Indonesia’s Surprising Love Affair With Social Media

Jakarta Globe, Rebecca Lake, February 24, 2014

Platforms such as twitter fuel the two-way social media phenomenon.
(The Peak Illustration/Nela Realino)

Jakarta. As one of the top five social-media markets in the world, Indonesia is quickly discovering the advantages of being a Twitter-literate nation.

It may seem quite a feat for Jakarta to be named the world’s number one “Twitter city,” considering it is the capital of a developing nation in which only a quarter of the population have access to the internet at home. But a closer look at the rapidly growing archipelago will uncover a national love affair with social media and plenty of potential.

There are a bunch of reasons for the popular adoption of social media platforms among Indonesians. One key contributor is the accessibility of mobile internet devices, mostly smartphones, which have doubled in usage over the past several years backed by increasingly affordable data plans. Meanwhile the country’s youthful demographic has seen social media assume its position as a leading activity on the internet. And like it or not, macet (traffic congestion) has become a contributing factor in the nation’s obsession with status updates and retweets. The most popular times for Indonesians to login into their virtual communities is just before and after the conventional nine-to-five work day begins, or in other words, the hours many of us could think of the 100 other places where we would rather be.

Aside from the obvious social advantages that come with the popularity of being connected online, there are many more benefits that have grown from Indonesia’s addiction with social portals such as Facebook and Twitter.

Diversity in news

A news diet restricted to mainstream media including newspapers and commercial television has long been eradicated and it’s no secret that social media has taken over. As major news companies redirect resources into their respective Twitter and Facebook platforms, so too are the small organizations whose voices were once drowned out due to their limited budgets.

“We now have new channels of information that we can use for exchanging information,” said Enda Nasution, who has been dubbed by the media as the “father of Indonesian bloggers.”

“In a way we can say that we feel more liberated. We have new media that is not controlled by companies and we can say whatever we want,” says the TED fellow, who is a respected activist and political blogger.

Interestingly, Enda highlights the somewhat dependent relationship that has emerged between old and new media. Social media, he says, has become a “nexus” for news, meaning that it is now often referenced by the mainstream media due to its immediacy and efficiency.

“Social media produces much more conversation than mainstream media,” explained Enda, adding that mainstream media is now “an amplification of what is happening on social media. That’s why if you publish something on twitter it gets around much faster.”

Boosting business

Establishing a strong social media following has now become crucial for both local and international companies who want to do business in Indonesia. The growth of business thanks to social media is an indicator of just how much Indonesians like to interact and establish a relationship with their favorite brands rather than simply engaging with one-way advertising.

Social media is, if not, more important than traditional forms of advertising in Indonesia and it is something that businesses must acknowledge, says Neneng Goenadi, the country head of Accenture consulting in Indonesia.

“It is very important for them [businesses] to ride on this wave,” she said, emphasizing the importance for social media to be a priority in every business plan.

Neneng points to the Unilever’s strategy, one that capitalized on social media by accessing a market “it otherwise would not have” through online campaigns that promote sustainability and health.

“Unilever engaged with the tech-savvy youth through social media by developing hype and events online,” she said, adding that this approach is “so damn powerful.”

With so many companies dependent on social media, investment in the industry itself is inevitable, Neneng said. Just last month, the Bakrie Group invested an undisclosed sum in the fast-growing tech platform Path, a sure sign that Indonesia is serious about the business of online media.

Bakrie Group chief executive Anindya N. Bakrie confirmed the company’s new stake on Twitter saying “We also call for Indonesians, especially young business people, to take part in the development of the sci-tech industry and global networking.”

Talking democracy

A candidate worthy of running is a one with a Facebook page — well at least where Indonesia is concerned. This year’s presidential election is no doubt heating up and those vying for the top job owe a lot to social media.

Many point to the 2013 Jakarta gubernatorial election as the turning point for social media in Indonesian politics. The populist politician, Joko Widodo, managed to garner 500,000 Twitter followers and thousands of YouTube fans to whom he promoted his values that attracted the young generation, the educated, and middle-class groups.

After beating the incumbent Fauzi Bowo to become the governor, many commentators referred to him as the first politician to truly understand the power of social media. Other leaders have not ignored Joko’s success and they are just as eager to capitalize on social media’s powerful reach, often promoting their Twitter handle alongside their campaign commitments and boasting about how many Facebook likes they’ve acquired.

But it’s a two-way street. Not only can politicians expand their platforms and promote their campaigns online, citizens can also educate themselves on elections and voice their concerns and thoughts through social media, said Andreas Harsono, the head researcher for Human Rights Watch in Indonesia.

“Social media is very important in shaping public opinion in Indonesia. Whether you like it or not,” Andreas said.

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