Over 40% of businesses in the Netherlands with 10 employees or more have at least one social media account, according to CBS. This figure increases with company size, from 36% of small-scale businesses (10 to 20 employees) to over 75% of large companies (500 employees or more).
Social networks are the most popular form of social media; over one third of Dutch businesses have an account on Facebook or Hyves. Meanwhile, one fifth use (micro)blogs such as Twitter and / or share media on websites like YouTube and Flickr.
Among businesses using social media, ICT companies use it the most at 79%. Businesses in the hotels and restaurants sector also often use social media (65%), while social media are less popular in the construction and transport sectors (around 25%).
Most businesses with a social media account use it for marketing purposes (68%). Over 40% of companies also use social media to recruit staff (especially large companies), get customer reviews, or to cooperate with business partners (especially smaller companies).
Social media are also used for in-house communications and to promote customer involvement in product development, albeit to a lesser extent.