Summary: which social media platform should you advertise on?
Social media advertising works best on the platform where your customer already spends time and where a new customer stays affordable. For most Dutch consumer businesses that is Facebook and Instagram (9.9 and 8.9 million Dutch users). If you want to reach a young audience, TikTok is cheap per 1,000 impressions. If you sell to businesses, LinkedIn is expensive per click but it is the only platform where you can target by job title and company size. At Game-changers we advertise on all major platforms and choose per client where the budget delivers the most.
- Largest reach: YouTube (10.6m), Facebook (9.9m) and Instagram (8.9m) Dutch users in 2026.
- Cheapest click: Instagram and Facebook around €0.70 per click, TikTok €0.30 to €1.00, LinkedIn €5.50 on average.
- Cost per lead: Facebook €8.50 on average, LinkedIn €75 on average. For our client CrossFit Amsterdam €5.89.
- Our advice: Start on one platform that fits your customer, measure properly and only then add a second platform.
Which social media do Dutch people use in 2026?
The 2026 National Social Media Study by Newcom counts how many Dutch people use each platform. YouTube, Facebook and Instagram each reach roughly 9 to 11 million people. LinkedIn has 5.8 million users, but daily use grew by 17%. TikTok grew by about 6% to 4.7 million users (summary via Metricool).
Reach alone says little. A platform with fewer users can work better if your customer is there and the platform lets you target the right characteristics. That is why we look at costs and at your campaign goal next.
What does advertising cost per platform?
You pay per click (CPC), per 1,000 impressions (CPM) or you steer on cost per lead (CPL). The averages below come from the Dutch cost overviews by Searchlab for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok (March 2026). They are a starting point: your industry, audience and ads set the real price.
Also watch the minimum budget. TikTok asks for at least US$50 per day per campaign and US$20 per day per ad group (TikTok Ads Manager). At the ECB rate of 6 November 2026 (1 euro = 1.1165 dollars, ECB) that is about €45 and €18 per day. Meta has no fixed minimum, but the budget must be large enough to get about 50 results a week; otherwise a campaign stays in the learning phase. LinkedIn advises at least US$10 per day per campaign (LinkedIn).
Our research: what does €1,000 get you per platform?
We calculated what a budget of €1,000 gets you if you pay exactly the average. For TikTok we used the middle of the range (€0.65 per click and €5.50 per 1,000 impressions, the average for In-Feed ads). This shows at a glance where you buy a lot of reach and where you pay for a precise audience.
- TikTok, Instagram and Facebook give the most reach: For €1,000 you get 1,400 to 1,500 clicks. Suitable for consumer products, hospitality, fitness and local services.
- LinkedIn is eight times more expensive per click: You get 182 clicks, but you choose job title, industry and company size yourself. If one business client is worth €20,000, €75 per lead is cheap.
- A lead is worth more than a click: Do not look at the click price but at what a customer costs. You can only do that if you measure requests properly.
“Most business owners ask us which platform they should be on. We turn the question around: what is one new customer worth, and where is that customer before they start searching? For a gym that is Instagram and Facebook, for a software company LinkedIn. Start on one platform and only add a second once the first one is profitable.”
Which platform fits your goal?
This is the decision guide we use ourselves in the first conversation with a new client. We start with who your customer is and what you want them to do, not with the platform.
- Local customers and consumers: Facebook and Instagram. Large reach in every age group and good lead forms. Read more in Facebook ad costs and Instagram ad costs.
- Young audience or recruitment: TikTok and Instagram Reels. Low price per 1,000 impressions, but you need your own, real video. For recruitment see also recruitment marketing.
- Business decision makers: LinkedIn. More expensive, but you target by job title and company size. See LinkedIn ad costs.
- A product that needs explaining: YouTube. Videos of 15 to 60 seconds that show how it works, followed by remarketing on Facebook or Instagram.
- Inspiration and planning: Pinterest for interiors, fashion, gardens and weddings. People plan purchases there in advance.
What social media advertising delivered for our clients
Three examples from different platforms and goals. All figures are also on our social media advertising page.
- CrossFit Amsterdam: €5.89 average cost per lead with custom video, made for a Dutch audience by an English-speaking team.
- Fysio aan Huis: €8.70 average per patient request and a full local patient base in a new region within 6 weeks.
- Jaicob: 4.3 times more qualified demos for a recruitment platform, and 41% of demos turned into a sale.
How we choose the platform for a client
1. What is one customer worth?
We first calculate how much a lead may cost. For a €50 product LinkedIn is almost never profitable, for a €20,000 business deal it often is.
2. Where is the customer before they search?
On social media you reach people who are not searching yet. We look at age, job and interests, and at what your best customers already use.
3. One platform, measured properly
We start on one platform with server-side tracking, so every request flows back into the ad platform. See data and tracking.
4. Testing with own ads
We test different angles, videos and offers. The winner gets more budget, the rest stops.
5. Only then a second platform
Once the first platform is profitable, we add a second, often for remarketing or a different age group.
