While mobile internet usage has been slow to catch on in Vietnam, thepopularity of digital media is set to surge in the year ahead, accordingto a report issued on July 12 by Nielsen, a global insights andmeasurement company.
According to the report, apre-release of data from Nielsen's inaugural Southeast Asia DigitalConsumer Report, to be available on September 30, 41 percent ofVietnamese internet users have accessed the internet from a mobilephone, the lowest level of take-up in Southeast Asia .
However, Vietnam has the strongest mobile internet adoption intentof any market in the region, with three quarters of Vietnamese consumersintending to use mobile internet in the next 12 months.
And while only 21 percent of Vietnamese consumers currently own aninternet-capable mobilephones, 46 percent will consider purchasing asmartphone in the coming year.
Darin Williams, managingdirector of Nielsen Vietnam , said: "Vietnamese love to spend ontechnology and stay connected, despite lower buying power compared tosome of their Asian neighbours. One of the significant advantages isthat Vietnam is not faced with the legacy technology issuesencountered in most Western and developed nations."
Whilethey represent a relatively smaller base compared to other countries,Vietnamese consumers have been adopting some of the latest smartphonesand many plan on buying them in the future.
For this trendto continue, however, mobile infrastructure need to be developed andservice providers should focus on a smoother customer experience,Williams said, adding that prices should come down for the majority ofconsumers to be able to adopt and use the mobile internet.
"Provided these conditions are met, we expect to see a significantupswing in usage over the next two years, given Vietnam 's enthusiasmfor technology as well as growing affluence," he said.
According to the survey, social networking on the internet is verypopular, with 96 percent of Vietnamese internet users having visited asocial networking site.
Vietnamese netizens are the mostlikely in Southeast Asia to engage with companies via social media, withalmost 79 percent having "liked" or followed a brand, company orcelebrity, which is 10 points higher than the average of 69 percent forSoutheast Asia .
Vietnamese internet users are the mostlikely in Southeast Asia to be influenced by information foundobtained via social media platforms.
At least 58 percent trust consumer opinions posted online and 81 percent use social media as a resource in purchase decisions.
Brands and companies that want to break through the increasinglycluttered and competitive landscape will be those that have a live andactive presence on popular international social media sites such asFacebook as well as local Vietnamese platforms./.
According to the report, apre-release of data from Nielsen's inaugural Southeast Asia DigitalConsumer Report, to be available on September 30, 41 percent ofVietnamese internet users have accessed the internet from a mobilephone, the lowest level of take-up in Southeast Asia .
However, Vietnam has the strongest mobile internet adoption intentof any market in the region, with three quarters of Vietnamese consumersintending to use mobile internet in the next 12 months.
And while only 21 percent of Vietnamese consumers currently own aninternet-capable mobilephones, 46 percent will consider purchasing asmartphone in the coming year.
Darin Williams, managingdirector of Nielsen Vietnam , said: "Vietnamese love to spend ontechnology and stay connected, despite lower buying power compared tosome of their Asian neighbours. One of the significant advantages isthat Vietnam is not faced with the legacy technology issuesencountered in most Western and developed nations."
Whilethey represent a relatively smaller base compared to other countries,Vietnamese consumers have been adopting some of the latest smartphonesand many plan on buying them in the future.
For this trendto continue, however, mobile infrastructure need to be developed andservice providers should focus on a smoother customer experience,Williams said, adding that prices should come down for the majority ofconsumers to be able to adopt and use the mobile internet.
"Provided these conditions are met, we expect to see a significantupswing in usage over the next two years, given Vietnam 's enthusiasmfor technology as well as growing affluence," he said.
According to the survey, social networking on the internet is verypopular, with 96 percent of Vietnamese internet users having visited asocial networking site.
Vietnamese netizens are the mostlikely in Southeast Asia to engage with companies via social media, withalmost 79 percent having "liked" or followed a brand, company orcelebrity, which is 10 points higher than the average of 69 percent forSoutheast Asia .
Vietnamese internet users are the mostlikely in Southeast Asia to be influenced by information foundobtained via social media platforms.
At least 58 percent trust consumer opinions posted online and 81 percent use social media as a resource in purchase decisions.
Brands and companies that want to break through the increasinglycluttered and competitive landscape will be those that have a live andactive presence on popular international social media sites such asFacebook as well as local Vietnamese platforms./.
