Trade relations

Finland maintains solid international trade relations, with a strong focus on both its European neighbors and global markets. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Finland’s main export destinations are:

• United States ($9.68 billion)
• Germany ($9.26 billion)
• Sweden ($8.13 billion)
• Netherlands ($5.51 billion)
• China ($4.58 billion)

Exports

Finland’s export economy shows its industrial strengths. Its main export products in 2023 are:

• Refined petroleum products ($6.06 billion)
• Kaolin-coated paper ($3.82 billion)
• Large flat stainless steel products ($3.29 billion)
• Kraft pulp ($3.22 billion)
• Passenger and cargo ships ($2.26 billion)

Finland has carved out several global niches, ranking as the world’s largest exporter of kaolin-coated paper ($3.82 billion), precipitated copper ($422 million), raw fur pelts ($350 million) and cobalt oxides and hydroxides ($163 million).

Imports

Finland’s import patterns reflect both its energy needs and consumer market. Major imports in 2023 included:

• Oil ($6.31 billion)
• Automobiles ($4.37 billion)
• Refined petroleum products ($3.04 billion)
• Packaged drugs ($1.71 billion)
• Broadcast equipment ($1.64 billion)

The main sources of Finnish imports are Germany ($11.5 billion), Sweden ($9.41 billion), China ($7.51 billion), Norway ($6.38 billion) and the Netherlands ($4.41 billion).

For Polish companies interested in expansion, Trading Economics data shows that trade between Poland and Finland is significant, with Polish exports to Finland reaching $2.95 billion in 2024, while Polish imports from Finland amounted to $2.59 billion in the same period.

Preferences of Finnish consumers

Learning about Finland’s distinctive consumer behavior is the foundation for effective digital marketing and SEO implementation.

Payment methods

Payment preferences in Finland reflect the country’s position as a global leader in financial technology and digital banking. According to Statista’s 2023 e-commerce survey, leading payment methods include:

• Online banking (about 60% of Finnish online customers)
• Mobile payment solutions (30%)
• Third-party payment services such as PayPal (62%)

Digital payment methods collectively account for more than 70% of online transactions, according to PPRO, with popular options such as Klarna, PayPal and SEPA direct debit. Prominently displaying these trusted payment methods on checkout pages can significantly improve conversion rates.

Use of mobile devices

The mobile commerce landscape in Finland has evolved rapidly, with nearly 40% of e-commerce purchases now being made via smartphones and tablets. This high adoption rate makes mobile-optimized a must for companies targeting Finnish consumers.

Finland’s excellent mobile infrastructure and high smartphone penetration create extremely high expectations for mobile site performance. Slow-loading or poorly designed mobile experiences typically lead to immediate abandonment.

Delivery preferences

Finnish shoppers have developed distinctive product delivery preferences that directly affect conversion rates. According to Statista’s 2023 study, the most preferred delivery methods are:

• Self-service parcel terminals (80% of respondents)
• Home delivery (47%)

This overwhelming preference for self-service pick-up points reflects practical considerations in a country with dispersed population centers, but is also consistent with core Finnish cultural values of efficiency, independence and environmental awareness.

VAT rates in Finland

According to PwC, Finland’s standard VAT rate increased to 25.5% as of September 1, 2024 (from 24%). However, reduced rates apply to certain categories:

• 14% VAT applies to food, animal feed, restaurant and catering services
• 10% VAT applies to books, newspapers, magazines, accommodation and passenger transport

As of January 1, 2025, all goods and services previously subject to a reduced rate of 10% (except newspapers and magazines) will be moved to a reduced rate of 14%.

Understanding these VAT requirements is essential for proper pricing and compliance when selling to Finnish customers.

Consumer protection and regulation

Finland maintains a robust consumer protection framework as part of the European Union’s regulatory environment.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, products sold in Finland must meet several key requirements:

• The country of origin (“made in [country]”) must be clearly and permanently marked
• The product label must include the name of the product, the name of the manufacturer and the quantity of content (in metric units)
• Products requiring user manuals must provide them in both Finnish and Swedish (the official languages of Finland)
• CE marking is required for relevant product categories to indicate compliance with EU standards

In addition, Finland has a strong tradition of environmental labeling. The Swan label indicates products with reduced environmental impact, while the EU eco-label is a voluntary label for environmentally friendly products.

SEO of websites in Finland

Achieving success in the Finnish market requires a precisely designed approach to search engine optimization.

Search Engines

Google dominates here with 89.72% market share according to 2025 data. Other players have a limited but still noticeable presence:

• Bing occupies 4.2% (especially important in B2B sectors)
• Yandex holds 3.81% (significant due to Russian tourism and business ties)
• DuckDuckGo has 1.36% (growing among privacy-conscious users)
• Yahoo maintains a mere 0.6%

Website optimization

Finnish users expect exceptional technical performance from digital experiences. Key technical elements to prioritize are:

• Mobile responsiveness tailored to 40% of transactions performed on smartphones and tablets
• Lightning-fast loading times suited to Finland’s excellent but sometimes volatile Internet infrastructure
• Implement structured data for Finland-specific rich results
• Logical information architecture aligned with Finnish research patterns
• Multilingual implementation with appropriate hreflang tags (Finnish/Swedish/English)
• Schema labeling to meet local business needs

Finland’s technically proficient population has particularly high expectations for website performance, making technical excellence not only beneficial but necessary for competitive positioning.

Domain selection

Your domain strategy can significantly impact search performance in the Finnish digital ecosystem. For companies serious about the Finnish market, the .fi top-level domain offers several compelling advantages:

• Signals a genuine commitment to the Finnish market
• Often provides better positioning for local Google search results
• Creates immediate trust among Finnish consumers, who often prefer local players
• Helps comply with regulations, especially in the area of data collection

The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority oversees .fi domain registrations, which require cooperation with an accredited registrar and the provision of appropriate identification documentation.

