As of July 2022, more than 7.3 million Hungarians had a Facebook account, making it the most widely used social network in the country. The Hungarian version of Facebook was launched in 2008 and quickly gained popularity. Its use was so extensive and an almost essential part of people’s everyday lives that for many it became the primary channel of communication. In 2020, when asked about the main reason for using Facebook, most of the respondents stated that keeping up with current events and getting all kinds of information about their acquaintances were the biggest advantages.
While using Facebook is common in most age groups, Instagram usage seems to be more typical for the younger generation of Hungarians. Even if Instagram, the primarily photo-sharing platform, is used by a smaller number of people than Facebook, in recent years it has become an inevitable marketing channel, not to mention the evergrowing role of influencers. In March 2022, the model, Barbara Palvin had the highest number of Instagram followers in Hungary, counting nearly 17 million.
According to a study, in 2021, Hungarians’ main reason for following influencers was gathering information and ideas. According to the same survey, Hungarians mainly followed influencers' recommendations considering technology and electronic devices or health and lifestyle. Compared to other countries, Hungarian influencers had a considerably high engagement rate on Instagram in 2020, especially the ones with under five thousand followers.
