Online marketing in France offers great potential for e-commerce entrepreneurs: it is one of the largest markets in Europe.
France is a special market in Europe: its population of as many as 68 million values their own culture and country. At the same time, they are also open to innovations. Doing business in France is a balancing act between tradition and innovation.
The French e-commerce market continues to grow with an expected annual growth rate of 10% until 2025. An important aspect to consider is the national.fr domain: Google.fr is the most visited Web site in France. Google.com is also popular, but is used less frequently than in other countries.
Social advertising is a perfect match for the French market. By 2024, France will have 52.6 million active social media users, representing 80% of the total population. About 70% of French people use their smartphones for online shopping: so make sure your assortment is accessible via mobile-friendly websites or apps.
Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are ideal for making an appearance to French audiences. Based on demographic data, you can deploy personalized ads that perfectly fit into the world of the French customer. Social media is thus an excellent formula for increasing consumer engagement and conversion rates.
French consumers are more active online in the evening, peaking around 8 p.m., which is later than in many other European countries. This should be taken into account, as it can have influences on marketing campaigns if they have been running all day.
Capitalize on French values and culture with personalized and respectful communication. By addressing consumers with the formal vous instead of tu, you contribute to a positive perception of your company.
In addition, French consumers value the origin of products. They have a strong preference for products from their own area. You can respond to this demand with an appropriate assortment, emphasizing local production and high quality.
Compared to the Dutch, the French give higher priority to health and sustainability. They are also willing to pay a little more for it.
When choosing appropriate channels for the French market, it pays to orient yourself well, as the level of competition, cost per click and successful techniques may differ from the Dutch. Search engine marketing(SEO and SEA) is indispensable here, but competition on popular keywords is sometimes stiff. Investing in paid advertising (PPC) is therefore a better short-term solution.
In addition to search engine marketing, digital marketplaces are also important channels for online visibility in France. The five most popular marketplaces are Amazon.fr, Cdiscount, eBay, Leboncoin and La Redoute. Amazon.fr is the largest platform in the French e-commerce market. Leboncoin is very popular for selling secondhand goods and local products, making it a unique platform within the French market.
Tomahawk is a premier partner of Google, making it one of the top 3% best online marketing agencies in the Netherlands.
Our German specialists receive continuous training and have direct access to closed betas: new features within Google Ads that have not yet been rolled out to all advertisers.
Belgium is a neighboring country with cultural and linguistic similarities. Yet there are also many differences. Flemish-Dutch is slightly different and a large part of Belgium uses the French language. It would be a shame to overlook this, because it is a promising market!
The United Kingdom has one of the most mature European e-commerce markets with the highest online sales in Europe. Thanks in part to enthusiastic online shopping by British consumers, e-commerce in this country is stable and stronger than ever.
I'm Roel, founder of Tomahawk. I am happy to help you from our office in Nijmegen.
