If you’re working for a global brand, there’s a high chance you’re doing social media marketing in France. The country has a high GDP, an increasing population and a large market of active social media users. It also has its unique market quirks and challenges that you’ll need to get familiar with to create the most effective campaigns.
Read on to get a comprehensive overview of French marketing and how to power up your social media campaigns. This article covers everything from privacy laws and preferred platforms, to the use of slang and cultural sensitivities.
Here’s our recap:
An introduction to social media marketing in France
France has a population of about 64.82 million people, and its population increased by 0.2%, or 128,000 people, between 2023 and 2024. France has the third-largest GDP in Europe and the seventh-largest in the world. They also have high purchasing power, ranking 10th globally, right behind the UK.
France’s population has been steadily increasing. The country has the highest fertility rate in the EU, although its population is still gradually aging, with a median age of 42.
22% of the French population is over 65, while 20% is under 18. France also has a high urbanization rate, with 82% of its population living in urban areas. Most of its cultural and government power is centered around Paris, where 19% of its population lives.
Despite France’s highly centralized government, regional differences do exist. In the north and east, German culture has left its mark, as parts of these regions were once under German control. Brittany, in the west, retains a strong Celtic identity and language, while in the south, Euskara (Basque) and Catalan are spoken, particularly in small towns. On the island of Corsica, the local language, Corsu, and the widespread use of Italian can make it feel distinctly different from mainland France. However, everyone born and raised in France is required to learn French in school.
Online landscape in France
Not only does France have a strong economy, but it’s quite internet-connected, too. While not as online as, say, the Nordic countries, its internet penetration is at 94% of the population, as of the start of 2024. Which means there are 60.80 million internet users in the country. 97% of the population aged 18-64 have a smartphone, and 74% have a laptop or desktop computer. Of all the internet users in the country, 83% have at least one social media account.
A French internet user spends an average of five hours and 22 minutes online every day. 96% of them access it through smartphones, and 95% also access it through desktop or laptop computers and tablets, with their daily time spent evenly divided between these two devices. They also spend an average of one hour and 48 minutes every day on social media, or about a third of their time spent online per day.
The French market is one of the most stable in the EU, supported by a large economy and steady population growth. Highly centralized and urbanized, France has the fourth-largest number of internet users in Europe. These users are increasingly active on social media, with 92% of the population aged 18-64 visiting at least one social media site in January 2024.
How to use the most popular social media in France
Now that we know more demographic information about France, you may be asking: “What is the most used social media in France?”
French people use an average of 5.8 social media platforms per month. And, France’s general social media habits aren’t too different from other Western countries, so the top sites are similar to other European countries.
YouTube is the most popular social media platform in France. Nearly 80% of French internet users visited the site in January 2021, and the average French user spent over 16.5 hours per month streaming videos on the platform.
Close behind is Facebook, with 72% of the population between the ages of 16-64 using it at least once a month. 23% of active social media users in that age bracket consider it to be their “favorite” platform. Finally, 60% of 16-64-year-old internet users scroll through Instagram at least once a month, and 19% say it’s their “favorite” platform.
Here’s how the main social media channels compare: the first number shows the percentage of the 16-64-year-old population using it monthly, and the second is their favorite platform.
- Snapchat: 43% use | 7% say it’s their favorite
- TikTok: 39% use | 10% say it’s their favorite
- X (formerly Twitter): 30% use | 4% say it’s their favorite
- Pinterest: 28% use | 3% say it’s their favorite
- LinkedIn: 25% use | less than 2% say it’s their favorite
A few more figures stand out:
TikTok users spent the most time on the platform, averaging 38 hours and 38 minutes monthly between July and September 2023—more than twice the time spent on YouTube. Snapchat led in app opens, with 525.8 per month, nearly doubling TikTok’s 298.4.
While the overall social media consumption in France isn’t all that different from most Western European countries, there are a couple of small differences to note. X and Instagram are used highly during midday, while Facebook is popular in the morning and late evenings.
And unlike in most countries, X is popular with people over the age of 55.
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Cultural sensitivities to consider for social media marketing in France
So far, it seems like social media usage in France is very similar to countries like the UK or Germany, right?
