7 types of Ramadan audiences that every marketer needs to know

Last year, Ramadan synchronized with the spread of COVID-19, and this resulted in drastic changes in the behavior of consumers throughout this holy month with regard to media consumption, particularly the digital media.

With the exponential digital shifts during the pandemic outbreak, the Internet was the only outlet for social rapprochement at the time when almost all forms of traditional social gatherings, whether indoor or outdoor, have ceased; in application of social distancing policy.

Last Year, Ramadan witnessed several shifts in the consumer’s behavior. With analysis of these indicators and matching them with the consumer behavior trends under the continuance of pandemic, the “Think with Google” platform has issued a recent report referring to 7 Ramadan characters representing different segments of audience this year.

These characters were divided into two types:  The first type: the traditional personalities and they are four: foodies, spiritual fasters, entertainment lovers, and finally the Ramadan Shoppers. The second type: which appeared recently due to new habits developed during the pandemic, and they are three: seekers of mental refuge, escapists, and seekers of progress.

The report provided marketers with a guide to help them understand consumers with the 7-referred-to personalities, and how to engage with them digitally during this holy month.

The Ramadan-four traditional characters… What do they want?!

The report began by analyzing the Ramadan 4 traditional characters in order to provide statistics about their interests on the Internet, and who of them watches online videos and what do they want?

1. The Foodies:

Foodies in the MENA region have contributed to a 125% annual growth regarding the food-related inquiries during the month of Ramadan throughout their search for culinary inspiration source. This led to an annual increase of 23% in grocery delivery apps in UAE and KSA during the first week of the holy month.

Top tips for marketers:

• Track new video trends in the MENA region, in accordance to the consumer habits development.
• Make sure that your digital storefront is ready to attract foodies and provide them with a wonderful experience through tips and tricks on how to be superior in cooking this Ramadan.

2. The Spiritual Faster:

Web searches for “religious apps downloads” increased, at 1860% on a yearly basis since the beginning of Ramadan 2020. At the same time, last year, web searches for “charitable giving and donations” reached their highest score absolutely on Google and YouTube

Top tips for marketers:

• Enhance your presence on the Internet, particularly on mobile phones, in order to help this consumer segment, enjoy the values they are proudest of, and at the same time to enable them to practice and revive their values by only a button press.

3. The Entertainment Lovers

The conclusions of entertainment research witnessed a big increase annually, as more digital content was consumed, including shows, games and Podcast

Upon reviewing statistics, the conclusions of searching about “entertainment” increased by 60% comparable to last year. The entertainment applications download increased by 37% annually. Listening to Podcast increased by 92% since the beginning of the year up to date.

Top Tips for marketers:

• Build content strategies allowing the entertainment lovers to react with your brand, plus benefiting of the new mediums in music, podcast and games world.
• Think to cooperate with the content creator; experts in this field, with the extensive interest growth in games annually.

4. The Ramadan Shopper:

This category of audience was serious regarding shopping; they downloaded new e-commerce applications and their shopping inquiries about shopping increased by 30% in KSA and Egypt, and 45% in UAE within the Month of Ramadan 2020 against Ramadan 2019.

They are those who wanted to decorate their homes to celebrate the holy month, thus they searched on the internet about the advice, steps and educational methods for that. Search requests about “bargains” increased within this period. They started also to prepare themselves for the feast early and moved to YouTube to know a lot about products and gifts before buying them.

Top Tips for marketers:

• Offer coupons or discounts to clients searching about good bargain in early stage.
• Enhance your presence on the internet, especially on mobile phone so that your clients may reach you easily whenever they need you.
• Shopping and buying gifts shall reach its climax within the feast. So, set an allocated strategy for feast within the month of Ramadan.

3 New Ramadan Characters this year

Last year, Ramadan differed a lot. Due to restrictions, big gatherings were replaced by small family invitations at home. Also, the audience spent more time logging on the internet. This shall likely continue within this year.

With the continuance of pandemic, it is expected that new segment of audience shall joint the YouTube to learn, escape or discover their spiritualties and they are as follows:

1. The seeker of mental refuge:

This category is seeking for building positive mental status through domestic exercises, Yoga, self-care a spending their times enjoying nature. Statistics refer to the rise of interest in searching for physical exercises in Egypt, UAE and KSA at 11.5% within Ramadan 2020 comparable to its counterpart in 2019.

Top Tips for Marketers:

• Use Google Trends to define the audience interests, and attract the attention of your clients through mixing these interests so as to adjust their variable needs and offer a relevant communication strategy.

2. The Escapist:

As the search request for Ramadan decorations increased by 50% all over MENA Region to create a celebrating spirit at home, there was a category that was not interested in arts and crafts field.  This category’s interest increased in games on the internet at 107% this year in Egypt, KSA and UAE, especially multiple player-games as people seek for group work via the internet

Top Tips for marketers:

• Suggest different forms of entertainment via the internet that your audience may use or take into consideration the different advertisement tools such as YouTube advertisements on T.V. This category spends a big part of their time enjoying videos via the internet on big screens.

3. The Progress Seekers:

This segment of audience represents the most productive-type. As they search for courses via the internet to take in their leisure time to help them to progress at home, they succeeded to manage their homes and set up a multi-dimensional-healthy living area to live and work at the same time.

In fact, Ramadan-related video clips increased accompanied with the term of “Routine” in the title at 120% in MENA Region in Ramadan 2020 comparable to the same period of the previous year. Searching operations about “learning via the internet” increased at 300% in KSA.

Top Tips for marketers:

• Provide to this category the products and services that let them feel empowered and stabilized and that help them achieve their goals.
• As well as market services that enable them to concentrate a facilitate working at home for them.

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