Portugal Digital: 5 Insights for your business
Every year, the Portugal Digital report provides powerful insights into how the Portuguese use the internet. If e-commerce and digital marketing are important parts of your business, this report is a must-read.
The 2023 edition of Portugal Digital once again shows that the Portuguese are increasingly connected to the internet, smartphones, and social networks. And this is reflected in the growth of e-commerce in Portugal.
Here are the 5 insights from Portugal Digital for your business:
1# Those who use the internet, use social networks
It’s a logical connection confirmed by the Portugal Digital 2023 report. 85.1% of the Portuguese population uses the internet. Meanwhile, 78.5% of the Portuguese have an active presence on social networks.
As for the hours of use of each type of media, social networks stand out again, with the Portuguese spending an average of 2h25 per day on these channels. More than that, only television/streaming services, and general internet usage.
Insight: be present on at least one relevant social network for your business and/or use that social network for advertising purposes (e.g., YouTube Ads, Facebook Ads). Here the essential keyword is “relevant,” meaning choose a social network where your audience is.
2# Understand the Portuguese’s internet usage to better position your business
Knowing the purpose of internet usage is essential to understand how and where you can fit your business into the digital world.
According to the Portugal Digital report, these are the top 8 reasons why the Portuguese use the internet:
1. Finding information: 80.5%
2. Tutorials: 68.6%
3. News: 67.3%
4. Contacting family and friends: 66.1%
5. Finding new ideas and inspiration: 61.3%
6. Listening to music: 61%
7. Planning vacations: 60.6%
8. Researching products and brands: 60.5%
On top of this, 94% of the Portuguese use Google.
Insight: from this, we could draw more than one conclusion, but the first and most important is this: your business must be online and easy to find. Or rather, your business must be visible on Google.
3# Google, YouTube, and Facebook: the 3 most important channels
Instagram may be the favorite social network of the Portuguese (29.2% of the Portuguese say so), but Google, YouTube, and Facebook are the sites where the Portuguese spend the most time daily:
– Google: 12 to 20 minutes
– Youtube: from 22 to 34 minutes
– Facebook: 10 to 22 minutes
In addition, there is a crucial fact: YouTube has the best reach in Portugal: 72.4%. In comparison, Facebook has a reach of 57.5%.
Insight: if your digital marketing strategy involves investing in online ads, use these 3 channels. However, if Instagram is a relevant network for your business, don’t neglect it. Especially since many Instagram visits are made via Facebook or through the app.
4# The reasons why the Portuguese buy online
In 2022, 44.8% of the Portuguese bought a product or service online. The Portugal Digital 2023 report addresses the main reasons that convinced the Portuguese to make that purchase. They are as follows:
– Free shipping: 69.2%
– Coupons and discounts: 51.7%
– Simple return policy: 34.7%
– Quick and easy checkout: 32.2%
– Reviews from other customers: 31.8%
Insight: Make the online shopping experience as simple and fast as possible for the customer. If possible, create personalized mini campaigns for each customer, allowing them to benefit from exclusive coupons and discounts (in exchange, for example, you can ask them to leave a review about your brand). Lastly, include free shipping as a standard for your company (at least, from a certain amount).
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5# The influence of digital marketing on the Portuguese
60.5% of the Portuguese research a brand online before buying a product, but only 12.5% click on advertising banners on websites and 15% on banners on social networks.
In addition, when the Portuguese consider buying a product/service, the first search they make is in a search engine. In fact, 37.6% of new discoveries by the Portuguese are made through this channel.
Next comes “word-of-mouth advertising”: recommendations from friends and family are the second most important channel for the Portuguese. They are followed by TV ads, social network ads, and point-of-sale advertising.
Focusing only on digital channels, search engines naturally lead, with 61.9% of the Portuguese using this channel to find a product/service. Social networks follow (47.1%) and price comparison websites (34.1%). The top 5 closes with online customer reviews (31.9%) and a brand’s own website (28.2%).
Insight: the conclusion we share next summarizes all the insights so far; be well-presented on Google, allow and encourage reviews of your business, and be on one or more relevant social networks for your business. By investing in digital marketing, you may see a higher return when investing in Google Ads and Facebook Ads.
The Portugal Digital Report 2023 is a powerful tool for your business.
The data shared by this report is valuable for creating or reevaluating your e-commerce and digital marketing strategy.
Go further and find more specific data for your business by exploring the entire Portugal Digital 2023 report here.