Well, looking at cultural sensitivities is when we start to notice some differences. Here’s a quick overview of some of the most notable ones:
Privacy
The French are fond of privacy and personal space in general, and this extends to their digital life. People tend to be wary of being tracked or having their information made public online.
91% of people in France believe data collection is an important issue. It’s common practice to delete cookies and use blocking tools, which can cause problems if you’re relying on trackers to get data about your KPIs.
Later on, we’ll discuss the regulatory and legal aspects of privacy in France.
Language
Obviously, people in other countries speak other languages, and it’s important to make sure your content reflects that. But France has a greater cultural sensitivity to it than most, and like with their privacy concerns, this has legal implications that we will explain in another section.
In addition, something like a typo, which could be seen as “no big deal” in another market, can instill brand distrust, and customers may even look to other sites for the same product.
Overall, France’s strong national pride, and an average English proficiency level lower than most of its European neighbors, mean that you need quality translation and localization for this market.
Formality
French people prefer to be referred to formally by strangers, and this extends to advertising. Many CTAs or other copy we use in English, if directly translated, would come off as disrespectful to a French person.
For example, something like “buy now” (Achetez maintenant) would make French people mistrustful of your brand. Instead, you would say something like “Commandez ici” (order here), which is “softer” and more respectful to your audience.
“It may be different in social media, but if you went to a brand’s website and saw they were using the informal ‘you,’ you would think they were unprofessional. On networks used disproportionately by young people, like Snapchat and TikTok, ads might use the informal ‘you,’ but even on platforms like Instagram, brands would still use the formal ‘you.’”
– Aurélie Berson, Project Manager at VeraContent
Communication styles
Due in part to public speaking classes that French students take at either school or university, French people are extremely direct in their communication, and value honesty above all else.
There’s usually very little sugar-coating and a preference for communication that is frank and independent. They also love being ironic. However, their directness combined with their desire for formality can be a tough balancing act for foreign brands.
What the French expect in advertising
As we mentioned, the French love to debate and ask questions. In advertising, what’s most important to them is the core message of something, rather than something like the layout or appearance. However, advertisements that compare one product to another are also unusual in France and can even be seen as unethical.
Instead, companies will try to attract customers’ attention with detailed information about their goods or services and highlight things like certifications, awards, or endorsements they’ve received, or their long history, as all of these things are attractive to French consumers. And, most importantly, being “made in France” is a hallmark of quality that the French value highly.
National holidays
Despite what you may think, France doesn’t have that many public holidays, and Labor Day is the only one with mandatory paid leave.
Here are some other national holidays and traditions you should be mindful of, or even incorporate into your social media marketing:
- January 6th, Epiphany (L’Épiphanie): This commemorates the Magi visiting Jesus after his birth. It’s celebrated by eating a King’s Cake (Galette de Rois) and trying to be the lucky person to find a hidden figurine.
- May 1st, Labor Day (Fête du Travail): As previously mentioned, this holiday has mandatory paid leave for most workers in France. Nothing is open and in some smaller places, there isn’t even any transportation running.
- June 21st, Music Day (Fête de la Musique): At the summer solstice, people are encouraged to play music in public places. People in both small towns and big cities like Paris participate.
- July 14th, Bastille Day (Le Quatorze Juillet): This is the national holiday of France, celebrating the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution. This day is usually celebrated with parades, fireworks and other large public gatherings.
- Christmas (Noël): The biggest tradition at Christmas is the “Réveillon.” This is the traditional Christmas Eve dinner that families have together around midnight.
See also: International holiday marketing: Dates, culture & language
Effective strategies for engaging French audiences
When trying to attract French audiences on social media, it’s important to have some tips and tricks that can help you maximize your engagement and maintain a positive brand image.
As a Western European country, content can be visually similar to other Western European countries. But with your copy, there are a few things to consider that are particular to the French market.
Tu or Vous
Like many languages, French has both a formal ‘you’ (tu) and an informal ‘you’ (vous). Which one should you use, and what factors affect that?
While in countries like Spain or Germany, brands often use the informal you, particularly if their customers are younger, in France this is not the case. In general, approach using ‘tu’ with caution.