For companies that are not ready to commit to a dedicated .fi domain, alternative approaches include:

• Subdomains focused on Finland (finlandia.yourjamaraga.com)
• Country-specific content sections (yourjamaraga.com/fi)
• Standard domains with proper hreflang implementation and geotargeting via Google Search Console

While these alternatives may function adequately, they typically have inferior results compared to properly implemented .fi domains for local search performance and consumer confidence.

Competitor analysis

When analyzing the competition, investigate:

• Which Finnish search terms are driving their organic traffic
• What content formats work best for your industry
• Their backlink profiles, including Finnish media and industry sites
• Technical implementations that increase their visibility
• Local partnerships and marketing initiatives that generate links

This analysis helps identify both gaps in the market and effective approaches that you can adapt to the Finnish context.

Language and content for Finnish websites

Content location

Finland’s multilingual reality requires thoughtful content planning. While many Finns speak perfect English, content in the native language creates significant benefits:

• Finnish language content demonstrates engagement and builds trust
• Swedish language options are important in some regions (especially in coastal areas)
• Content in English serves as helpful supplementary material, especially for technical specifications

Avoid mechanical translation. Well-crafted Finnish content respects cultural context, includes local references, and recognizes regional differences between population centers such as Helsinki and more rural communities. Investing in the right localization usually yields much better engagement and conversion rates compared to English-only approaches.

Keyword research

The Finnish language presents unique challenges for keyword research with its complex case system, long compound words and distinctive grammar. Successful research must take into account:

• Significantly smaller search volumes compared to major European languages
• Multiple grammatical cases affecting search patterns
• Regional terminology differences across the country
• Seasonal search trends (especially important in a country with drastic seasonal changes)

Tools such as Ahrefs can provide data specific to Finland, although volumes will be modest. Don’t underestimate long tail opportunities – in a smaller market like Finland, they can provide valuable traffic with minimal competition.

Keywords related to location

For local businesses or those targeting specific regions, location-based keywords greatly improve relevance. Important location-based terms include:

• “elektroniikka Helsinki” (Helsinki electronics).
• “vaatteet Tampere” (Tampere clothing).
• “asianajaja Turku” (Turku lawyer).

Link building in Finland

Building authority in Finland’s dense but sophisticated digital ecosystem requires strategic link building that respects the unique characteristics of the market:

• Finland has fewer total websites than larger European markets, making link quality particularly valuable
• Finnish media organizations maintain exceptionally high editorial standards
• Trade associations and chambers of commerce have significant domain authority
• Universities and research institutions offer valuable educational .fi domains
• Local business directories remain influential for location-specific rankings

Focus on building genuine relationships with Finnish content publishers rather than massive efforts. A few authoritative backlinks from .fi domains will usually outperform dozens of lower-quality international links for local search visibility.

Social media

While not direct ranking factors, social media platforms significantly influence brand perception and generate valuable referral traffic in Finland:

• Facebook remains the dominant overall platform among various demographic groups
• LinkedIn plays a disproportionate role in B2B relationships
• YouTube functions as a key product research channel
• Instagram resonates especially with younger Finnish audience
• TikTok is rapidly gaining popularity among Generation Z

Successful Finnish social strategies typically take a multi-platform approach that aligns social content with SEO goals, using consistent messages while adapting formats to the unique characteristics of each platform.

Why choose us for SEO in Finland

1. digital expertise

Our team has spent years decoding the unique patterns of Finnish search behavior. Beyond textbook SEO principles, we understand the subtle details in how Finns research products, evaluate options and make purchasing decisions. This detailed knowledge helps us create strategies that resonate with Finnish sensibilities, rather than simply transferring approaches from larger markets.

2. multilingual content specialists

The multilingual reality of Finland requires thoughtful content planning. Our team includes professionals who understand how to navigate the dynamics of Finnish, Swedish and English, building content strategies that respect local preferences while maintaining your brand’s core identity. Competitors often make the mistake of oversimplifying the linguistic reality of Finland – a mistake we will help you avoid.

3. Nordic technical innovation

Our specialty – international SEO – is not about one-size-fits-all solutions. We’ve built technical implementations specific to Finland that take into account local hosting environments, peculiarities of web infrastructure and device preferences of Finnish users. These customized technical foundations create measurable benefits in site performance and search visibility, while your competitors are likely using generic approaches.

4 Northern European integration

Many agencies offer fragmented services, requiring you to coordinate multiple vendors. We take a holistic approach, combining technical infrastructure, content marketing with awareness of Finnish culture, and link building that leverages our established relationships with Finnish digital influencers and publication editors.

5. data-driven positioning

Unlike agencies that rely on hunches, our recommendations for the Finnish market are based on solid research and performance indicators. Our reporting focuses on the business results that matter – leads, sales and ROI – not idle metrics. This transparency helps you make confident investment decisions in the Finnish market and understand exactly what results your marketing budget is generating.

Summary

Finland presents a compelling opportunity for companies seeking digital growth in Northern Europe. Although modest in population, Finland’s combination of technological sophistication, high purchasing power and digital proficiency creates a particularly attractive environment for companies with appropriately localized search strategies.

Success in this market depends on understanding the characteristics of Finland:

• One of the world’s most innovative economies (7th globally) with extremely tech savvy consumers
• Multilingual expectations requiring thoughtful content strategies
• Strong adoption of mobile commerce (40% of e-commerce transactions)
• Specific preferences for payment systems and delivery methods

Companies that properly align their digital strategies with Finnish expectations can gain significant advantages over competitors relying on generic Nordic approaches.

Contact us to learn how our expertise in Finland can help your company establish a significant presence in this sophisticated northern European market.

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