Executive Summary
Türkiye’s digital economy is already a major contributor to national growth and has significant headroom to expand further. Under the right conditions, the Turkish digital economy could more than double in size over the next decade.
The digital economy of Türkiye is worth ₺1.7 trillion (US$ 53 billion) today (equivalent to 4.1% of Turkish GDP), and <strong>could grow over the next decade to be worth ₺4.3 trillion (US$ 130 billion) by 2035 (equivalent to 6.9% of projected Turkish GDP for this year) under the right conditions.
73% of online Turkish adults have <strong>bought a product or service from a local Turkish retailer that they found on Facebook or Instagram.
Meta’s platforms play a crucial role in Türkiye’s digital economy, supporting business activity across sectors and firm sizes. Its technologies function as core digital infrastructure, enabling participation, growth, and innovation at scale.
Social platforms are becoming a primary route to market for Turkish businesses. By lowering the cost of customer acquisition and enabling discovery at scale, Meta’s tools are helping SMEs reach both domestic and international consumers.
53% of Turkish <strong>small business owners in our poll say that <strong>social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are their primary way of selling and finding new customers.
In 2025, <strong>WhatsApp created ₺220 billion (US$ 6.8 billion) in economic value for Turkish people and businesses by reducing communication costs, improving lead generation, and widening market access.
Fast, reliable, and trusted communication is now essential for economic activity. WhatsApp underpins how Turkish businesses coordinate, sell, and serve customers, reducing friction and widening access to markets across the economy.
Meta’s platforms are also supporting Türkiye’s cultural and creative economy. By helping creators and artisans reach global audiences, Meta’s platforms are turning cultural participation into economic opportunity while sustaining jobs and livelihoods.
<strong>67%</strong> <strong>of online Turkish adults have purchased a cultural product, like a traditional craft, regional food, or unique design, directly from a local creator or small business they discovered on <strong>Instagram.
Türkiye’s digital transformation
The digital opportunity reshaping Türkiye’s economy
Türkiye is undergoing rapid digital transformation as online services become embedded in everyday life and the foundations of the digital economy continue to strengthen. This shift is changing how people live and work and how businesses create value, with rapid growth in Turkish e-commerce as firms adopt new digital sales models and entrepreneurs reach customers in newly addressable markets across Türkiye and beyond. When we asked online Turkish adults about digital technologies:
said they make everyday tasks more convenient
said they improve access to information and news
said they enable faster communication with friends and family
As digital transformation accelerates, Türkiye can unlock substantial gains in economic growth and productivity. Underpinning the next phase of this transformation are low-cost, always-on digital platforms that help businesses reach customers, bring communities together, and use AI to boost productivity – platforms and tools that Meta helps provide at scale across Türkiye.
The digital economy of Türkiye is worth ₺1.7 trillion (US$ 53 billion) today (equivalent to 4.1% of Turkish GDP), and could grow over the next decade to be worth ₺4.3 trillion (US$ 130 billion) by 2035 (equivalent to 6.9% of projected Turkish GDP for this year) under the right conditions.
Today Digital’s Economy:
By 2035:
Digital transformation and participation
Meta’s digital platforms are central to driving participation in the economy. As Türkiye’s digital transformation progresses, communication, trade, and advertising increasingly happens through platforms – such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – that connect people, businesses, and markets at scale.
of Turkish small business owners in our poll say that social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are their primary way of selling and finding new customers.
An additional 41% of the Turkish small business owners polled believe these platforms will become their primary sales method within the next five years.
of online adults in Türkiye state that social media platforms have already become their primary way of discovering new brands and products, and 83% believe they will be within the next five years.
of Turkish adults in our poll agree they are now more likely to trust a business they can find and interact with on a social media platform.
Digital transformation is expanding access, visibility and building greater trust in businesses across the country
Growth and innovation - Meta’s role in driving digital transformation
Meta’s technologies, AI tools, and family of apps – Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Meta AI – are supporting Türkiye’s digital transformation by enabling connection and participation at scale.
Meta’s platforms help small businesses to sell, advertise, and communicate more efficiently, helping them connect with local and international consumers without the need for large upfront investment.
