AudienceProject Insights 2016

INSIGHTS 2016 Social Media & Apps in the Nordics

AudienceProject Insights 2016 Social Media & Apps in the Nordics Facebook is for keeping contact with friends and family, LinkedIn is for professional networking and YouTube is just for fun. In this Social Media & Apps study we take a look at how social media and apps are used across the Nordic countries.

Facebook is still miles ahead of the competition in the social media space. Not only is Facebook the media with the highest reach but it can also boast of the most usage per user. More than 75% of the internet population are Facebook users, with Norway leading the way with 85%.

Only in Finland does the blue giant get some competition - by WhatsApp which is owned by Facebook. Almost as many say they use WhatsApp as Facebook, and WhatsApp has a higher loyalty among the Finnish people, where 37% of all smartphone owners has WhatsApp among their three most important apps compared to only 25% for Facebook.

what the different social media services are being used for.

And it is clear that not all apps and services are competing in the same field. Facebook, Snapchat and WhatsApp are all mainly used for communicating and keeping contact with friends, while Tumblr, YouTube and Pinterest are primarily used for entertainment. LinkedIn is the only top media primarily used for professional networking, even though some use Facebook and Twitter for professional contacts.

And regarding Twitter it is the social media with the highest discrepancy in usage as just above 50% say they use it for news, but many mention entertainment and following brands as key motivating factors for using Twitter for.

Snapchat is conquering Norway

Bank apps competes with social media

While WhatsApp is kicking it in Finland, it is hardly making noise in the rest of the Nordic countries. Perhaps not surprisingly usage follows the same pattern. We see high usage in Finland where 75% of WhatsApp users uses it every day compared to just 24% in Denmark.

We have not only looked at social media usage. We have also taken a look at which apps are the most important for the smartphone owners in the Nordics.

For Snapchat it’s very much the opposite picture. While there are almost no users in Finland the market is more mature in the other countries topping in Norway where 57% are using Snapchat. The users are generally young on Snapchat. In Norway 91% of all internet users between 15 and 25 years uses Snapchat, while only 24% of those older than 65 uses it.

YouTube is for entertainment One of the things we wanted to answer with this study was,

AudienceProject Insights 2016

With social media being a key part in our daily life, social media apps are not surprisingly some of the apps with the highest loyalty - with Facebook taking the pole position.

However more localized apps also manage to crack the top 10 in each country. Most dominant are the financial apps like MobilePay in Denmark and BankID in Sweden, but also YR (Norwegian weather service), a couple of travel planners and news apps make the list.

On the following pages, you can gain additional insights into the use of social media and apps in the Nordic countries.

Enjoy!

