Is TikTok overtaking Facebook and WhatsApp in South Africa's social media landscape?
Image: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Despite ongoing concerns over TikTok's monetisation practices for African content creators, the Chinese-owned platform continues to expand its reach in South Africa.
According to the newly released Ornico and World Wide Worx Social Media Landscape Report 2025, TikTok's user reach in the country rose from 34.0% in 2023 to 38.6% in 2024.
The Ornico and World Wide Worx Social Media Landscape Report is an annual study that provides insights into how South Africans engage with social media platforms.
"Amid this shift in user mindset, clear platform-specific trends have emerged. TikTok has surged ahead as the platform of choice for habitual short-video consumption, reflecting its dominance in entertainment and youth culture," the report said.
Earlier this year, IOL reported that Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, urged TikTok to also implement its monetisation programs for South African content creators.
Currently, features such as the Creator Fund and TikTok Shop remain largely unavailable across Africa, even though they have been rolled out in regions like the US, Europe, and parts of Asia.
In contrast, Facebook's user penetration declined from 59.6% to 56.2%, with its daily and weekly active user rates dropping from 53.8% to 51.2%.
"On the other hand, Facebook continues a steady decline in use and relevance across virtually all demographics, mirroring changing tastes and a perception that it offers diminishing value. For instance, its overall user penetration fell from 59.6% in 2023 to 56.2% in 2024, and even its highly active user base contracted from 53.8% to 51.2%.
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While WhatsApp remains the most widely used messaging app, it also experienced a slight decline amid growing competition from Telegram, which increased its penetration from 10.3% to 13.0%.
"In the messaging arena, WhatsApp remains the most widely used messaging app by far, with a majority of South Africans using it daily. However, even WhatsApp is showing cracks: its penetration has dipped slightly as the market slowly diversifies," the report noted.
The report also revealed that South Africans are becoming more selective about how they use social media, with fewer people feeling the need to check their feeds every day.
Professional networking site LinkedIn has also gained users, with penetration rising from 12.2% to 15.8%, and more frequent use. while, smaller platforms like Pinterest and Reddit are also growing.
"In parallel, LinkedIn has gained ground among professionals, expanding its influence in networking and B2B marketing. Its penetration grew from 12.2% to 15.8%, and high-frequency use rose from 6.6% to 10.3%, reflecting more regular engagement on the platform.
On the business side, the report also noted that 57% of companies now have clear social media plans for both customers and other businesses, with TikTok becoming popular for marketing, with 47% of brands using it. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
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