They also give developers the tools and visibility needed to promote new products and services beyond Türkiye’s borders. This support translates into tangible business growth, with </strong><strong>51% of Turkish businesses in our poll thinking that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have helped them expand their customer base.
of online Turkish adults have </strong><strong>bought a product or service from a local Turkish retailer that they found on Facebook or Instagram.
WhatsApp plays an important role in connecting consumers to businesses and services: </strong><strong>53%</strong> <strong>of online Turkish adults have used Whatsapp to make a purchase.
Businesses are already adapting to the AI revolution.
Artificial intelligence is set to become a core part of Türkiye’s digital economy, helping businesses work more efficiently, improve services, and grow at scale. From automating routine tasks to supporting customer engagement and decision-making, AI is already delivering practical productivity gains across the economy.
Businesses and public sector organisations across Türkiye are already using AI tools in day-to-day operations, with adoption set to accelerate as AI becomes more deeply embedded in the digital platforms businesses already rely on.
of Turkish adults in our poll agree that AI products developed within Türkiye will be important for the country’s future economic growth.
of online adults in Turkiye working in the public sector say they are already using or planning to use AI tools at work.
of Turkish businesses in our poll think AI will transform the way they work within five years.
Counterfake: using AI to close the enforcement gap in online commerce
Counterfake is a Turkish AI startup based in Istanbul, tackling the growth of counterfeit goods across digital marketplaces and social platforms. As e-commerce scales, fake listings have become more sophisticated and harder to detect through manual monitoring alone. For brands, the enforcement gap is widening, with listing volumes growing faster than compliance teams can track them. Counterfake addresses this imbalance by deploying AI models that analyse product images, seller behaviour, pricing anomalies and listing patterns at scale, identifying high risk activity in real time.
By combining computer vision and natural language processing, Counterfake enables brands to move from reactive takedowns to proactive monitoring. What once required large manual review teams can now be automated through AI driven workflows, reducing investigation time and improving removal rates across platforms. This lowers operational costs while expanding coverage across markets and languages.
The case highlights where the AI gap currently sits. Demand for AI powered protection tools is rising, yet many firms lack the capability to build or deploy advanced models in house. As a Turkish founded company developing AI solutions locally, Counterfake shows how domestic AI capability can be embedded directly into core commercial infrastructure. In doing so, it protects legitimate businesses, reinforces consumer trust, and demonstrates how AI is becoming essential to the next phase of digital commerce.
Boosting Turkish business growth
Supercharging ecommerce - reaching customers at scale
Reaching customers at scale is one of the biggest barriers to selling online, especially for smaller businesses. Meta platforms like Instagram and Facebook address this by combining advertising tools with access to some of the world’s largest virtual markets, allowing businesses to promote products directly within the spaces where people already spend their time. 72% of online Turkish adults say that have discovered a Turkish business through Meta’s platforms.
As more businesses use social media in their operations, especially smaller businesses, the value of Türkiye’s e-commerce market continues to scale
of Turkish businesses in our poll say it would be difficult or ‘impossible’ to reach customers abroad without Meta’s platforms.
Fast-tracking small businesses success - lowering barriers to entry
For small businesses upfront costs, limited reach, and the difficulty of building trust with customers online are often barriers to growth. Meta’s platforms help remove these barriers by giving small businesses low cost, always on access to markets.
This allows entrepreneurs to sell, promote, and engage with customers without large physical or capital investments, making online business more viable at scale.
Which, if any, of the following benefits do you think your business’ use of Meta’s tools and platforms has had?
BASE: SMEs who use Meta’s Products (E.g: WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram)
of online Turkish businesses say they have found new customers through Meta’s platforms.
of SMEs in our poll say that Meta’s tools make it easier to advertise on a small budget.
In the modern economy, platforms like Meta’s are now essential for SMEs.
