This year’s ROMI conference was successfully opened by Oksana Marusych, an experienced strategist from the Netpeak Ukraine digital marketing agency and a recognized expert in business intelligence. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of Ukrainian digital trends and analyze how modern online consumer behavior has changed.

Internet as a New Dimension of Being: Trends and Prospects

An interesting picture emerges when analyzing internet usage in Ukraine. Although the total population has decreased by 32% over the past three years, the number of internet users has only decreased by 12%.

 As of 2024, 26 million Ukrainians actively use the internet. This indicates an increase in internet penetration among the population. It’s worth noting that while only 70% of users spent more than 3 hours per day online in 2021, this figure increased to 80% in 2023.

Currently, Ukraine continues to experience rapid growth in internet users. Among people under 50, internet penetration is approaching 100%.

This trend is associated with the transition to remote work and education, as well as the overall digital transformation of society. Even among the population aged 60-69, internet penetration reaches 85%, and among those aged 70+ — already 65%. Interestingly, this indicator for the oldest age group is approaching the general level of internet penetration in Ukraine in 2021.

Let’s look at media consumption trends in the United States and Ukraine. In the US, the total amount of time devoted to media has remained almost the same over recent years — about 13 hours per day. However, there has been a notable change in consumption structure: the share of digital increased from 49% in 2017 to 64% in 2023. Thus, users are gradually moving from traditional media to digital platforms.

The situation in Ukraine is somewhat different. The average Ukrainian in 2024 spends 11.4 hours per day on digital — 74% more than in 2021. For comparison, during the previous decade (from 2011 to 2021), total consumption of all media in Ukraine increased by only 23%. Such rapid growth in digitalization in Ukraine came as a surprise and requires additional analysis.

What’s Behind the Growing Popularity of Mobile Devices?

Modern users increasingly choose the on-the-go format, combining it with daily activities. Audio formats have become extremely popular, allowing users to listen to podcasts, music, and audiobooks while traveling or performing other tasks. The increase in devices per user (from 2.4 in 2021 to 3.8 in 2024) contributed to this trend’s growth.

Smartphones have become the primary gadget for content consumption, taking up about 6 hours in Ukrainians’ daily schedule. At the same time, the role of laptops, Smart TVs, and tablets shouldn’t be underestimated. This suggests that convenience and mobility are key factors when choosing a platform for media consumption.

Interestingly, smartphones not only lead other gadgets in total usage time but are also gradually taking leading positions in television content consumption. Across Ukraine, 72% of users still prefer television, while 71% prefer smartphones. However, in Kyiv and central regions, smartphones have already taken first place: 76% of users use them to watch TV shows. Thus, mobile devices are becoming the main tool for media content consumption, and this trend will continue to strengthen.

Digital Revolution in Media

We’re observing a gradual merger of online and offline worlds. People want access to information anywhere and anytime. That’s why media is increasingly moving to digital format. For example, 80% of viewers prefer watching television online, and 55% of them choose YouTube for this purpose. Why? It’s simple: the ability to watch favorite shows without ads, at a convenient time, and in any place — that’s what attracts users.

Digital Transformation of Retail

How War, Technology, and Social Networks Change Our Shopping Habits? Restrictions related to the full-scale war accelerated Ukrainians’ transition to online shopping. The inability to visit physical stores and limited product assortment prompted many to seek alternatives. Today, 69% of Ukrainians regularly shop online, meaning that the convenience and accessibility of online stores have become priorities for most consumers.

Quick adaptation of businesses and financial institutions to new realities has also significantly accelerated the development of online shopping in Ukraine. Convenient online payments, mobile banking, and contactless payments have made the internet shopping process even more accessible. These factors, along with consumer needs, are the main drivers of e-commerce growth in Ukraine.

Today, 68% of our population uses online banking, and 39% make contactless payments. This confirms Ukraine’s leading position in contactless payments.

The development of e-commerce has activated changes in the role of internet platforms in consumer decision-making. Research confirms that 81% of consumers turn to online communities for information about goods and services before making a purchase. That is, social proof plays a significant role in forming consumer preferences. Additionally, 41% of users pay attention to social media advertising, and every fourth person has already bought through Instagram.

Smartphones have become indispensable helpers for modern consumers, especially for women (62.66%), who use them to find information about goods and services on websites, search engines, and social networks. Meanwhile, user reviews play an increasingly important role. If previously consumers looked for reviews after choosing a product, now they start with them.

The largest share of brand content views falls on Instagram (35%). This platform is exceptionally popular among women and youth. YouTube takes second place with 33%.

When it comes to searching specifically for brand information, websites lead (56%), and Instagram takes second place (27%). However, men more often turn to YouTube (25%), while women and youth prefer Instagram (38% and 40% respectively).

Overall, social networks play a dual role: they help consumers make informed decisions by providing access to other users’ reviews and contribute to Ukrainian business development by allowing manufacturers to interact directly with their customers.

Competition for Loyalty

Social responsibility has become a key priority for Ukrainian consumers: many prefer domestic brands that support the Armed Forces and refuse products from aggressor countries. Youth is especially sensitive to these issues. Despite the war, Ukrainians seek positive emotions and are ready to support brands that offer quality products and act responsibly towards society.

Despite economic difficulties, Ukrainians continue to show loyalty to known brands and are willing to pay more for them. There’s also growing interest in new brands — 56% of consumers buy them to try something new. This enables brands to launch new products and expand their assortment. Online shopping is becoming increasingly attractive: 55% of consumers choose online brands they haven’t bought before. It’s worth noting that quality is more important than price and availability for only 29% of respondents.

Increased competition and product availability create new challenges for business. Declining consumer loyalty requires companies to develop new strategies for attracting and retaining customers. Only 8% of consumers are devoted followers of one brand. Most of them (54%) compare several brands before purchasing, while 38% follow the principle of “take what’s available.” This trend is especially noticeable in large cities.

Conclusion

The data analysis presented by business intelligence expert Oksana Marusych leads to the conclusion that the digital transformation of Ukrainian society continues at a rapid pace. Increased mobility, content personalization, and strengthening role of social networks will determine digital marketing development in the coming years. Businesses need to adapt to new conditions to remain competitive.