Localsearch study: Instagram dominates SME searches in Switzerland

77% of social media users search for SME services via Instagram. Facebook follows well behind with 49%, LinkedIn in third place with 28%. These are the findings of the "SME Digital Pulse 2025" study by Localsearch and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Generational difference shapes search behavior

Almost one in three people under the age of 30 (29%) start their SME search on social media first - more than twice as many as the average (13%). Among the over-60s, the figure is only 5 percent. The younger a person is, the more often they search for SME services via social media first.

"Younger people use social media as a matter of course, which also shapes their search behavior," says Stefano Santinelli, CEO of Localsearch. Digital information about SME services is important for the vast majority of the population (82%). This need is particularly pronounced among 30 to 44-year-olds: In this age group, 91 percent would like to be able to obtain information about SMEs digitally.

TikTok on the podium for boys

Among 18 to 29-year-olds who use social media to search for SMEs, almost one in four (24%) use TikTok. This puts the platform in third place among the under-30s, directly behind Instagram (88%) and Facebook (26%). The overall average for TikTok is significantly lower at 15%.

Instagram's dominance is even more evident among 18 to 29-year-old social media users: 88% of this age group use the platform to search for SME services. Facebook follows a long way behind in second place (26%). Even among 44 to 59-year-olds, more than 70% still use Instagram to search for SME services.

Gender and regional differences

Women (16%) use social media more frequently to search for SMEs than men (10%). There are also regional differences: 19 percent of respondents in Ticino use social media for this purpose - more than in French-speaking Switzerland (15 percent) and German-speaking Switzerland (12 percent).

Across all age groups, women (82%) use Instagram significantly more often than men (70%). The situation is similar with Pinterest, which tends to be used more by women (11%) than men (4%) for SME searches. The picture is reversed for LinkedIn: men use the platform more frequently (38 percent men, 22 percent women), as well as YouTube (31 percent vs. 18 percent) and X (10 percent vs. 2 percent).

Social media also relevant for maintaining contacts

Social media is not only relevant for searching for SME services, but is also becoming increasingly important as a channel for maintaining digital contacts, according to the study. For 65% of respondents, it is important that SMEs offer digital options for maintaining contacts - even among the over-60s, this figure is a remarkable 62%. 13% of respondents would like to use social media specifically to stay in contact with an SME.

"SMEs that are neither present nor active on social media are giving away valuable visibility and therefore digital market potential. They risk losing competitiveness in the digital world," concludes Stefano Santinelli. The new version of Localsearch's digitalONE product makes it even easier for SMEs to be present on social media, publish professional posts on Instagram, Facebook and the like and respond quickly and competently to reviews and customer feedback.

Further information on the "SME Digital Pulse 2025" study and the white paper can be found at this link available.