In the month of Ramadan, when traditional values come to the fore, consumer behavior changes significantly and shopping habits are shaped by Ramadan products. Market shelves are overflowing with traditional Ramadan flavors as well as specially packaged products.
With the impact of modern consumption habits and digital platforms, how are consumers’ preferences changing during this year’s Ramadan? Ramadan searches are at a turning point in Turkey. Google searches for Ramadan have reached their highest volume in the country in five years, with a 58% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year.
With changing market dynamics, how can brands connect with consumers during Ramadan and leverage new technologies to do so? Discover three simple actions you can take to take full advantage of Ramadan 2024 in our article and more at our event
1.Offer value to people
Today’s consumers buy a wide range of products during Ramadan, from food and groceries to clothing, home and garden, beauty and electronics. According to a survey we conducted in Turkey in January, 32% of consumers say they will spend more during Ramadan.
But no matter what they’re shopping for, people are still looking for value. “In this period of high inflation, discounts and deals will certainly have an impact on consumer decisions, but 82% of consumers now expect brands to align their values with their own,” says Eren Kantarlı from Google Turkey.
Top tip to attract value-seeking Ramadan consumers
In your Ramadan ad campaigns, make sure you offer value to consumers by clearly indicating anything related to price, such as discounts or deals. If you are already running sale or discount campaigns and want to make sure you are maximizing your ROI, AI-powered Max Performance campaigns can help you multiply conversions on Google Ads inventory.
2.Inspire your consumers at every stage of Ramadan
Consumers like to focus on what’s really important to them during Ramadan. Searches for cooking and recipe content increased by 55%, with “what to cook for iftar”, “guest iftar menu” and “recipes for sahur” among the top searches.3
Viewers search YouTube for everything from iftar menus to dessert recipes, and users even search for channels along with recipes. One of the most anticipated moments of iftar is undoubtedly the dessert part. Traditional desserts such as baklava remain popular, but there is also growing interest in new flavors such as “nevzine” and “rose dessert”.
As people spend more time at home during Ramadan, they need specialty products for cooking and want to access them through their favorite online grocery apps. In small kitchen appliances, enthusiasm for air fryers continues.
Apparel searches accelerate during Ramadan, reaching almost the same search volume levels as during the Shopping Season.5 TV shows, lifestyle programs and games accelerate further during Ramadan, with search interest for “Ramadan games” on the rise.
Top tips to help Ramadan consumers find what matters most to them
Help consumers connect with what they care about during Ramadan by showcasing your content at the time when it will have the most impact. YouTube’s cost-per-hour masthead is a great way to build broader awareness and maximize brand visibility on the platform. For best results, focus on maximizing your visibility during a specific moment of Ramadan, such as suhoor, iftar preparation or iftar. Take inspiration from the success story of Migros, which did this during Ramadan last year.
3.Be there for people as they research during Ramadan
People actively start researching for Ramadan after being inspired by what they watch online. But people are not only exploring shopping options for themselves.
Consumers believe that Ramadan is also a valuable time to consider the needs of others, and are also spending more on charity. 38% of shoppers say they try to help others more during Ramadan.
Top tips to help you engage Ramadan shoppers
Creating demand is vital when consumers are in discovery mode, looking for inspiration. Demand Gen creates and drives demand by helping consumers discover products and make purchase decisions while streaming, watching or browsing on Google platforms, including YouTube Shorts. Make sure your creative is immersive, relevant and visually rich to capture consumers’ attention and drive conversions when it matters.