When deciding on which to use, your audience’s age isn’t the only factor to consider. You should also reflect on your actual social media strategy and what your brand image is. Is it just friendly and playful (use vous), or rule-breaking and boisterous (tu might be better, but only if your audience is younger)?
“We almost always use the formal you. It’s not a form of distance but a form of respect, and it’s seen as more professional. Some brands targeting younger audiences, like Duolingo, use the informal you instead. But that’s more due to their ‘unhinged’ social media strategy and tone than their audience.” – Aurélie Berson, Project Manager at VeraContent
Slang
France is a country with a very rich and deep slang culture, and it’s something you need to keep in mind when creating social media copy. While everyone uses slang, people’s age and where they’re from can drastically affect what kind of slang they use.
You may want to seem fun and relatable to your audience, but you have to be careful. Even French companies have trouble with this!
“We have a lot of slang. Gen Z might have slang that’s more global and less French-specific, but as a whole, brands that want to localize to the French market need to be aware of French slang and the age range that uses each slang word. Sometimes brands use a lot of slang that might be too ‘young,’ and it feels like they’re trying too hard to reach a certain kind of audience. It’s somewhat awkward. It’s a hard balance for any brand, though.”
– Aurélie Berson, Project Manager at VeraContent
Many common slang words you may be able to incorporate into your social media marketing come from verlan—a “pig Latin” type of slang around since the 19th century that forms new words by switching the syllables of the original word. The word verlan itself comes from switching the syllables of the word l’envers (inverse).
Some verlan words are universally understood and fully integrated into everyday language, while some are only used by certain generations and can feel either too outdated or too young to your audience, depending on what generation they’re in.
Some of the most common verlan words all French people would understand and use are meuf (woman), cimer (thank you), and tof (picture).
Navigating French regulatory considerations
As people globally grow more concerned over issues like privacy, the increasing omnipresence of advertising, and the “Americanization” of other cultures, more and more countries are enacting laws concerning these topics that you need to be aware of.
The European Union is already known for its stricter-than-most privacy laws. Famously, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which is the toughest privacy and security law in the world, was put into effect in 2018. This set of laws introduces a ton of new laws concerning data privacy and protection for any company that collects data on people who live in the EU, not just European companies.
France is a very privacy-focused country and takes this a step further. It has strict laws and governing bodies that concern consumer protection, language preservation and compliance enforcement.
Here are some of the most important regulations and what they mean for your business.
Consumer Code
The French consumer code came into place in the 1990s and was reformed in 2016. It’s a hefty set of laws whose main purposes are to safeguard fairness, transparency and consumer protection in the marketing domain.
While it covers thousands of aspects of the market, the most important rules for marketers involve advertising practices the code deems misleading or false.
As we mentioned earlier in the article, comparative advertising is still somewhat unusual in France, although it is becoming more common. The Consumer Code does allow it, but it states that any such claims must be objective and verifiable (basically, based on data) and not designed to mislead customers. They also can’t create confusion between an advertiser and a competitor, or confusion between trademarks, trade names or other distinguishing marks.
Whether you’re making a comparison or not, the French Consumer Code emphasizes the need to substantiate any claims made in advertising. If you’re making claims about efficacy, quality or environmental impact, you need to have reliable and verifiable data to back up those claims if anyone asks. Not following any of these regulations may subject you to some hefty fines, cessation of ad campaigns or even jail time in some extreme cases.
The Toubon Law
The Toubon Law, passed in 1994 and updated in 2016, was originally introduced to counter the increasing use of anglicisms in France and preserve, promote, and protect the use of the French language in the country. In online advertising, it pertains to situations where targeted consumers are located in France. Broadly, the Toubon Law mandates the default use of French in a variety of sectors, including advertising.
In advertising, regardless of medium, French should be the primary language used. Content can be written, spoken or otherwise transmitted in a foreign language, but it must be accompanied by a visible and equal translation. For example, a written expression in English must have a visible asterisk referring to the French translation. The French translation doesn’t have to be the same, but the terms need to be clearly understood in the same way in both languages.
There are some situations where a foreign language is authorized to remain untranslated. Foreign trademarks with names commonly accepted in France, technical or scientific terms with no French equivalent and commonly used anglicisms are all allowable exceptions. Some examples of commonly used anglicisms are “weekend”, “jogging” and “cool.”
