Note: This blog is based on the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report – produced in partnership with Meltwater and We Are Social. See Simon Kemp's article about The Changing World of Digital in 2023. Download the Global Digital Report and the Global Digital Report 2023 for free.
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Over the past twelve months, the world’s digital behaviors have shown some of the most profound changes we’ve seen in years, even compared with “the pandemic years”. The latest research reveals that these behaviors are evolving in a number of unexpected ways, too.
Fortunately however, our huge new Digital 2023 Global Overview Report – produced in partnership with Simon Kemp and We Are Social – has all the data and insights you need to make sense of the latest trends. In addition, we have now launched a report that focuses exclusively on the Swedish market.
Below we will present some of the digital insights and Swedish social media statistics contained in the report.
Swedish Social Media Statistics: Table of Contents
Use of the Internet in Sweden
Social Media Usage in Sweden
Ecommerce Statistics in Sweden
Digital Marketing Statistics for Sweden
Summary: Social Media & Digital Media in Sweden
Predictions for the Swedish Digital Landscape
Tip: Learn more about the Swedish media landscape.
Use of the Internet in Sweden
The report reveals that Northern Europe is the region with the highest internet usage as a percentage of the total population globally. In Sweden, 97.2% of the population (10.28 million) were internet users in 2022.
Daily Time Spent with Media in Sweden
On average, Swedes spent 6 hours on the internet daily in 2022; a decrease of 5 percent compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, Swedish people spend an additional 1 hour and 42 minutes on music and streaming services daily on average, and 55 minutes on podcasts. Does the average reflect you?
Main Reasons for Using the Internet in Sweden
There are many different reasons why people in Sweden use the internet.
The main reason is to find information (76%) followed by staying in touch with friends and family (64.7%) and getting updates on news and events (64.6%).
Top Google Searches in Sweden
If you compare what Swedes search for most frequently on Google, it is:
- "Aftonbladet"
- "Google"
- "Stockholm"
- "Translate"
- "Expressen"
Social Media Usage in Sweden
In Sweden, 82.2% of the total population are active users of social media.
Furthermore, the Swedish population spends an average of 1 hour and 58 minutes on social media every day. Which actually is a decrease of 3.3% compared to 2021.
COVID-19 was more extensive in 2021 than in 2022 and this could possibly explain why the use of social media has decreased.
Swedish people used social media more when the pandemic restricted them from doing other activities.
Most Used Social Media Platforms in Sweden
Facebook is the most used platform by Swedes, with 77.1% of internet users aged 16-64 using the platform every month.
- Facebook (77.1%)
- Instagram (72.8%)
- FB Messenger (70.2%)
- Snapchat (44.4%)
- WhatsApp (39.3%)
- iMessage (36.4%)
- TikTok (36.0%)
- Twitter (29.7%)
- LinkedIn (29.4%)
- Pinterest (27.2%)
- Reddit (18.4%)
- Discord (15.5%)
- Skype (15.4%)
- Telegram (10.0%)
- Viber (8.0%)
(Youtube was not included as an option in this particular survey, but more statistics on Youtube as a platform will be provided below.)
Favourite Social Media Platforms in Sweden
However, the favorite social media platform of the Swedes turns out to be Instagram, followed by Facebook and Facebook Messenger.
TikTok is still behind Snapchat in fifth place surprisingly.
- Instagram (21.8%)
- Facebook (19.4%)
- FB Messenger (10.4%)
- Snapchat (8.5%)
- TikTok (8.2%)
- WhatsApp (6.1%)
- Twitter (3.6%)
- iMessage (2.8%)
- Discord (2.7%)
- Pinterest (2.3%)
Main Reasons for Using Social Media in Sweden
The main reason Swedes aged 16-64 use social media is to keep in touch with family and friends (59%).
Furthermore, 38.5% say they use social media to fill their spare time.
Perhaps surprisingly, only 14.5% claim to use social media for following celebrities and influencers.
Tip: Take a look at the biggest Swedish influencers out there.
Top YouTube Searches in Sweden
Looking at the most searched words on YouTube, you will find at the top of the list "song" and "music".
- Song (100)
- Music (97)
- ASMR (56)
- Babblarna (43)
- Minecraft (42)
- Fortnite (39)
- Roblox (39)
- TikTok (37)
- Barn (34)
- Musik (33)
- Film (28)
- Tomu (26)
- Zadruga (24)
- Jocke Och Jonna (23)
- Ukraine (22)
- Duno (21)
- Speed (20)
- IJUSTWANTTOBECOOL (19)
- Sidemen (18)
- 23 (17)
It is quite interesting to see that the majority of people use YouTube as a streaming service rather than as social media.
