Leading Software Brands in France: Q4 2023 Analysis

Introduction

As we concluded 2023, the software landscape in France demonstrated robust performances from industry giants. This article delves into the trends and data insights for some of the leading brands in the software category: Google Search, Gmail, and Microsoft 365. With Sensor Tower's comprehensive data, we explore cross-platform user behavior and advertising dynamics from Q3 to Q4 2023.

Google Search

Google Search remains a dominant force in the French software market, with a significant presence both online and through its mobile app.

• Audience Trends: The website, google.com, maintained a stable monthly true audience, consistently above 50M throughout Q4 2023. Visits per unique visitor showed minor fluctuations, peaking at 153 in August and settling at 138 by December.

• App Engagement: The Google app saw a steady increase in monthly active users, rising from 43M in July to over 45M in December, indicating a growing mobile user base.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Monthly advertising spend was minimal, with a notable spike in December on Instagram, reaching $41.3K and generating over 13K impressions.

Gmail

Gmail's digital footprint continues to expand, with a balanced web and app presence.

• Audience Trends: The website, mail.google.com, experienced a peak in unique visits in September at over 16M, followed by a slight decrease towards December. Monthly true audience figures remained stable above 46M throughout Q4.

• App Engagement: The Gmail app saw consistent growth in monthly active users, reaching nearly 40M by December, highlighting its strong mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Advertising efforts were concentrated in September and October on Facebook, with a monthly spend of approximately $275K, yielding over 91K impressions.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365, encompassing a suite of productivity tools, demonstrated dynamic user engagement across its platforms.

• Audience Trends: Websites like office.com and forms.office.com showed fluctuating visit patterns. Office.com peaked in October with visits crossing 166M, while forms.office.com saw a decline towards December.

• App Engagement: Apps like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Teams saw varying trends. Microsoft Word's monthly active users dipped after September, whereas Microsoft Teams peaked in October with over 5M users.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Microsoft 365's monthly advertising spend was significant on Facebook, with a peak spend of $53K in July, generating millions of impressions across the platform.

Conclusion

The software category in France during Q4 2023 was marked by consistent user engagement and strategic advertising efforts from major brands like Google, Gmail, and Microsoft 365. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data insights have provided a detailed view of cross-platform user behavior and advertising dynamics, crucial for understanding market trends. As these brands continue to innovate, their digital presence remains robust and influential.

For more detailed insights, Sensor Tower's Web Insights and Pathmatics products offer comprehensive data analysis, helping businesses navigate the competitive software landscape.