Facebook users on the rise in rural Vietnam: survey

More than a million new Facebook accounts were opened in rural parts of Vietnam in the past year, promoting the social network's status as a key platform for information, entertainment and communication, according to data recently released by global performance management company Nielsen.

The increase has played an instrumental role in media consumption shifting beyond traditional formats such as broadcast and cable TV, and also beyond traditional hours, said Doan Duy Khoa, director of Consumer Insights for Nielsen Vietnam.

“For media owners and advertisers, it is becoming increasingly important to understand both urban and rural consumers’ viewing habits in order to deliver the right content at the right time,” he said.

The increasing number of Facebook users in rural areas is partly due to more smartphones. Up to 89 percent of the rural population own a mobile phone, and 68 percent of them have a smartphone, according to the Nielsen Vietnam Smartphone Insights Report 2017.

Across the whole country, the ratio of people using smartphones among mobile phone subscribers reached 84 percent in 2017, increasing from 78 percent a year ago

The rapid up-take of connected devices, especially smartphones and tablets, demonstrates that tech brands are offering consumers a range of choices at affordable prices. Another reason is that consumers are enjoying better living standards and expressing their desire for connectivity anytime, anywhere, Khoa said.

Vietnam now boasts more than 52 million active accounts to advertisers, Reuters has reported, citing social media agencies We Are Social and Hootsuite. More than half of Vietnam's population of nearly 92 million people are online.