Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Social media usage in the Netherlands - statistics & facts
Consumers in the Netherlands are using social media in a practical way. They are more likely to send private messages than they are to build an online presence or for all to see, and although public interaction is not common, Dutch users still are still logging on to the world’s most popular platforms. There are over 15 million active social media users in the country, proving that even silent social media users still rely on major online services.
Three-quarters of internet users in the Netherlands said they had experienced ads that appeared to have been tailored to them personally. Additionally, over one-third of users said they had experienced influencers who appeared to have been paid to promote certain products but did not disclose this clearly. As for Gen Z, the consumers who are to decide in which direction social media goes in the coming years, approximately 50 percent were annoyed by online advertising, whilst 14 percent were happy for companies to use their personal data for advertising.
Generation Z and their online habits will decide the future of social media in the Netherlands, and as younger audiences use such services for entertainment purposes, it is possible that a more public use of online platforms may become the norm.
Who is using social media in the Netherlands?
As of November 2023, over half of social media users in the Netherlands were women. A third of online network users belonged to Generation X, representing the largest proportion of users in the country. Overall, 32 percent were Millennials, and Generation Z made up 22 percent of users. A little over one in ten users were from the Baby Boomer generation. In terms of education, 37 percent of users in the Netherlands possessed a technical or vocational qualification, and 27 percent held a bachelor's degree or equivalent. Regarding political standing, 35 percent of social media users identified themselves as politically centrist, 29 percent as right, and 21 percent as left.The stand-out services
Instant messengers and social networks are the most popular types of online platforms in the Netherlands, with 71 percent of Dutch users regularly used the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, and 62 percent reported frequently using social networks, such as Facebook, as of September 2023. Media sharing sites, such as Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, were also very popular. As for brands, Facebook attracted 6.6 million daily active users (DAU) in 2023, coming second only to instant messaging service WhatsApp, with 10.8 million DAU. Additionally, Instagram had 6.6 million DAU in 2023 in the Netherlands.Dutch users on online marketing
Social media marketing has become an indispensable tool for brands due to constant social network usage and online exchanges by consumers. In 2022, the Netherlands ranked in 6th position in terms of annual social media advertising spending in Europe, amounting to 1.2 billion U.S. dollars, just behind Italy and Spain. However, social media targeted advertising was somewhat of a concern for many internet users in the country. Over half of all Dutch social media users said that having their personal data used for other purposes, or sharing the of their data without their consent were their most common concerns.Three-quarters of internet users in the Netherlands said they had experienced ads that appeared to have been tailored to them personally. Additionally, over one-third of users said they had experienced influencers who appeared to have been paid to promote certain products but did not disclose this clearly. As for Gen Z, the consumers who are to decide in which direction social media goes in the coming years, approximately 50 percent were annoyed by online advertising, whilst 14 percent were happy for companies to use their personal data for advertising.
Generation Z and their online habits will decide the future of social media in the Netherlands, and as younger audiences use such services for entertainment purposes, it is possible that a more public use of online platforms may become the norm.
