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The pandemic has given way to a crisis in Ukraine. Inflation is rising near record highs and we have started traveling more often again.
Meanwhile, spring is also dawning. A time when we can traditionally expect many new seasonal products.
In short, all things that influence the use and market share of social media in the Netherlands and Europe.
To help you focus on the right channel, we put on our goggles and dive into the Q1 of 2022 numbers and statistics. So read on quickly!
Netherlands
| Netherlands | December 2021 | March 2022 |
| 72,91% | 71,00% | |
| 7,61% | 7,37% | |
| 10,47% | 11,43% | |
| 3,23% | 5,10% | |
| Youtube | 2,09% | 2,38% |
| 1,93% | 1,39% |
Social media market share in the Netherlands after the first 3 months of 2022 is not much different from that of December the year before. Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn lose a little and Twitter and Youtube gain a little market share.
Relatively biggest gainer is Instagram with over one and a half times more market share.
Now it really looks like the platform is finally going to fulfill its promise. Now that it is allowed again, we are doing fun things en masse and we are not afraid to share those pictures on Insta.
Use is increasing and so more and more companies are also finding their way to the platform. Hint from us: the latter is definitely something to keep an eye on, because now, as an advertiser, you may still be in the front row for a dime.
After all, competition is now (still) low in many industries. But of course, in the world of social media, that changes faster than you can say Instagram for Business....
Germany
| Germany | December 2021 | March 2022 |
| 72,26% | 71,92% | |
| 7,42% | 7,36% | |
| 5,91% | 6,29% | |
| 4,59% | 6,88% | |
| Youtube | 3,12% | 3,14% |
| 0,66% | 0,36% |
We see the same trend with our eastern neighbors: Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn are losing some ground in Germany, but remain almost the same. The market share of Youtube and Twitter is also increasing very slightly.
But little of note. How different it is with Instagram. Indeed, the platform is also making relatively large gains in Germany, seeing its market share rise by nearly 50%.
Advertising on Instagram is thus slowly but surely becoming popular among German companies as well. Let's also take a look at our southern neighbors in Belgium to see if a similar trend can be detected.
Belgium
| Belgium | December 2021 | March 2022 |
| 72,47% | 68,75% | |
| 12,76% | 12,67% | |
| 6,71% | 7,68% | |
| 3,42% | 6,38% | |
| Youtube | 1,91% | 2,20% |
| 0,45% | 0,47% |
Yes!!! Instagram is also the winner of the quarter in Belgium. In fact, it almost doubles its market share here.
Furthermore, we do have a few small deviations compared to the Netherlands and Germany. Whereas Facebook's market share remained almost the same in these countries, Facebook loses a bit more with the Belgians.
But let's be honest: Mark Zuckerberg isn't losing any sleep over it. The lost market share goes almost entirely to Instagram, which is not entirely coincidentally also owned by the best man.
Youtube and Twitter's increases and Pinterest and Linkedin's declines are small. They should, especially on the latter two platforms, not really have a name. So we won't waste any more words on that.
Europe
| Europe | December 2021 | March 2022 |
| 82,95% | 79,78% | |
| 3,76% | 4,23% | |
| 6,02% | 6,27% | |
| 3,13% | 4,79% | |
| Youtube | 2,23% | 3,06% |
| 0,34% | 0,33% |
If we take the social media market share of all countries in Europe, we do see some other shifts.
Yes, Facebook is losing. But Pinterest is also regaining some market share in Europe. Not enough, by the way, to stop Instagram from now claiming the third largest social media market share behind Facebook and Twitter. That's new.
As in the rest of Europe, the decreases and increases are again quite small (except for Instagram, that is) and we can't really say much meaningful about it this time. Happens sometimes.
UK
| Europe | December 2021 | March 2022 |
| 58,56% | 60,49% | |
| 4,58% | 5,79% | |
| 21,74% | 14,70% | |
| 8,98% | 12,33% | |
| Youtube | 3,41% | 3,42% |
| 0,63% | 0,79% |
In the United Kingdom, something else is going on (again!). Whereas Twitter had a solid social media market share in recent months, a free fall of sorts seems to have begun there.
In fact, the medium is losing about 1/3rd of its overall market share. And this in turn benefits all other channels; everyone gains a little bit with Instagram being the big outlier.
There, relatively speaking, the market share is up almost 40%. Just like in the rest of Europe. Then again.
Conclusion
Looking at the numbers and statistics regarding social media share in Q1 of 2022, we can draw the following conclusions
- Instagram is the big winner and finally seems to be delivering on its promise. That's where you want to be!
- Other shifts in social media market shares are relatively small and almost universally similar.
- In the UK, advertisers stay away from Twitter almost out of the blue (reason unknown, but useful to know if you also do business there).
In short, the pandemic seems to be over and calm has returned. At least in terms of social media market shares, so little news under the sun this time. We are curious, though, to see if Instagram's massive rise continues and what the proportions will be after Q2 of 2022.
Of course, we'll keep you posted again by then with another update. See you then!
Source: gs.statcounter.com
Written by: Daniel Kuipers
Daniel is the founder of Online Marketing Agency. He constantly scours the Internet for the latest gadgets and tactics and blogs about them in understandable language. Well, sometimes.