“Some English words are completely integrated into everyday life. For example, we all say we have a ‘deadline,’ to the point that I don’t know what the word deadline is in French. There are always going to be people who say to use French in France, and you’re trying too hard to sound ‘international,’ but there are situations where the ‘real’ French translation sounds too formal and doesn’t resonate with your audience because no one uses that word.”
– Aurélie Berson, Project Manager at VeraContent
There have been relatively few reported breaches of the Toubon Law in online business and marketing. However, like with the Consumer Code, reported breaches can mean hefty fines, so it’s important to make sure your content has appropriate French translations.
The ARPP
The ARPP is a self-regulatory organization in French advertising, operating as an independent authority since 2008. While following its guidelines isn’t mandatory (except for TV advertising), the ARPP is highly influential in monitoring and ensuring compliance with advertising regulations in France. Composed of industry stakeholders, its goal is to guide advertisers toward best practices, helping to avoid state intervention.
The ARPP drafts the ARPP Codes, which are ethical standards and practices based on the ICC code but extend beyond the interpretation of French laws. These sector-specific guidelines provide advertisers with clarity on acceptable practices across various contexts.
To prevent violations, the ARPP offers pre-clearance services, where campaigns can be submitted for review before release to ensure alignment with current standards. They also conduct training sessions, events, and workshops on proper advertising practices in France. Advertising professionals and consumers can file complaints with the ARPP if they believe an ad is non-compliant.
Upon receiving a complaint, the ARPP investigates the company’s advertising practices and guarantees a resolution within a month. If a violation is found, the ARPP will ask the company to modify or remove the ad. If the company refuses, the case is referred to legal authorities.
Advertising to minors
Since 2023, French authorities have been testing an age verification system to find and delete the social media accounts of any child under the age of 15 on any of those platforms, but they are trying to balance age verification with concerns over data privacy.
The ARPP has a code specifically relating to advertising to children. Any ad directed at or accessible to children must ask for clear consent before collecting data, can’t use urgent language like “Buy now!”, can’t minimize the price with words like “only” and can’t encourage children to try and persuade their parents to buy it for them.
Using influencers to advertise
Influencer marketing can often blur the line between something that’s an ad and something that’s not. Despite many countries’ attempts to regulate the industry, many laws are ignored or poorly enforced. In France, however, they’re trying to change that, with stricter laws and stronger punishments.
Influencers can’t create any ads for cosmetic surgery or tobacco, and ads for financial and medical services are now heavily regulated. Influencers are also required to state when an image or video used in a promotion has been retouched. Finally, ads must clearly state throughout that they’re paid promotions.
Influencers not following these rules can face penalties like two-year prison sentences and up to €300,000 in fines. Most interestingly, the government has also begun instituting a punishment where influencers that violate these rules have to pin a post on their page explaining that they’ve been using deceptive advertising practices for 30 days.
See also: Global influencer marketing strategy: 3 key insights
VeraContent case study: PopSockets
VeraContent does monthly localization work with PopSockets. One particular project was to localize a landing page using the Danish concept of “hygge” in its advertising. We not only had to localize and translate the page but also explain a concept from a third language that the audience may not be familiar with.
When working with PopSockets, which has a young, creative and fun tone of voice, we still use the formal ‘you,’ even on Instagram posts. PopSockets also asks that we always localize to French unless the expression in English is very well known.
The English copy is more assertive and blunt, with two imperative sentences, and talks a lot about the reader through the use of “you.” The French copy is softer—no commands and doesn’t use either the formal or informal you. It also refers to “cocooning,” a loanword that’s commonly used in France.
By being aware of the cultural differences between English- and French-speaking countries, PopSockets has been able to build a positive brand image in France among its young and international target audience.
Partner with experts for effective social media marketing in France
To truly connect with your audience in France, it’s crucial to work with an agency that understands the local culture and language nuances. At VeraContent, we collaborate with native-speaking, locally-based community managers and linguists to build strategies and content that resonate deeply with your target market.
Ready to elevate your social media presence in France? Book a call for a Free Content Consultation today!