What’s your marketing strategy for Ramadan 2020?

Ramadan is just weeks away. A month full of new positivity, celebrations and togetherness. An opportunity that brings us all together, helps us to look at the positive side of our lives, help the needy and strengthen our society.

Ramadan is the month to display and practice the human value of compassion, charity, and empathy. As we all know the month of Ramadan witnesses a complete shift in the consumption of two things. First, the meals and second, media & advertising.

Every year Ramadan brings a huge opportunity for marketers to build a deeper connection with their audience and sell more during this period. With the effects of COVID-19, we are surely going to see a change in consumer behaviour overall. However, one is thing is sure, it would increase the online media consumption.

Let’s understand,

Why is the month of Ramadan special for marketers?

One statistical fact suggests that 41% of people in the UAE increase their spending during Ramadan. This means that their paying capacity increases and they are open to trying new brands and products. It’s the perfect time to reach out to your prospects and make them aware of your products or services. (We pray that the situation goes back to normal and we see the same trend that not only helps people to come out of this phase but also helps the economy to flourish)

This disruption in behaviour is attributed to many factors such as amended office hours, dining patterns, community engagement, sleeping patterns & religious devotion.

So, what does this disruption mean for social media?

As per Facebook’s latest research on Ramadan

• 38% use Instagram to find information on deals and sales during Ramadan
• 90% of people surveyed in the UAE say that they use the Facebook family of apps during Ramadan.
• 76% of those surveyed say social media is their favorite method for brands to approach them.
• 70% of people in UAE search for gifting ideas on Facebook during Ramadan

Moreover, as per a report by Google, more than half of the videos viewed organically on YouTube were ads. Also, during Ramadan, long-form content works wonders as people look for stories they can relate to.

Ramadan sees an increase in engagement with websites in the lifestyle category, and the continues post-Ramadan too. People in the region usually travel with their families after Ramadan.  We don’t know what would happen this year due to uncertain circumstance, but there is one that would happen for sure; People would look at reconnecting with their loved ones and will cherish the family bond.

Usually, during Ramadan, Social Media Platforms see the biggest increase in their usage. This year, it may increase further and people will be expected to spend more time. People will connect mostly online, and majorly through social media sites.

However, we need to understand it is not just about being there, it is about being there meaningfully and creating a connection that helps you to understand your brand better. That build a deeper relationship with your audience and creates a long-lasting impact than just a small win.

Marketers need to think beyond ‘seasonal greetings’, listen to the audience, understand how their brands can fit into the spirit of Ramadan and plan their strategies accordingly.

Few steps a brand can follow to create a strategy for Ramadan 2020

1. Listen to your audience

Understanding what your customers need is far more important than what other brands may be doing. Look at the insights, observe data and put your plans accordingly.

2. Tell a story

People are not interested in the products if it doesn’t have a strong story associated with it. Use your creative skills and tell your story that your audience can connect with.

3. Work on your Visual Strategy

You need to pay attention to your visual strategy if you want your story to be heard & want people to pay attention to your brand. Check out our blog on visual strategy here:

4. Consider including Youtube in your plan

YT is the most used channel and people tend to spend most of their time online on Youtube. This number spikes during Ramadan and you as a marketer have an opportunity to grab the attention of your audience there.

5. Include Eid-specific stories in your communication

A report on ThinkWithGoogle suggests to include use Ramadan as an opportunity to build an engaging story & Eid as a chance to polish your content with Eid specific stories.

6. Look at what has worked with other brands

Take inspiration from the campaign that has worked for other brands, analyze if it can help your brand too. Get inspiration from it & plan a campaign on similar lines.

7. Create an open-ended communication

Let people participate, let them share their opinion. Ramadan brings an opportunity for you to start a dialogue with your audience. Plan your campaigns that aim at driving engagement and letting people share their voices. Let’s all pray that this Ramadan brings health & happiness to the entire world & we all go back to our normal lives.

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