What’s Up with WhatsApp in Kenya?
A look behind WhatsApp’s Dominance
Kenya is one of the outlier countries in Africa when it comes to technology uptake. It’s no different with WhatsApp. With the introduction of WhatsApp status in February 2017, we saw the dominance of WhatsApp grow. I believe that WhatsApp status is among the top reasons why WhatsApp users jumped from 1 billion per month in 2016 to 1 billion per day in 2017. That is mind boggling!
The older generation in Kenya, who had given up on understanding the intricacies of social media, fully embraced WhatsApp. It is accessible, easy to use and a great introduction to social media. WhatsApp groups have become the mainstay of the lives of Kenyans. The purpose behind each group as diverse as people’s lifestyles. From church prayer groups, to wedding committee groups to fun groups where people plan for road trips.
The launch of WhatsApp status was met with mixed reactions and skepticism in Kenya. Some dismissed it as being vain and pointless. It was hard to anticipate how popular and addictive it could become. Especially for those who did not understand the science of the allure of Snapchat. The younger generation, between 25, on the other hand were ecstatic and fully embraced it. It was a Snapchat alternative that did not use all their internet data. This logic can only be understood by Kenyans. Internet data is measured in bundles and since the price of data is not yet easily affordable for majority of the population, data is a treasured commodity that is used with care.
The Subtle but effective Trend Setter
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to help out with an ethnography study that researched consumer trends in a certain beverage category. We did this by dissecting the lives and lifestyle habits of select age groups. An interesting thing that emerged was the popularity of WhatsApp status. It was the new place to show off whatever you have been up to. In addition to mediums like Instagram, WhatsApp status was the new status symbol actively used by those under 25. WhatsApp timelines have become more entertaining thus winning increased user time on the app. A big win for WhatsApp. Consumer data is king and they have it in troves.
What you continuously see on your timeline builds your reality. Or your perception of reality. Some call it the trap of social media since your timeline is a curated version of events that cannot start to represent the reality. However, this curated version of events has effects that go as deep as influencing the songs you listen to, the clothes you wear and the places you visit. We will see the efficacy of WhatsApp clearly illustrated when I write about the changing role of social media in Kenyan Politics. However, we should remain aware of the effect of our timelines as we interact on social media and as we monitor our children online.
Have you noticed the effect of WhatsApp around you? Please Share your observations by commenting below. I would love to hear more about the shape of social media conversations around you.
I am a culture writer passionate about documenting the ever evolving modern day culture in Africa. Culture makes the world go round and is evolving right in front of our eyes. I talk about subcultures and trends that shape Kenya and the wider Africa in my blog. Follow me for an interesting journey diving into culture.
