Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Internet usage in Spain - statistics & facts
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With the seventh-largest internet audience in Europe, Spain has a long-established online presence, amassing over 42.5 million users in 2023. With over 90 percent of its population provided with accessible and affordable internet services, the country’s online market offers a highly engaging and profitable outlook for users and digital platforms. Sectors like social media and e-commerce flourish, reinforced by Spain’s heated influencer market, generating billion-dollar profits from advertising and social commerce activities. Nonetheless, the success of the intersection between social and shopping platforms is proof of the country’s position as one of the most desirable and lucrative Spanish-speaking internet markets globally.
More than 87 percent of Spain’s online population uses the internet daily, with five hours and 42 minutes of average daily usage balanced across desktop and mobile devices. The accessibility of the web with minimal barriers means that the online behaviors of the Spanish population directly impact the country's digital industries, with extensive usage of social, video, and online shopping platforms propelling these solutions to the front of Spain’s digital landscape.
Despite the growing popularity of TikTok and the eventual appearance of some local alternatives, no competitor has yet surpassed Meta's dominance. With the highest number of users among all solutions, Facebook and Instagram solidify Meta’s footprint in the Iberian Peninsula, expanding their influence over social interaction platforms and crossing into the country’s digital economy.
Social platforms recognize this potential and strive integrate into Spain’s online shopping experience. In the same year, social commerce revenues in Spain verged over one billion U.S. dollars, as platforms like Instagram and Facebook battle against YouTube strive to profit the most in the Mediterranean country.
Overall, this symbiosis and competition among major platforms are ultimately proof of the health of Spain’s internet market. Despite the limited prospects for explosive future growth, the current opportunities it offers for businesses and profits over the habits of Spanish users are evidence of the country’s status as a secure and reliable choice for digital platforms.
Internet for (virtually) all
Spain’s online sphere is likely to be at its peak, with the number of users projected to stabilize at over 46 million users after 2027. With an impressive internet penetration rate, the country’s biggest populational centers are its most connected provinces, despite the quality of access remaining lower within rural areas. Although more than half of Spain’s web traffic comes from mobile devices, broadband connections remain important, especially considering the increase in remote work in Spain after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.More than 87 percent of Spain’s online population uses the internet daily, with five hours and 42 minutes of average daily usage balanced across desktop and mobile devices. The accessibility of the web with minimal barriers means that the online behaviors of the Spanish population directly impact the country's digital industries, with extensive usage of social, video, and online shopping platforms propelling these solutions to the front of Spain’s digital landscape.
Social media’s hotspot in the Mediterranean
Enabled by the extension of Spain’s online landscape, social platforms reach over 91 percent of the country’s population, creating a fruitful social media environment. Messaging apps are the country's most widely used online service, with WhatsApp leading the local social network market. Used by almost 90 percent of the country's online audiences, it holds the highest usage rate and is the favorite platform among national audiences. Additionally, content-based platforms enjoy Spain’s dynamic and tourism-focused influencer market.Despite the growing popularity of TikTok and the eventual appearance of some local alternatives, no competitor has yet surpassed Meta's dominance. With the highest number of users among all solutions, Facebook and Instagram solidify Meta’s footprint in the Iberian Peninsula, expanding their influence over social interaction platforms and crossing into the country’s digital economy.
The face of the Spanish digital economy
With over 40 percent of its population shopping online, Spain has a thriving e-commerce industry that stands among Europe’s largest and most lucrative markets. By the end of 2023, the local sector had generated over 31.5 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue, accounting for more than five percent of the country’s GDP. Major e-commerce players compete for the top spot in the Spanish market, with Amazon’s local domain being the most popular shopping website in the country.Social platforms recognize this potential and strive integrate into Spain’s online shopping experience. In the same year, social commerce revenues in Spain verged over one billion U.S. dollars, as platforms like Instagram and Facebook battle against YouTube strive to profit the most in the Mediterranean country.
Overall, this symbiosis and competition among major platforms are ultimately proof of the health of Spain’s internet market. Despite the limited prospects for explosive future growth, the current opportunities it offers for businesses and profits over the habits of Spanish users are evidence of the country’s status as a secure and reliable choice for digital platforms.
Tiago Bianchi
,
Nov 22, 2024
Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
