In line with the ongoing festive season, InMobi, marketing and monetisation technologies, in collaboration with Microsoft Advertising has unveiled key insights from its annual guide to seasonal digital marketing report ‘India’s 2023 Festive Trends Decoded’. The report revealed how brands can leverage the power of search and omnichannel solutions to create a unique marketing strategy and maximise their impact by better connecting with their audiences. The report also highlights the consumer’s interests across various categories.
In 2022, a significant trend emerged in festive shopping: a dramatic surge in keyword searches for sale, discount, offers, cheap deals, and near me. Across categories like consumer electronics, groceries, food, personal care, gifting, and automobiles, these searches experienced an average Month-over-Month (MoM) increase of more than 19%.
“Brands play a significant role in amplifying the emotions of festivities among people, and it is vital for a brand to have a presence while catering to the needs of their consumers. By leveraging smart solutions and implementing an effective marketing strategy, they will not only enable themselves to reach their target audience effectively but also stay ahead of their competitors,” Rohit Dosi, vice president and general manager, Microsoft Advertising, InMobi, said.
The study highlights that brands can prepare for pre-festive excitement and beyond by tapping into category-specific user insights to craft tailored experiences like special offers and engaging content. In line with InMobi’s 2023 report, ‘The Marketers Guide to India’s Festive Season,’ 54% of consumers are expected to engage in hybrid shopping. To maximise their presence throughout the customer journey, brands should connect with high-intent audiences early on through a multi-channel, full-funnel approach, rather than solely focusing on the final purchase stage.
Additionally, fostering trust is crucial during festive periods when consumers explore numerous brands. By offering accurate and relevant information during product searches and discovery, brands can establish credibility and reliability, ultimately standing out in the competitive festive market.
The festive season witnessed a surge in online searches and clicks across various categories. Groceries and household supplies saw a 20% increase, reflecting the demand for meal preparation. Food and beverages experienced an 8% rise in searches, emphasising the enduring appeal of festive culinary experiences. Home furnishings and decor spiked by 19%, while home appliances saw a 29% surge in searches. Gifting and flowers garnered a 35% increase in searches. Interest in cars and automobiles peaked at 12%, driven by festive and year-end sales, sustaining through December 2022.
The week of Dussehra saw a 27% WoW uplift in searches and a 28% WoW uplift in clicks. Similarly, during the week of Diwali, searches saw a 24% WoW uplift and clicks grew by 10% WoW.
In October 2022, searches for apparel, accessories, and jewellery increased by 8% MoM, while clicks grew by 3%. During Dussehra the previous year, searches surged by 16% WoW, but clicks decreased by 8% WoW. Conversely, during Diwali week, there was more than 6% WoW increase in searches and a 20% WoW rise in clicks.
During diwali sales of consumer electronics usually increase and as per the data, the market witnessed a 30% increase in searches and a 13% rise in clicks, driven by festive season deals, reflecting heightened consumer interest in October 2022.