Six Audience Key Personalities Marketers Looking for in Ramadan

Who is watching videos online in Ramadan?, Which content catches them?, And many likes of questions Digital Marketers are asking every year in preparation of the Holy Month’s YouTube campaigns.

According to Google’s Ramadan 2018 data and trends from audience interactions which recorded 50 Billion signals, the “Think with Google MENA” platform uncovered six key Ramadan audience personalities to better understand their reasons for engaging with specific content on YouTube during the month.

1. The Dedicated Watchers:

During Ramadan, people consume entertainment content 15% more than at other times of the year.

• They seek broadcast content (drama, comedy, cooking) and lifestyle content (movies, sports, flash mobs and pranks) during Ramadan and Eid, with more than 70% of views on mobiles.
• They love Ads! Viewers actively seek them out, watch longer ads, and engage with them for longer, too.
• They live vicariously through games. Action games, simulation video games, and strategy video games are especially popular, with watch time during Ramadan increasing by 10-20%.

2. The Devoted Fasters:

This audience is highly attuned to the Holy Month, asking questions related to Ramadan.

• They seek guidance from the Quran, search for religious stories, and source Eid decoration ideas.
• They download Ramadan-related apps, listen to Islamic music and watch Islamic news, with this category growing 27% compared to the rest of the year.
• They connect with their spirituality online. Most of us know that the last ten days of Ramadan are peak pilgrimage time, with Google data confirming that Umrah preparation, prayer queries, and planning searches increase by 200% during the last three weeks of the Holy Month.

3. The Foodies:

Searches related to cooking spike in Ramadan, especially in the first week, with 65% more searches preformed daily compared to the rest of the year.

• They research suhoor and iftar-specific recipes, as well as new desserts, with a 30% increase in searches related to sweet treats.
• They compare prices and products by watching grocery videos that showcase what families buy and prepare for during Ramadan.
• They search in detail for restaurants, restaurant reviews, and the best deals and offers to break fast. The word ‘buffet’ rises by more than double compared to the rest of the year.

4. The Groomers:

This audience love to feel and look good during Ramadan and Eid.

• They watch a variety of grooming-related content, from videos on how to take care of themselves to product reviews, beauty-focused shows like ‘Helwet Ramadan’ and ‘Makyaj wa Banat’ to beauty tips from influencers.
• They research extensively. In fact, in 2018, searches for ‘beauty tips’ on YouTube increased by 18% compared to the rest of the year, and beauty product searches increased by 16%.
• They look for content related to male and female grooming. Ramadan and Eid grooming-prep aren’t reserved for women alone. In 2018, searches for men’s shaving and grooming products and stores increased by more than 21%, especially during the last week of Ramadan.

5. The Travellers:

This audience is made up of MENA consumers planning or booking trips during Ramadan. Summer is a key time for travellers in the region and across the world and in the MENA area, 40% of all yearly travel-related searches take place during this time.

• They research all part of travel journey, with around 90% of Google travel searches related to destinations and activities, hotel and air travel.
• They get specific. To complement online searches, people go to YouTube for details on specific destinations and tourist areas, with videos related to tourist destinations increasing by 30% during Ramadan.

6. The Gifters and Shoppers:

Ramadan, and specifically Eid, is a time of generosity and giving.

• They love to send letters and emails to their loved ones at the start and end of Ramadan, with searches for e-cards and quotes increasing by 30% one week before Ramadan and during the first week of both Ramadan and Eid.
• They give gifts, with a 22% increase in searches related to gifts taking place in the last two weeks of Ramadan.
• They search for discounts, promotions and deal searches, with trips to shopping malls increasing by more than 20% during the last two weeks of Ramadan, according to Google Maps, and trips to apparel and accessory stores increasing by 40% in the same period in preparation for Eid.