Digital platforms and messaging tools are no longer optional add-ons for small and medium sized Turkish businesses, they are essential business infrastructure. Apps like WhatsApp support core functions from sales and customer service to payments and fulfilment, enabling businesses to operate more efficiently, build trust, and scale in an increasingly digital economy. 60% of Turkish SMEs say it would be difficult or 'impossible' to communicate with suppliers, customers or partners without WhatsApp.
of Turkish SMEs in our poll said that without Meta’s platforms (including WhatsApp) it would be difficult/ impossible to sell products or services online.
of Turkish SMEs in our poll said that without Meta’s platforms (including WhatsApp) it would be difficult/ impossible to receive feedback or reviews from customers.
of Turkish SMEs in our poll said that without Meta’s platforms (including WhatsApp) it would be difficult/ impossible to advertise or promote their products and services.
Özem’le Yaşam: driving engagement and sales through Instagram Direct
Özem’le Yaşam is a family-founded wellness and natural foods brand that began as a boutique olive oil producer in Türkiye in 2010. Since then, the business has expanded to offer fermented products and traditional Turkish recipes, serving a growing base of health-conscious consumers. As competition for attention increased on social platforms, the brand’s priority was to turn passive content consumption into more direct, meaningful engagement that could support sales growth.
To do this, Özem’le Yaşam partnered with Meta Business Partner Connexease to run a campaign using ads that click to Instagram Direct. This approach allowed potential customers to move seamlessly from discovery into one-to-one conversations with the brand, combining automation with human support to answer questions, guide purchasing decisions, and reduce friction in the buying journey.
The campaign delivered clear results. Compared to its usual approach, Özem’le Yaşam reported an 87% increase in post engagement, an 86% increase in sales, and a five-fold increase in messages sent to the brand by consumers. The case demonstrates how messaging-driven journeys on Meta’s platforms can help Turkish consumer brands engage customers more naturally, improve conversion rates, and translate social media attention into tangible commercial outcomes.
Whatsapp is connecting businesses with their customers
Strong communication underpins successful businesses, especially in an economy where speed, trust, and responsiveness matter.
WhatsApp has changed how businesses and customers interact by enabling secure conversations, generating leads more effectively than other forms of advertising, and allowing commercial exchanges to sit naturally alongside daily life. This shift reduces friction, lowers costs, and allows businesses of all sizes to build stronger relationships with customers, suppliers, and partners.
In 2025, <strong>WhatsApp enabled ₺220 billion (US$ 6.8 billion) in economic value for Turkish adults and businesses by reducing communication costs, improving lead generation, and widening market access.
Speed, reach and co-ordination are the key benefits of WhatsApp for businesses.
In your opinion, what are the main advantages of using WhatsApp for your business? Please select up to three.
of Turkish businesses using WhatsApp say it is essential to their business, and they couldn’t operate without it.
60% of online SMEs in our poll say it would be difficult or ‘impossible’ to communicate with suppliers, customers or partners without WhatsApp.
Whatsapp powers everyday businesses in Turkiye
WhatsApp is embedded in day-to-day economic activity in Türkiye. Businesses use it not only to keep operations running smoothly through regular communication with partners and suppliers, but also as a channel for reaching new customers. For many businesses, this translates into commercial impact, with WhatsApp supporting customer acquisition and also directly contributing to additional revenue.
This role extends beyond established businesses too: <strong>76% of Turkish adults say that they use WhatsApp to support a side hustle, mainly for communicating with customers (54%), selling products or services directly to customers (43%) and for marketing or advertising (36%)
of Turkish businesses that use WhatsApp say they use it for communication with business partners and suppliers
of Turkish businesses that use WhatsApp say they use it to expand their customer base
of Turkish businesses that use WhatsApp say they use it to generate extra revenue
Sefamerve: using WhatsApp to drive sales
Sefamerve is a Türkiye based women’s fashion retailer serving customers in more than 70 countries. After launching WhatsApp as a customer support channel, the business saw an opportunity to let customers browse and buy products without leaving the app. Working with Meta, Sefamerve used WhatsApp Flows to build a fully native shopping experience inside WhatsApp.
In just four months, Sefamerve developed bespoke flows covering account creation, product search, and add to cart. This removed friction from the buying journey and delivered strong results, with a 158% increase in conversion compared to the company’s previous chatbot experience, and 2.6x revenue generated on sales cost using WhatsApp Flows.
