Social Media in Cambodia is recovering gradually after the pandemic!

Social media took a big hit with the advent of 2020 as the country recorded all-time low engagement figures from the period starting from January 2020 leading up to October.

Covid19 affected all forms of businesses around the world. In Cambodia, social media platforms took a blow in terms of usage and engagement.

Facebook, Cambodia’s widely used social media site plunged to an all-time low in February this year. The platform was able to recover, but experts add that it will take a little bit more time for the market to normalize.

The Covid19 outbreak halted the country’s steady growth in social media in the last two years.

Social media has grown in Cambodia at a rapid pace over the last four years, with 58% of its 16.25 million population reported using a social media account.

There is a significant shift in social media penetration from 2018, where the figure was at 43%. The jump up to 58% comes with the development of internet connectivity and the popularization of smartphones.

Today over 48% of the population use at least one smartphone, according to research from the Asia Foundation.

These advancements have provided an improved playing field for digital marketers, with hundreds of businesses lining up wanting to list their business on social media.

“It is a good thing to see lots of business owners realizing that they need to add their business on Facebook. As Digital Marketers, there cannot be a better time to be in Cambodia than the present,” adds Chansanith Um, one of Cambodia’s pioneer Digital Marketing Gurus.

“I think with the internet connectivity and the spread of smartphones around the country, more and more people are now on Facebook,” he further added.

Chansanith was one of the early adaptors in the Digital Marketing field in the country and has seen Cambodia’s digital landscape grow from zero to where it is now.

Photo – Chansanith Um

Businesses have realized the potential of social media in the country. The primary medium, Facebook has over 10 million accounts, making it the most popular platform in the country.

Everyone wants in on Facebook!

“From the top corporates down to the small retailers, everyone wants their Facebook profile made. There is a positive impact in society with Facebook becoming famous” the young digital marketer added on the benefits that Facebook has brought to the country.

Facebook has become a medium for people to express their voices and make their causes heard. With these factors in mind, social media has become one of the core aspects to focus for the policymakers of the country.

The majority of the population is still new to the entire social media world. People are still learning the ins and out of handling social media, and it is vital to make sure that there is proper education for safety and ethical use.

New users are prone to scams and phishing attacks due to their online literacy rate at a lower value. Fake news is one other major issue currently faced in Cambodia. Rumors on social media have damaged their reputation to quite an extent.

The challenge for digital marketing?

With more and more digital marketers making their way up the ranks in the country, the spread of fake news can affect the market adversely.

Companies that have been traditional throughout their entire lifespan are finally making the shift to go online, and this can potentially harm this progression.

According to Chansanith Um, digital marketers face a different set of challenges in comparison to five years ago.

“Five years ago, it was tough to convince companies to invest their money in digital marketing. Digital marketers were not welcome in these companies. But now, the companies are coming to digital marketers because they understand its value. But, with continuously reported incidents of scams and fake news, companies are again slightly reluctant to put their money.”