Use of social networks in Belgium
Belgians spend an average of five hours online every day, 1h45 of which are spent on social media. This has a huge impact on our way of living, working and communicating. Learn more about the main social media platforms and their characteristics. In order of their number of users:
This remains the most popular social network channel in Belgium. In 2023, Facebook had 6.3 million active users in Belgium. Facebook has been the source of a large number of features later adopted by other platforms, such as the profile page and the wall, not to mention, of course, the likes.
YouTube
YouTube is the most popular social network site after Facebook. This free video sharing platform was founded in 2005. A year later it was acquired by Google. It is one of the most used video platforms in the world.
WhatsApp, the third largest social network in Belgium, was founded in 2009 and acquired by Facebook in 2014. By 2023, WhatsApp had 2 billion active monthly users, including 5.75 million Belgians. It is the 4th most downloaded application in the world.
Instagram was launched in 2010 and acquired by Facebook in 2012. This channel is mostly used by teenagers and young adults, but also increasingly by an older audience. It is on Instagram that the influencer phenomenon really took off. By 2023, 4.6 million Belgians had an account on Insta!
Pinterest was founded in 2010. It is the leading social media platform for sharing beautiful and interesting photos that the user collects on a pinboard. This pinboard or moodboard can then provide inspiration for projects such as a renovation or a wedding, but can also serve, for example, as a digital recipe book.
Snapchat
Snapchat was founded in 2011. The platform is based on sharing photos and videos that are visible for only a few seconds, only to disappear immediately afterwards. Snapchat’s popularity among young people varies greatly from region to region, but it is certainly a success in Belgium, where 3.65 million Belgians had a Snapchat account in 2023.
X (formerly Twitter
Twitter was founded in 2006 and renamed X in July 2023. The platform is characterized by posting short messages of 280 characters. It is mainly used by journalists, politicians and lobbyists, as well as fans of the platform. It is the ideal platform to keep up with the latest news.
LinkedIn is the professional social network of choice. The platform was founded in 2002 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2016. The network has 4.7 million members in Belgium. Your profile acts as a resume or virtual business card: it is a handy tool to find contacts, recruiters, partners or potential clients.
TikTok
TikTok has made a name for itself in Belgium: 3.52 million Belgians have an account. The platform has been around since 2018 and has been very popular with teens and young adults from the start. TikTok allows users to create video clips from 3 to 15 seconds, with video, dance, lip sync, music and more. It is the only Chinese network on our list. A number of countries are questioning China’s possible influence on the young people who use this platform.