Top social media in the Nordics

Denmark

Sweden 77%

77%

79%

79%

37%

50%

41%

47%

25%

25% 30%

28%

23%

25%

27%

25%

15%

22%

Q1 2016

15% 11%

19%

Q4 2016

14%

Q1 2016

25%

Q4 2016

19%

9%

14%

55%

2,7

use YouTube as a social media

social media is used per person

9% -*

14% -*

4%

63%

3,0

use YouTube as a social media

social media is used per person

4%

*Tumblr wasn’t included in our Q1 2016 survey

*Tumblr wasn’t included in our Q1 2016 survey

Norway

Finland 84%

74%

85%

75%

52%

61% 57%

68%

47%

29%

50%

32%

27%

19%

27%

20%

22%

19%

Q1 2016

20% 16%

15%

Q4 2016

17%

-* 4% *Tumblr wasn’t included in our Q1 2016 survey

Q4 2016

16%

15% 14%

Q1 2016

19%

10%

64%

3,4

use YouTube as a social media

social media is used per person

14% -* 3% *Tumblr wasn’t included in our Q1 2016 survey

71%

3,2

use YouTube as a social media

social media is used per person

Usage of social media - Frequency

How often social media is used in Denmark 55

27

36

20

36

20

12

11

13

11

5

19

Every day

Once a week

Several times a month

1

3

18

7

11

15

Several times a week

1

9

13

27

4

18

14

23

2

9

12

18

26

11

14

20

17

10

Several times a day

14

25

17

10

1 1

3

6

17

12

2

5

12

19

18

20

9

17

15

5

14

24

17

4

8

10

16

8

Once a month

Less often

Don’t know

How often social media is used in Sweden 53

27

52

21

38

16

23

18

13

7

8

13

8

Several times a day

10

19

10

30

15

31

17

25

22

Several times a week

6

8

4

12

8

8

Once a week

Several times a month

2

4

9

11

1

5

4

7

8

Less often

1 2

2

2

9

16

Once a month

3

18

16

18

2

5

8

13

29

Every day

10

26

18

7

18

25

3

14

24

25

3

11

Don’t know

Usage of social media - Frequency

How often social media is used in Norway 62

24

48

23

39

15

26

17

18

13

19

7

10

5

14

9

18

Several times a day

18

21

Every day

Several times a week

Once a week

1

15

17

Several times a month

2

7

13

21

4

7

11

10

2 1

3

11

20

22

4

7

11

23

111

8

15

21

21

3

11

16

20

17

11

19

18

3

7

15

23

15

11

1

8

13

Once a month

1

Less often

Don’t know

How often social media is used in Finland 53

28

49

26

45

11

28

17

19

12

21

8

5

13

Several times a day

15

23

Every day

9

11

Several times a week

11

Once a week

Several times a month

2 1

3

11

2

2

7

9

4

15

1

14

18

Once a month

2

7

9

18

13

26

3

5

9

26

20

4

10

23

12

11

13

19

22

19

8

15

20

6

13

18

37

3

9

8

9

Less often

Don’t know

Usage of social media - Purpose

What social media is used for in Denmark

83% 13%

1%

10%

2% 33%

86%

10%

17%

12%

7%

27%

46%

88%

7%

11%

1% 5%

48%

80%

5%

16%

1%

11%

17%

4% 35%

56%

5% 61%

8%

33% 53%

37%

3%

1%

11%

84%

5%

6%

11%

1%

3% 25%

27%

To keep contact with friends

6%

1% 66%

10%

7%

7%

69%

6%

To strenghten professional network

To get news

28%

To follow brands / companies

To get entertainment

Other

Usage of social media - Purpose

What social media is used for in Sweden

86% 8%

3%

15%

2% 22%

85%

7%

15%

9%

9%

18%

37%

92%

8%

11%

48%

7%

70%

6%

2%

83%

24%

1%

9%

12%

4% 23%

47%

3% 51%

25% 44%

7%

37%

4%

4%

13%

94%

3%

5%

9%

28%

To keep contact with friends

12%

1% 66%

10%

4%

79%

4%

To strenghten professional network

5% 10%

1% 25%

To get news

46%

21%

To follow brands / companies

To get entertainment

Other

Usage of social media - Purpose

What social media is used for in Norway

86%

3%

11%

9%

3% 27%

85%

9%

17%

8%

4%

28%

44%

94%

5%

9%

48%

6%

58%

8%

1%

87%

17%

1%

4%

19%

2% 22%

57%

4% 51%

60%

8%

30% 44%

35%

3%

2%

11%

92%

5%

4% 15%

4%

1% 69%

27%

To keep contact with friends

10%

1% 27%

15%

5%

75%

6%

To strenghten professional network

1%

To get news

18%

To follow brands / companies

To get entertainment

Other

Usage of social media - Purpose

What social media is used for in Finland

82% 13%

3%

9%

4%

90%

10%

34% 19%

14%

7%

12%

42%

91%

6%

8%

3% 6%

54%

78%

7%

17%

2%

9%

26%

4% 26%

61% 26%

7% 64%

8%

52%

41%

3%

3%

9%

98% 12%

7%

5% 25% 73% 24%

To keep contact with friends

6%

2%

12%

1%

12%

8%

83%

2%

To strenghten professional network

9%

To get news

19%

To follow brands / companies

To get entertainment

Other

Most important apps in the Nordics

Denmark

Sweden

1

Facebook

33%

1

Facebook

22%

2

MobilePay

24%

2

BankID

20%

3

Facebook Messenger

10%

3

Spotify

19%

4

Google Maps

9%

4

Instagram

15%

5

Gmail

7%

5

Swish

12%

6

Instagram

7%

6

Facebook Messenger

8%

7

Spotify

7%

7

Swedbank

7%

8

Rejseplanen

6%

8

Snapchat

6%

9

Snapchat

6%

9

Google Maps

6%

10

Mobilbank (Danske Bank)

