Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Home to more than 41 million users in 2023, a number projected to increase by around 5 million more by 2028, Spain is one of the biggest social media markets in Western Europe. With more than 85 percent of the country’s internet users accessing social networks, the size of the Spain's social audience also helps its robust digital and social advertising market, making it a land of opportunity for any network aspiring to invest in the country, if one is willing to deal with the hegemony of Meta Platforms.
Despite the variety of options regarding social networks for the most varied purposes, Facebook still is also the second most used platform in the country, followed by Instagram. In the absolute number of users, the network founded by Mark Zuckerberg is also the biggest when not considering messaging apps, as the corporation’s solutions still dominate the download charts.
Despite influencers being the fifth most followed type of account in the country, more than half of Spanish social media users follow these types of accounts or personalities. Used by more than 24 million users in the country, Instagram is also the choice for 74 percent of country’s influencers, followed by YouTube with 44 percent. Despite its growth worldwide, TikTok still has not overcome Meta’s dominance in the Spanish market, currently being used by only 24 percent of respondents for this purpose.
What are the main social platforms in Spain?
With mobile devices being the main tool of access to social media for 97 percent of Spain’s population, messenger apps are the most used type of platform for around 83 percent of the country’s social users. And Meta takes it all: WhatsApp is simultaneously the most used network by more than 91 percent of Spanish internet users, and the platform with the highest satisfaction rate among its customers.Despite the variety of options regarding social networks for the most varied purposes, Facebook still is also the second most used platform in the country, followed by Instagram. In the absolute number of users, the network founded by Mark Zuckerberg is also the biggest when not considering messaging apps, as the corporation’s solutions still dominate the download charts.
How do Spaniards use social media?
The preference for instant messaging apps has a reason: keeping contact with relatives, friends or acquaintances is one of the primary reasons for more than half of Spaniards to use social media. Unsurprisingly, most of the accounts followed in the country are from closer contacts, above all the entertainment and media offered by platforms, then followed by celebrities like musicians, acting performers, and other entertainment pages. But it is perhaps a desire for proximity that makes Spain so fertile for influencers to build their engagement with the local audiences.Spotlight: social influencer market
The power of the digital advertising market is one of the key aspects of the social media landscape in Spain: the country is the fifth largest digital advertisement market in Europe and the 12th largest worldwide. It was projected that solely in 2022 more than 1.6 million U.S. dollars were solely invested in social media, an amount expected to increase up to two million U.S. dollars by 2027.Despite influencers being the fifth most followed type of account in the country, more than half of Spanish social media users follow these types of accounts or personalities. Used by more than 24 million users in the country, Instagram is also the choice for 74 percent of country’s influencers, followed by YouTube with 44 percent. Despite its growth worldwide, TikTok still has not overcome Meta’s dominance in the Spanish market, currently being used by only 24 percent of respondents for this purpose.
