As we are about to approach the holy month of Ramadan in 2021, it is time for marketers to adapt their social media strategy to connect with customers and tap into new markets. There is a drastic shift in how the audience interacts with online content in Ramadan due to the change in their daily routines. Everything about their day changes from their sleeping habits to their working hours. As a result, their social media behavior changes as well to fit into their new routine and that reflects directly on the marketing landscape.

It is important for brands to stay active and visible online during this peak season. So, we put together the key points to consider this Ramadan for your marketing plan to stay on top of the game. 

Pay attention to peak times during Ramadan

People are likely to spend more time online during the month of Ramadan. People in the MENA region enjoy shorter working hours; thus, they have more time to network. There is also a preference to stay at home which gives people more time to scroll through social media platforms. Each year, Ramadan comes at a different time of the year with a different situation. Last year was an exception due to the coronavirus, so people spend their days at home. As a result, peak activity was after Iftar at 7pm. Brands should focus on keeping an eye on when the audience are most active during the day.

The chart below analyzes times that achieve the top social media engagement throughout the week based on the first 10 days of Ramadan 2020.

Focus on relevant themes to connect with the audience 

Brands should always stay on top of marketing trends especially during the holy month of Ramadan. This month is characterized by the month that people actually wait for all the creative campaigns that brands will come up with.  Users actively search for ads on YouTube; ad content is now a big part of the Ramadan spirit. So, brands need to capitalize on that and find a relevant theme to fit into the Ramadan spirit. Those are few examples of the most popular ads that received the most interactions, which fit into how users were feeling in times of the pandemic. It is key for brands to stay relevant considering themes associated with Ramadan such as charity, family, spirituality, and hospitality.

Be where your audience are 

It is only by identifying your  target audience and generating key online behavioral insights, you will be in a strong position to unlock an effective media plan. By creating an audience persona, you will be able to ask the right questions about their social media behavior starting from which platform are they on the most. Social media may be popular in the MENA region, but among certain groups certain platforms are more popular than others.

Make sure to utilize the rise of TV consumption

There is always a spike in TV consumption during Ramadan; this comes as no surprise with the variety of TV series and programs being aired during the season.  However, in the age of social media, users are more in control. So on demand platforms give viewers the option to watch what they want, whenever they want throughout the day. Those platforms can reach audiences by creating genuine content in their social media that ranges from comedy to spiritual content. On demand platforms should not only rely on viewer subscriptions; they also should be keen on interacting with their audience through social media.

Plan ahead and set up your content calendar

After selecting a relevant theme and familiarizing yourself with the latest social media trends, planning your social content is key. The sooner, the better the planning will be; it will never be too early to start brainstorming for Ramadan content. Make sure to consider not only the content and your target but also the visual strategy for your brand. Keep an open eye through social media listening on the most used media type. During Ramadan 2020, our social media listening tool, Crowd Analyzer showed that MENA users in the first 10 days of Ramadan were investing more time in watching videos and ads online. Before we move on to the next tip, we just wanted to tell you that, scheduling is usually be a lifesaver during Ramadan, this could be easily done through a social media management tool

Monitor, analyze, and optimize

Planning effective content needs to be based on a foundation tailored to your brand and target audience. By listening to your customers, you can use this data to inform your marketing strategy.  People tend to engage and interact with brands during Ramadan more than any other time of the year; hence, it is important for brands to push for a conversational tone in their content.

We are here to support you with a  social media listening tool that will help you monitor your campaign in real time and identify what is resonating with your target audience, so that you can either optimize or tweak your campaign before the end of Ramadan season.