6%

10

Gmail

5%

Norway

Finland

1

Facebook

36%

1

WhatsApp

37%

2

Snapchat

20%

2

Facebook

25%

3

Spotify

18%

3

Spotify

12%

4

Facebook Messenger

13%

4

Instagram

10%

5

Instagram

13%

5

Google Maps

6%

6

YR

7%

6

Gmail

5%

7

RuterBillett

6%

7

Facebook Messenger

5%

8

DNB

5%

8

Snapchat

5%

9

Gmail

5%

9

YouTube

5%

10

Google Maps

5%

10

Ilta-Sanomat

4%

Note: The respondents have been asked which three mobile apps they least can do without. The figures above represent the number of people having placed the apps among their three most important apps. Preinstalled apps are not included.

Most important apps across gender

Denmark

Men

Women

Sweden

1

Facebook

28%

1

BankID

22%

2

MobilePay

21%

2

Spotify

20%

3

Google Maps

10%

3

Facebook

15%

4

Gmail

9%

4

Swish

11%

5

Facebook Messenger

7%

5

Instagram

8%

1

Facebook

37%

1

Facebook

29%

2

MobilePay

26%

2

Instagram

22%

3

Facebook Messenger

11%

3

BankID

19%

4

Instagram

10%

4

Spotify

19%

5

Snapchat

8%

5

Swish

13%

Norway

Men

Women

Men

Women

Finland

1

Facebook

30%

1

WhatsApp

32%

2

Spotify

17%

2

Facebook

18%

3

Snapchat

14%

3

Spotify

13%

4

Facebook Messenger

11%

4

Google Maps

6%

5

YR

8%

5

Instagram

6%

1

Facebook

42%

1

WhatsApp

42%

2

Snapchat

27%

2

Facebook

33%

3

Instagram

19%

3

Instagram

14%

4

Spotify

18%

4

Spotify

12%

5

Facebook Messenger

15%

5

Facebook Messenger

7%

Men

Women

Most important apps across age groups

Denmark

15-25 years old

Looking at the most important apps across age groups in Denmark, we see that especially two apps stand out from the rest - Facebook and MobilePay. Among the three youngest age groups, Facebook is the most important app, while MobilePay is the second most important app among the 26-45 years old and the fourth most important app among the 15-25 years old. Among the two oldest age groups, the picture is reversed as MobilePay is the most important app, while Facebook is second.

26-35 years old

1

Facebook

53%

2

Facebook Messenger

24%

3

Snapchat

23%

4

MobilePay

19%

5

Instagram

17%

36-45 years old

1

Facebook

36%

1

Facebook

36%

2

MobilePay

20%

2

MobilePay

22%

3

Google Maps

15%

3

Gmail

9%

4

Instagram

11%

4

Google Maps

7%

5

Facebook Messenger

10%

5

Spotify

6%

46-55 years old

56+ years old

1

MobilePay

31%

1

MobilePay

27%

2

Facebook

26%

2

Facebook

16%

3

Google Maps

8%

3

DMI Vejr

7%

4

Mobilbank (Danske Bank)

6%

4

Google Maps

7%

5

Facebook Messenger

6%

5

Mobilbank (Danke Bank)

6%

Most important apps across age groups

Sweden

15-25 years old

When looking at the most important apps across age groups in Sweden, we see that Facebook is the most important app among the 36+ years old and the second most important app among the 26-35 years old. However, Facebook is not even in the top five most important apps among the 15-25 years old. Spotify and Instagram are categorized as some of the most important apps among the young age groups, while this is the case with BankID and Swish among the older age groups.

26-35 years old

1

Spotify

34%

2

Instagram

30%

3

Snapchat

26%

4

Facebook Messenger

21%

5

BankID

19%

36-45 years old

1

Spotify

32%

1

Facebook

26%

2

Facebook

26%

2

BankID

22%

3

Instagram

24%

3

Spotify

17%

4

BankID

20%

4

Instagram

14%

5

Facebook Messenger

9%

5

Swedbank

8%

46-55 years old

56+ years old

1

Facebook

23%

1

Facebook

15%

2

BankID

21%

2

BankID

14%

3

Spotify

14%

3

Swish

7%

4

Swish

14%

4

Google Maps

7%

5

Instagram

7%

5

Instagram

6%

Most important apps across age groups

Norway

15-25 years old

Especially Facebook and Snapchat stand out from the rest of the apps categorized as the most importnat in Norway. In all age groups, besides the youngest age group of 15-25 years old, Facebook is the most important app. Among the 15-25 years old, Facebook is the second most importnat app beaten by Snapchat. And it is not only among the youngest age group that Snaphat is popular. Among the 26-45 years old, Snapchat is the second most importnat app.

