SEO in Poland: All you need to know about the Polish market

With almost 40 million inhabitants, located right in the middle of Europe, Poland is an interesting market, with a high potential for growth. Its 15 + years of membership in the EU guarantee compliance with European standards and norms. 

As more and more companies go online, the country registers an increasing demand for content marketing and SEO services, offered by specialized agencies. Plenty of successful campaigns have been carried out not only for SMEs but for major market players as well. Feel invited to take a closer look. 

Poland – country overview

30 years after the iron curtain that used to divide Europe has fallen, Poland is no longer a god-forsaken country under the Soviet domination. In terms of economic development, it has come a long way, and it currently places itself as the sixth-largest economy in the EU. The country is considered business-friendly and its macroeconomic policies are perceived as sound and compliant with the UE recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has struck the global economy, has undoubtedly taken some toll on the key market indicators in Poland. Unemployment has risen sharply, so has the inflation rate. The interest rates are seeing their bottom levels, the national currency – zloty (PLN) is losing its value. In order to mitigate the imminent crisis, the Polish government has taken a series of measures aimed mainly at employment protection, financial support to companies (SMEs in particular) and consumption stimulation.

Interestingly, both the coronavirus and the related sanitary restrictions have proven quite beneficial for online business. As the traditional points of sales got temporarily closed and consumers were kept under mandatory lockdown, companies have started seeking rescue in online sales. Those who never before had felt the need or understood the gain of creating a website – finally did. 

The increased interest in the Internet as a means of doing business has inevitably made everyone turn their head towards SEO services and content marketing. In the midst of an almost unprecedented economic crisis, SEO agencies are seeing their business boom as never before. As they say, every cloud has a silver lining.

Poland – marketing context

When democracy and free-market economy arrived in Poland in 1989, private investment and privately-owned businesses were almost unheard of. Poland was a virgin market, years and years behind its western neighbours. It was time to catch up in almost every aspect, marketing included. 

First TV spots and newspaper ads that appeared at the beginning of the 90s – washing powder being their favourite product –  were to be laughed at. Yet, they sold. With very little competition on the market and consumers tired of empty store shelves and long queueing, virtually any new business was destined to thrive. Not much marketing was needed back then.

30 years forward, the current market reality is completely different. Poland has nothing to envy other EU members. Modern infrastructure, top-notch technologies, skilled and well-educated professionals, highest business standards. The country has caught up quite quickly. Yet, with the obvious benefits of capitalism and a free-market economy, the now mature Polish market struggles with the same problems as any other western country: fierce competition, demanding consumers, saturation of products.

Marketing has become an indispensable tool to forge one’s way in business. Here’s a quick overview of the current situation.

Consumer behaviour 

The majority of Polish consumers take several factors into consideration when making a purchase decision. While a convenient price is still the number-one factor for the bargain loving lower-middle-class, quality and added benefits are becoming increasingly important. Consumers are willing to pay more for better quality, convenient packaging, fast delivery, friendly post-sale service, etc.

Poles are proud of their origin and tend to prefer locally made products and services. However, with the growing popularity of e-commerce and marketplace, this trend is changing. Loyalty to a prefered brand is common, but it is not granted blindly. Poles are becoming more and more self-confident as consumers and enjoy being pampered.

Word of mouth is still a valued advertising tool, so are TV and radio ads. Promotions, competitions and couponing have proven very successful in stimulating purchase. 

Demographics

The population of the country is distributed quite evenly throughout its territory. 63% of Poles live in cities, the main metropolitan areas being:

1 Warsaw 1,702,139

2 Lodz 768,755

3 Kraków 755,050

4 Wrocław 634,893

5 Poznań 570,352

Life expectancy in the case of women is 83, while in the case of men it is considerably lower, reaching only 75.5.

People between 25 and 69 represent the largest population group.

Main advertising media in Poland