Today, more than 80,000 products are available to purchase directly through WhatsApp. For Sefamerve, messaging has moved beyond customer service to become a core sales channel, showing how Turkish businesses can use familiar digital tools to grow at scale while staying close to their customers.
Connecting Turkish people
Helping Turkish people engage with Turkish Culture
As more of cultural life moves online, digital platforms are playing a growing role in how Turkish culture is shared, sustained, and discovered. From regional traditions to contemporary creativity, online communities are helping connect people to culture at home and introduce it to global audiences.
of online Turkish adults feel that by giving artisans a global audience, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are essential for preserving and promoting traditional Turkish crafts.
of online Turkish adults say they have engaged with content from Turkish creators, from musicians to traditional artisans, on one of Meta’s platforms in 2025.
of online Turkish adults are part of a community group on a Meta platform dedicated to a specific aspect of Turkish culture, such as regional music, folk dances, cuisine or local history.
Empowering Turkish Creators.
Türkiye’s creator economy is becoming an increasingly important source of income, jobs, and innovation. Digital platforms are enabling creators, influencers, and small production businesses to turn creativity into livelihoods; reaching new audiences, monetising content, and contributing real economic value.
of online Turkish adults have purchased a cultural product, like a traditional craft, regional food, or unique design, directly from a local creator or small business they discovered on Instagram.
28% of online Turkish adults report having a side hustle. Of them, 1 in 5 (20%) are content creators/ influencers.
Muhteşem Yüzyıl: building a global following through Facebook
Muhteşem Yüzyıl is one of Türkiye’s most internationally successful television series, reaching audiences in more than 100 countries and attracting over 200 million viewers worldwide. As Turkish productions continue to expand their global footprint, building on the country’s position as one of the world’s leading exporters of television series, the series shows how social media can extend that success far beyond broadcast, helping producers deepen audience engagement and unlock new revenue streams.
Working strategically across digital platforms, Muhteşem Yüzyıl used Facebook to connect with international fans during high-engagement moments such as Ramadan in the MENA region. This approach delivered strong results: Facebook became the series’ top revenue-generating digital platform, with longer-form videos averaging 5.9 million daily views and the page gaining 851,000 new followers in just three months.
Today, with around 4.5 million Facebook followers and more than 3 billion YouTube views, Muhteşem Yüzyıl exemplifies how Turkish dramas can use social media to build lasting global communities. For Turkish producers, it shows how digital platforms can turn cultural popularity into sustained international growth, deeper fan relationships, and new commercial opportunities.
WhatsApp keeps people connected in Turkiye
Meta’s impact extends beyond the economy and into the fabric of everyday life in Türkiye. Its platforms play a central role in how people maintain relationships, support one another, and stay connected across distance and changing circumstances. These connections matter for families, friendships, and communities, especially as more of daily life moves online. <strong>96% of Turkish adults in our poll use Meta’s platforms to stay in touch with family and friends.
Within this ecosystem, WhatsApp is a particularly important everyday tool, enabling fast, direct communication that strengthens social ties and increasingly supports how people organise and run side hustles
Speed, ease and reliability are the key benefits of WhatsApp according to our poll.
Which of the following do you personally consider to be the main benefits of using WhatsApp?
of Turkish adults in our poll say that they feel closer to their community/family/friends thanks to Whatsapp.
Turkish people value WhatsApp’s privacy and security
Trust plays a central role in how people choose the apps they use to communicate, particularly for personal or sensitive conversations. WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption by default, meaning messages can only be read by the sender and recipient. In Türkiye, privacy and security are especially important to consumers:
of online Turkish adults say knowing their messages are end-to-end encrypted makes them feel safer communicating on WhatsApp.
89% of online Turkish adults feel that WhatsApp is “private”, while 87% describe it as “safe”
of online Turkish adults say privacy and data security are very important when choosing communication apps.
As a result, trust underpins how people in Türkiye communicate every day, shaping which platforms they rely on for personal, social, and business interactions.
