This blog post was updated on 3 October 2023.
Spain is an attractive prospect to many businesses looking to expand internationally, and there are several reasons why.
The first reason is its size: it is a relatively large country, with a sizeable population, which means there will likely be a market for your product.
It is also a digitally mature nation. As of September 2023, Spain has a population of 47.5 million people. Of these people, almost 43 million are currently online, which represents an internet penetration rate of 90%.
This appeal of this market only grows stronger when you realise that the Spanish government has implemented various programmes to improve the internet infrastructure and expand coverage in certain areas. For example, in 2021, the Spanish government pledged to guarantee ultra-fast broadband coverage for the entire country by 2025.
However, it can be challenging to enter a new market. Never fear, this blog post is here to shed light on how best to harness the power of digital marketing to succeed in Spain.
Here are three things you need to know about digital marketing in Spain if you want to succeed in the country.
1. Language in Spain
Spanish (sometimes also referred to as Castilian, or Castilian Spanish) is the only official language that applies to the whole of Spain, but there are several other languages that have co-official status in their specific regions: Galician (in Galicia), Catalan (in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands), Basque (in the Basque Country), Valencian (in the Valencian region) and Aranese (in Val d’Aran). These languages all have significant usage, with the exception of Aranese (so you can probably safely exclude Aranese from your digital marketing strategy).
If your localisation budget is limited and you can only create content in one language, make sure to focus on Spanish, because, as mentioned before, this is the only language spoken across all regions of Spain.
However, if you have additional budget and are targeting one or more of the special areas mentioned above (Galicia, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country or the Valencian region), you may also want to create your content in the corresponding co-official language (Galician, Catalan, Basque or Valencian).
2. Social media in Spain
Social media is very popular in Spain. Research by Meltwater and We Are Social found that amongst its sample of Spanish internet users, 90% were social media users. WhatsApp is the most popular social platform in Spain, followed by Instagram and Facebook. All these platforms are used by more than half of all Spanish internet users every month.
You should use social media to communicate and engage with potential customers, and it is also a useful way of understanding and getting to know your target audience. You should aim to create content that triggers emotions in users by offering real value or a real connection with your brand.
3. E-commerce in Spain
E-commerce in Spain is growing in popularity. Almost 32 million people in Spain (67% of the population) have made a B2C purchase on the internet in the past year. The B2C e-commerce market in Spain is worth the equivalent of USD 32 billion annually. The average Spanish B2C shopper spends the equivalent of USD 1,009 online per year.
Be aware that there are seasonal fluctuations in the Spanish e-commerce calendar, when people are more likely to buy. January and July are when the winter and summer sales take place respectively, when big discounts encourage Spanish shoppers to buy. Black Friday (taking place on the last Friday of November) has also become popular in Spain. And, of course, in the run up to Christmas, people are busy buying gifts for family and friends. Make sure you tap into this seasonality when selling your products and coming up with your marketing materials.
Want to learn more?
I hope this has given you a useful introduction to digital marketing in Spain. For more in-depth information, read our free guide here. From reading this guide, you will learn:
- the current digital landscape in the country, including internet penetration rates
- the typical Spanish internet user, including their gender, age and online activities
- device usage breakdowns and internet speeds in Spain
- search engine marketing in Spain
- how to localise your website for Spain
- social media marketing in Spain
- the local culture and language in Spain
- e-commerce in Spain
Elin Box
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Great information on Spanish language … thank you