Google has launched a Middle East edition of its online marketing data platform ‘Think with Google’. The site, which offers analysis and insights for the marketing industry, was introduced in tandem with new research focused on UAE consumer decision making called moments that matter. The research looks at how online consumers in the UAE are using their smartphones and what that means for marketers.
As well as up to the minute research, ‘Think with Google’ offers tools, such as Google Trends, which uses real-time information to gauge consumer search behavior. Users will find the data and trends Google is tracking, along with forward-thinking perspectives across industries like automotive, retail, fashion, healthcare, etc…as well as consumer perceptions, case-studies and behind the scenes insights from campaigns.
“Consumers turn to their phones with intent and expect brands to deliver immediate answers. In order to be efficient, advertisers need to focus on consumer’s intent or what they want or need at a certain moment. These intent driven moments are where consumers are looking for inspiration or information, and are discovering new things. We call these ‘I want-to-watch moments, I want-to-do moments, I need-to-find moments and I need-to-buy-moments,” commented Bilal Kabbani, Marketing Lead, Google MENA.
Findings from the moments that matter research reveal that in the past three years alone, multi-screen media consumption has increased by 500 percent, with 90 percent of web-users moving between devices to complete a task.
The research also suggested the Internet is the first port of call when consumers need to find information; 78 percent of smartphone users in the UAE agreed. For instance, in the Emirates, 58 percent of smartphone users turned to YouTube within the past week to be entertained or inspired. Additionally, 83 percent of online users under 35 believed they could find a video on YouTube on anything they wanted to learn to do.
However, while most users have an idea of what they want to find online, just 18 percent of consumers researching on a smartphone have actually pinned down the exact brand or product they were looking for when they began searching. This provides a huge opportunity for advertisers to aid brand discovery and shape preferences early in the purchase journey with search, online video and display ads across the web.
This is especially important considering the fact that 87 percent of smartphone users have used their device while shopping for specific products and 92 percent of online consumers are prompted by both online and offline content or ads to look for more information immediately, on a connected device.
For those who shop on smartphones, 75 percent have thought about buying into a brand they’ve not previously considered based on relevant information available at the time of browsing. 69 percent have actually bought from previously unconsidered brands.
