This has been the case for a while, although the growing number of smartphones has substantially increased the number of readers.
Until somebody invents an even easier way to read the news, we’re sure this will continue being a popular South African Internet trend!
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