Total Potential Reach of Ads on Social Media Platforms in Sweden
In the report you can find detailed information about each social media in Sweden, but below we have chosen to highlight the total potential reach of ads on each platform in Sweden.
- Facebook: 5.8 million
- Youtube: 8.7 million
- Instagram: 5.7 million
- TikTok: 3.39 million (Aged 18+)
- Facebook Messenger: 5.0 million
- LinkedIn: 4.7 million
- Snapchat: 4.35 million
- Twitter: 2.1 million
- Pinterest: 1.72 million
More details can be found from page 61 onwards in the report. Check out the Swedish Digital Report here.
Ecommerce Statistics in Sweden
In 2022, 7.84 million Swedes purchased consumer goods online and the total amount of consumer purchases was 15.33 billion dollars.
Ecommerce Consumer Goods Categories in Sweden
If we break down consumer goods purchases made online, we find that the population spends the most on fashion (3.89 billion), followed by electronics (3.77 billion) and toys, hobbies, DIY (2.26 billion).
- Fashion ($3.89 Billion)
- Electronics ($3.77 Billion)
- Toys, Hobby, DIY ($2.26 Billion)
- Furniture ($2.03 Billion)
- Personal & Household Care ($1.40 Billion)
- Food ($818.0 Million)
- Beverages ($769.4 Million)
- Physical Media ($388.7 Million)
Top Google Shopping Searches in Sweden
The top five Google shopping searches among Swedes are:
- Nike (100)
- iPhone (78)
- Skor (69)
- Ikea (59)
- Jordan (58)
Digital Marketing Statistics for Sweden
It is interesting to investigate in more detail which sources Swedes use to find brands.
Sources of Brand Discovery in Sweden
- Search Engines (35.0%)
- Ads on TV (32.0%)
- Word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family (31.3%)
- Ads on Social Media (30.2%)
- Company Emails, Letters, or Mailshots (25.5%)
Most people use search engines, but a relatively large percentage still discover brands through ads on TV and social media.
Additionally, it is interesting to see that 31,3% say they find brands through word-of-mouth recommendations from friends or family.
In other words, it might be a good idea to develop a word-of-mouth marketing strategy where you for example encourage user-generated content.
Social Media Advertising Spend in Sweden
Furthermore, it is worth analyzing how the marketing budget was allocated in total, in terms of digital marketing last year.
For example, we see that approximately $991 million was spent on social media advertising last year, and that another $118.2 million was spent on influencer marketing advertising.
Another fascinating insight is that 42.5% decline cookies at least some of the time, and that 33.3% use an ad blocker for at least some online activities.
This makes it more difficult for marketers to track the interest of their audience based on browsing activity.
Summary: Social Media & Digital Media in Sweden
Social media is here to stay!
The Swedish population are strong users of social media, with 82.2% of people using social media. If we take a closer look at everyone aged 18 and over, 97.5% use social media. With that being said, there is a great marketing opportunity for brands to be recognised through social media if the exposure is done in a way that is appealing to the target audience.
To add another layer, the average person in Sweden uses 6.3 different social media platforms every month, which means that there are great opportunities for brands to develop their omnichannel and multichannel marketing strategy with the help of different social media platforms.
Another argument for brands to invest more in social media marketing is that 38.5% say they use social media to fill their spare time. This means that they don't really have a clear intention with their social media use, and are consequently more likely to be receptive to content that attracts them.
Predictions for the Swedish Digital Landscape
Social search and authenticity!
Social search has increased a lot lately and we believe it will keep increasing in Sweden, partly because of the high use of social media, but also because 76% say they mainly use internet to find information. The reason why people are increasingly looking for information on social media rather than on search engines is because they want to get more authentic answers. For example, reviews, images, recommendations and advocacy from friends or like-minded people.
But how can brands benefit from the rise of social search? For example, companies can encourage and promote user-generated content to increase the sense of authenticity. Another example is to work with influencers who resonate with your brand and values, in order to eventually reach their target audience which should also align with your target group. In addition, many social platforms offer different search functionalities that companies should be aware of and benefit from.
Finally, as always, we recommend using social listening tools to work proactively and respond immediately to mentions or trends, for example. People are talking about your brand, your products/services, the problems you can help them with and many other topics that can provide valuable insights for your organization. Social listening is a very useful tool not only when it comes to social search, but also to gain insight into the perception of your target audience and adapt your brand accordingly.
