According to the study "The Portuguese and Social Networks," Instagram is already the most used social network in Portugal by young people aged between 15 and 24. The 2022 edition of this study confirms Facebook as the dominant network, both in terms of awareness and penetration, but with a downward trend that is felt especially among Generation Z.
In fact, indicators from a study produced by Marktest since 2011 reveal that, for the first time in Portugal, Facebook is no longer the most used social network in this age group. Furthermore, not only has Facebook (89,4%) been dethroned by Instagram (94,1%) from first place among young social media users, but it has even fallen to third position, now also behind WhatsApp (93,2%). In this age group, Instagram has almost quadrupled compared to 2013, and WhatsApp has doubled its value compared to 2016. Currently, these three networks register very similar values in the aforementioned target group.
Nevertheless, Facebook remains, in absolute terms, the largest social network in Portugal, with a penetration rate of 94,4% among social media users. Following in this ranking, in order, are WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and YouTube.
In terms of brand awareness, Facebook continues to be the most spontaneously recognized social network among Portuguese people, registering 97,1%. But in this criterion as well, Instagram has been closing the gap, now only 9,2 percentage points behind the leader.
Moreover, Facebook's downward trajectory is clearly evident in the fact that spontaneous top-of-mind awareness (i.e., the first response from respondents) of this network fell from 91,2% in 2011 to 76,7% in 2022.
Behind Facebook and Instagram in the ranking of social networks most recognized by the Portuguese, Twitter emerges as the third social network with the greatest spontaneous awareness, with TikTok having risen this year to fourth position, thus surpassing WhatsApp, which now occupies the last position in the top 5.
