Usage of mobile messenger applications in Armenia

R-Insights Research Company summarized the results of a nationwide representative survey implemented among around 4500 respondents in Armenia. The research uncovered usage of mobile messenger applications in the country and the profile of user groups. Back in 2020, R-Insights measured usage of mobile messenger applications among 10000 respondents. 

Data was collected in the period of December 22, 2021 to March 6, 2022 via telephone interviews (CATI), with an average of 600 sample units per week. The survey was conducted among the population of Armenia aged 14-65, among the subscribers of all mobile operators. The data was weighed based on the main social-demographic parameters, i.e. gender, age, place of residence (with 3 strata, i.e. Yerevan, other urban cities, rural settlements).

In the framework of this research, mobile messenger application “users” are defined to be those who have used at least one mobile messenger application on their mobile phones during the 30 days preceding the interview.

Survey results show that 89% of the population have used at least one mobile messenger application as of the whole observed period. The usage of messenger applications have increased by 3 percentage points during the last two years: in 2020 86% of population was using messenger applications.

Messenger application usage is higher among women (91%) as compared with men (87%).

The share of users in the capital Yerevan (92%) is higher than in other urban areas (87%) and rural areas (87%).

97% if respondents in the age group of 14-17 use messenger applications. Usage is quite common among the age groups of 18-24 (95%), 25-34 (96%), 35-44 (91%). Level of usage decreases with increase of age: 76% of 55-60- year-old respondents use messengers while proportion of users within the age group of 61-65 is 68%.

Viber continues being the most popular mobile messenger among Armenians; in 2022 79% of respondents reported to use this application while in 2020 proportion of users was 78%.

In terms of share of usage, Viber is followed by Facebook messenger (72%) and by WhatsApp (64%). Usage of Facebook messenger increased by 2 percentage points in the period from 2020 to 2022.

Telegram and Whatsapp recorded the biggest usage growth. Compared with 2020, usage of both of these applications increased by 12 percentage points with Telegram reaching a 25% market penetration and Whatsapp reaching a score of 64%. 

A significant decrease in usage rates was observed for Instagram (12%), Skype (8%), Google Hangouts/Google Talk (8%) and Zangi (8%).

The usage of specific mobile messenger applications varies based on gender, place of residence and age. 

Women outweigh men in terms of usage of Facebook messenger, Viber and Instagram are relatively more popular among women (by 5%, 4% and 3%,respectively), whereas men outweigh women in terms of using Telegram and Whatsapp (by 2% and 8%, respectively).

Usage of almost all the messenger apps is higher among residents of Yerevan.

The biggest difference in terms of usage rate is observed for Telegram. 33% of Yerevan residents use Telegram, while in regional cities the users constitute 19% and in villages 20%.

Viber is used by the representatives of 14-17 and 25-34 age groups most of all.

Facebook messenger is the most popular among the 25-34 age group (84%) and is least popular among the age group of 61-65 (45%). The age group 18-44 uses Facebook messenger more than the group of 14-17-year-old respondents.

Whatsapp is the most common among the cohort of 18-24 (83%) as compared with other age groups. Moreover, Whatsapp is the most popular messenger for this age group. Usage of Whatsapp decreases by age increase. This pattern does not work only for the 14-17 group. They use Whatsapp by 15% less than the subsequent age group.

Instagram is most commonly used by the cohort of 14-17: 85% of the representatives of the mentioned age group reportedly use Instagram. For this age group, Instagram shares popularity with Viber. The higher the age, the less popular Instagram is. The same pattern is observed for Telegram. In addition, for the age group of 14-17, Telegram is  relatively more popular than Facebook messenger.

Zangi is popular among the cohort of 25-54-year-olds.

Due to small usage rates of other apps, no statistically significant differences have been observed across the demographic subgroups.

Overall, it is noticeable that the sequence of usage rates of top 5 apps remains constant for the respondents of different gender and place of residence. In contrary, the youngest age groups does not follow the mentioned pattern. 14-17-year-old respondents prefer Viber and Instagram most of all, while the cohort of 18-24s gives preference to Whatsapp and Facebook messenger.

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