26-35 years old

1

Snapchat

45%

2

Facebook

39%

3

Spotify

37%

4

Facebook Messenger

30%

5

Instagram

24%

36-45 years old

1

Facebook

42%

1

Facebook

39%

2

Snapchat

26%

2

Snapchat

15%

3

Spotify

24%

3

Spotify

13%

4

Instagram

14%

4

Instagram

13%

5

Facebook Messenger

12%

5

Facebook Messenger

9%

46-55 years old

56+ years old

1

Facebook

34%

1

Facebook

23%

2

Instagram

9%

2

YR

17%

3

Snapchat

8%

3

RuterBillett

9%

4

Facebook Messenger

8%

4

VG

8%

5

Spotify

8%

5

NRK

6%

Most important apps across age groups

Finland

15-25 years old

In Finland, we see that one app stands out from the rest. Across all age groups WhatsApp is the most important app followed by Facebook as the second most important app. Besides WhatsApp and Facebook, Spotify is widely categorized as one of the most important apps among the Finnish internet population. Among the the 15-45 years old, Spotify is the third most important app. In this age group, Instagram is also pointed at as one the most important apps.

26-35 years old

1

WhatsApp

70%

2

Facebook

31%

3

Instagram

30%

4

Spotify

26%

5

Snapchat

23%

36-45 years old

1

WhatsApp

39%

1

WhatsApp

31%

2

Facebook

30%

2

Facebook

30%

3

Spotify

16%

3

Spotify

13%

4

Instagram

10%

4

Instagram

7%

5

Google Maps

8%

5

Ilta-Sanomat

6%

46-55 years old

56+ years old

1

WhatsApp

26%

1

WhatsApp

18%

2

Facebook

20%

2

Facebook

16%

3

Google Maps

7%

3

Google Maps

7%

4

Spotify

6%

4

Ilta-Sanomat

7%

5

Fonecta

5%

5

Gmail

7%

Mobile payment in the Nordics

Denmark

Sweden

80%

80% 77%

76%

70%

93%

71%

of those using mobile payment in Denmark use

60%

60%

Swish

MobilePay

50%

50%

40%

40%

30%

30% 20% 13%

10%

Swipp

PayPal Mobile

MobilePay

15%

10%

32%

2%

0%

PayPal Mobile

20%

87%

WyWallet

Other

Norway

Finland

80%

50%

71%

60%

40%

44%

68%

of those using mobile payment in Norway use

54%

50%

of those using mobile payment in Finland use

30%

Vipps

1%

Any

Other

76%

7%

4%

0%

Any

70%

of those using mobile payment in Sweden use

67%

Swish

70%

PayPal Mobile 30%

40% 30%

20%

33%

20%

6%

6%

mCash

MobilePay

7%

7%

0%

PayPal Mobile

Vipps

PayPal Mobile

10% 10%

7% 4%

MobilePay

Siru Mobile

0%

Any

Other

Any

Other

Editor

About the study

Rune Werliin rw@audienceproject.com +45 60 17 77 76

The study is a part of AudienceProject Insights 2016. Data is collected through online surveys done in Q3 and Q4 2016. The respondents have been selected from our Nordic panel of 800.000 panelists and weighted to achieve representativity on the more than 8.000 respondents who completed the survey.

Co-editor & Design Martin Kokholm mk@audienceproject.com +45 25 61 32 19 About AudienceProject AudienceProject has its roots in market research, technology and large scale data. It helps brands, agencies, publishers and e-commerce companies identify, target and validate audiences. The products range from audience planning, validation and targeting on socio-demographics as well as other variables.

Contact hello@audienceproject.com www.audienceproject.com

The study has the aim of examining the use of social media as well as the use of apps among the Nordic internet population.