7 Ramadan Personas to Plan Your Marketing Sales in 2021

In 2021 the COVID pandemic has changed digital consumers’ habits and one of the marketers’ challenges today is understanding if these habits are momentary or definitive.

Every marketer knows the importance of creating a detailed buyer persona — or audience segment — to deliver the best offer for them.

In addition to the traditional four types (the foodie, the spiritual faster, the entertainment lover, and the shopper), other three personas have emerged due to the new habits installed by the COVID-19 pandemic: the seeker of mental refuge, escapist, and progress seeker.

The understanding of these personas will help you design your digital marketing strategy to engage with customers in the holy month (Ramadan is expected to happen on April 14th, 2021).

The 4 Typical Ramadan Personas

A report created by Google gives us great insights into these personas and what they want.

1. The Foodie — Rania

Cooking, gathering, and having great iftars and souhours are part of how Ramadan is celebrated. Rania went online to see more about her love for food.

She even watched YouTube creators vlog about their grocery shopping journey. Rania puts effort into authentic and homemade recipes.

Foodies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) led to a 125 percent rise in food-related searches during Ramadan, as they looked for culinary inspiration. In the first week of Ramadan, grocery delivery applications in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia rose by 23 percent year on year.

TIP: Give Rania a memorable experience, including cooking tips and tricks for this Ramadan. And don’t forget to make sure your digital storefront is ready for her. Remember, Rania most probably will share her cooking with family and friends and this might be an opportunity of creating a memorable brand association with her.

Insight:

• ‘Quick and easy’ was a key trend with searches for ’10 minute biscuits’ growing by 1000% week over week.

2. The Spiritual Faster — Soumaya

Soumaya searched for mosque opening hours, she also watched recitations and videos on how to practice her faith. She also searched “how to pray ‘Taraweeh’ at home”.

By praying and charity, Soumaya embodied the spirit of Ramadan. She also took time to invest in herself and consumed content that helped her grow — creators have stepped up to support trends like ‘learn with me’.

Tip: Optimize your online (especially mobile) presence to assist Soumaya in celebrating the values she cultivates. Ensure your communication is clear and taps into Soumaya’s values. Consider automation so ads are delivered at thoughtful times, for example around Ramadan prayer times.

Insight:

• Since the beginning of Ramadan 2020, searches for “religious app downloads” have risen by 1860 percent year over year.
• Last year, Google Search and YouTube search for ‘donations and charitable giving‘ hit an all-time peak. It may reflect the feeling of empathy due to a challenging time that many people have been through.

3. The Entertainment Lover — Rami

Rami really got into digital entertainment last year. He started gaming and now he consumes gaming content the same way others watch TV shows. He also picked podcasts that are growing in popularity in the region.

Rami seeks immersive experiences to dive into. In addition to podcasts, Rami turned into spiritual music during this period.

Tip: Create content marketing strategies that allow Rami to connect with your brand while integrating other mediums such as music, podcasts, and gaming. What about a Spotify playlist? Maybe suggesting movies? Collaborating with an expert in gaming? A Ramadan bucket list? You name it, creativity is a big differential.

Insight:

• Searches for “entertainment” were up by 60% vs last year.
• Entertainment apps downloads grew by 37% year over year.
• Listening to podcasts increased 92% year-to-date.

4. The Ramadan Shopper — Karim

Karim is serious about shopping: he downloaded new e-commerce apps and browsed for online purchases. DIY was a huge trend for Karim.

He wanted to decorate his home for Ramadan so he searched online for tips, tricks, and tutorials. He was looking for the best deal he could find.

He also started preparing for Eid much earlier this year and researched products pre-purchase.

Tip: During Eid, shopping and gifting were at an all-time high. What about building a thoughtful strategy for Eid that will strongly appeal to Karim? Offer coupons or discounts for when Karim be looking for a good deal at an early stage.

Insight:

• Shopping queries increased by 30% in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
• In the UAE, shopping queries increased by 45% during Ramadan 2020 vs Ramadan 2019.
• Karim loved a good deal with search queries for “bargains” rising during this period.

The 3 New Personas in Ramadan 2021

1. The Seeker of Mental Refuge — Seif

Seif is trying to maintain a healthy attitude through home exercises like yoga, nature walks, and self-care. He’s looking for ways to get moving at home and also investing in equipment for long-term use.

Tip: Practice empathy, adjust to Seif’s changing needs and desires. Build a relevant communication strategy with creative assets and messaging that are sensitive to Seif ‘s personal challenges and wellbeing. You can also capture attention by mixing audience interests.

Insight:

• During Ramadan 2020, searches for exercise in the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia grew by 115% compared to Ramadan 2019.
• “Nature” is a key source of comfort, as shown by the increase in search queries year after year. Seif is bringing himself closer to nature by using the outdoor furniture and house plants.

2. The Escapist — Nourah

Nourah loves arts and crafts, part of Nourah is about switching off.

She enjoyed both analog and digital hobbies, such as puzzles and board games, as well as online gaming. Nourah went all out for movie night, and her investment in home theater technology, from soundbars to flatscreens, shows that streaming at home is a concept that’s here to stay.

Tip: As Nourah spends a growing amount of time viewing online content on the big screen, consider using tools like YouTube Mastheads, for example. Suggest helpful ways that Norah can use her online entertainment alongside offline activities like puzzles or board games.

Insight:

• This year, online gaming increased by 107 percent, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, especially multi-player games, as people pursued online community.
• As Nourah makes an attempt to create a festive atmosphere at home, search queries for Ramadan decorations increased by 50%.

3. The Progress Seeker — Youmna

Youmna wants to be more productive by building a dedicated workplace at home and gain more control in a fast-paced world. She’s researching online courses to do in her spare time to help her progress.

In reality, in Ramadan 2020, videos about Ramadan with the word روتين (translation: routine) in the title increased by 120 percent in MENA compared to the same time the previous year.

Tip: How can your product/service help Youmna stay focused working from home and be more productive? Consider tapping into Youmna’s need for self-actualization. Offer products or services that help her feel empowered and achieve her goals.

Insight:

• There was a 300% increase in searches for “online learning” in Saudi Arabia.
• As Youmna got ready for productivity and work, she watched a lot of cleaning and organizing videos.

Now with some of these insights and suggestions in mind, develop a cohesive and thoughtful digital marketing strategy and reach your persona in 2021.

This article was originally posted on iStamm