According to an investigation by VRT, Flemish political parties have invested nearly 2.5 million euros in advertising on Facebook and Instagram this year. The parties that have spent the most
are N-VA and Vlaams Belang. In the previous year, all Belgian parties combined spent a total of 5 million euros.
With the 2024 European, federal, and regional elections approaching, parties are highly active on social media platforms. In Flanders, Facebook and Instagram are among the most popular platforms, making them ideal for parties to target their spending and reach a larger audience.
Based on data from research firm AdLens, VRT reports that Flemish parties have already spent over 2.4 million euros on Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, within the first five months of 2023. This expenditure has resulted in the creation of numerous advertisements.
As in previous years, N-VA and Vlaams Belang have emerged as the biggest spenders on Facebook and Instagram, with a combined expenditure of over 1.5 million euros. In the month of May alone, N-VA spent slightly over 203,000 euros, while Vlaams Belang's expenditure surpassed 290,000 euros.
With the exception of Groen, all parties have already surpassed their spending from the previous year. If this trend continues, the total ad spending by Belgian parties on Meta platforms will reach around 6 million euros. The ad spending details, including the targeted audience, are available in Facebook's ad library.
Many politicians are also active on TikTok, which predominantly attracts an audience aged 18 to 24. CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi recently utilized the platform to voice criticism regarding the judgement in the Sanda Dia case.
However, it is important to note that TikTok does not permit political advertising. According to the platform's rules, "Political content is not allowed in any form of advertising." This policy encompasses both brand ads and paid branded content, and it has been in effect since the platform's inception. Photo by Minette Lontsie, Wikimedia commons.