The Dutch and social media. We love it. Great connections with everyone without even having to leave the house. And that’s not even mentioning the curiosity factor. Fun, isn't it, to see where the director actually goes on vacation? Of course, it is also incredibly useful for your own brand awareness, because without social media, you (and your company) aren't that much these days.
68% of Dutch internet users agree with this. Social media is indispensable. Everyone gets incredibly close and nothing seems impossible anymore.
As for the rest of Europe, they make even greater use of various social media platforms. Facebook is used much more there than in the Netherlands. It is striking that LinkedIn is used by only 11% in the rest of Europe and almost twice as much in the Netherlands, from which one can conclude that it is important for Dutch people to use social media for business purposes.
Almost everyone knows Twitter too, but only 17% of the Dutch use it.
What do many Dutch people primarily do with the social media they use? Of course, they peek at what the neighbors are doing. But there is more: people want to express their personal preferences and receive something in return. 30% of Dutch social media users follow at least one brand. The preference lies mainly with media, entertainment, and fashion. This happens, among other things, because we hope to receive promotion and information. We also want to stay informed about events surrounding the brand in this way, for example, by receiving announcements about an event.
And then there is the group that genuinely wants to become actively involved with the brand. They are eager to exchange ideas or even assist in developing and bringing products to market. This is an excellent opportunity for the producer, who can bind willing social media users to the company in this way. However, the intention is for the company to tailor its policy somewhat to these people. That is how important social media is becoming; the ordinary "surfer" could soon have an influence on a multi-million dollar company.