What does social media advertising cost at Game-changers?
At Game-changers you can start a social media advertising partnership from €500 per month excl. VAT. You pay the ad budget directly to Meta, TikTok or LinkedIn, so you see exactly what goes to ads. Read more on our social media advertising page.
- Free introduction: A 30-minute conversation about your goals and your customer.
- Free analysis: A marketing analysis with strategy and action plan, even if you do not continue with us.
- No set-up fee: You pay no one-off costs to get started. Request a free analysis.
- Senior point of contact: You always work with a senior partner or the founder, not with a junior.
- Your accounts and data: Ad accounts, pixels and data stay yours.
Source for market prices: Searchlab (March 2026) and our own research into Facebook agencies in the Google top 10 (November 2026).
Why measuring matters more than the platform
An ad platform learns from the requests it gets back. If half of them are missing because of cookies or ad blockers, the algorithm steers towards the wrong people. That is why we work with server-side tracking. Read how it works in our server-side tracking and GA4 checklist. Not sure you are choosing the right platforms? Also read outsourcing social media: costs and lead generation in the Netherlands.
Frequently asked questions about social media advertising
Which social media platform is best to advertise on?
That depends on your customer. For consumers and local businesses Facebook and Instagram are usually the best start, for a young audience TikTok and for business clients LinkedIn.
What does social media advertising cost per month?
Expect an ad budget of €300 to €1,500 per month to test, plus management. At Game-changers management starts from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee.
Is TikTok cheaper than Facebook?
Per 1,000 impressions it often is: €3 to €10 versus €9.40 on average. Per lead it depends on your industry and your videos.
Why is LinkedIn so expensive?
You pay €5.50 per click on average because you target precisely by job title, industry and company size. For expensive business services it is often still profitable.
Should I advertise on all platforms at once?
No. Start on one platform, measure properly and only add a second once the first one is profitable. That way you learn faster and waste less budget.
How quickly will I see results?
The first requests often come in within the first weeks. Meta needs about 50 results a week to leave the learning phase, so stable results usually take a few weeks.
Why advertise on social media?
Because you reach people who are not searching for you yet, and you choose who they are. You set an audience by age, location and interests, or on LinkedIn by job title and company size. Facebook and Instagram reach 9.9 and 8.9 million Dutch people, and you see per ad what a click or request costs.
How does social media advertising work?
In the ads manager you choose a goal, an audience, a budget and an ad. The platform then shows your ad to the people most likely to respond. You pay per click, per 1,000 impressions or you steer on cost per request.
What are the options for advertising on social media?
You can advertise with an image, video, carousel, Stories or Reels, and on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn also with an in-app lead form. As a goal you choose, for example, reach, website visits, requests or sales. For most businesses a video with a lead form or landing page works best.
What do Meta ads cost on Facebook and Instagram?
On Facebook you pay €0.72 per click, €9.40 per 1,000 impressions and €8.50 per lead on average. On Instagram it is €0.70 per click and €8.50 per 1,000 impressions on average (Searchlab, March 2026). Meta has no fixed minimum budget.
What is the minimum budget for TikTok ads?
TikTok asks for at least US$50 per day per campaign and US$20 per day per ad group. That is about €45 and €18 per day at the ECB rate of 6 November 2026.
Does social media advertising work for business services?
Yes, especially on LinkedIn, where you target by job title, industry and company size. A lead costs €75 on average there, which pays off when one client is worth a lot. For recruitment platform Jaicob it delivered 4.3 times more qualified demos.
What are the downsides of social media advertising?
As soon as you stop paying, your reach stops too. You need your own video and images, and ads wear out: after a few weeks you have to test new variants. And without server-side tracking you miss part of your requests because of cookies and ad blockers.
Can I outsource social media advertising?
Yes. At Game-changers you start from €500 per month excl. VAT and pay the ad budget directly to the platform. What outsourcing costs and what you get is covered in outsourcing social media: costs.
Sources
Newcom, National Social Media Study 2026
5 February 2026
Metricool, The 11 most used social media in the Netherlands [2026]
24 August 2026
Searchlab, Wat kost Facebook Ads in 2026? (Dutch)
17 March 2026
Searchlab, Wat kost Instagram adverteren in 2026? (Dutch)
17 March 2026
Searchlab, Wat kost TikTok adverteren in 2026? (Dutch)
17 March 2026
Searchlab, Wat kost LinkedIn adverteren? (Dutch)
17 March 2026
TikTok Ads Manager, About Budget
viewed 9 November 2026
Meta, About the learning phase
viewed 9 November 2026
LinkedIn, Making the most of your budget
viewed 9 November 2026
ECB, euro to US dollar reference rate
6 November 2026
Over de auteur
About the author
Annefleur van Osta
Online marketing strateeg bij Game-changers. Schreef dit artikel en houdt de prijzen en bronnen actueel.
Online marketing strategist at Game-changers. Wrote this article and keeps the prices and sources up to date.
