The blessed month of Ramadan is upon us. This year Ramadan is expected to start on March 9 and last till April 8. Traditionally a month of reflection, fasting, and prayer, this holiday is observed by Muslims around the world. Since this month holds the utmost importance for Muslims in a year, Ramadan has become a key period for marketers who want to connect with Muslim shoppers. 

Ramadan is a holy month marked by gratitude, prayer, family, and community. So, businesses that do build ad campaigns have to think carefully about what is said and how products are advertised. To make the most of your business, you must create marketing campaigns that celebrate this festive and holy month and show that your brand understands shoppers who observe it.

As per research, Ramadan marketing can drive significant results for businesses. We found the following few factors to consider while making marketing strategies during Ramadan.

1. Sales & traffic rise just before, during, and after Ramadan.
2. The second half of Ramadan leads to conversions.
3. Sales happen at sundown, not when the fast is ending but immediately after that.

How to Build a Ramadan Marketing Campaign  

Just as we discussed earlier, Ramadan is a holiday that is about gratitude, community, family, and prayer. This provides ample opportunity for brands to build a lasting relationship with shoppers who are preparing for Ramadan or browsing during the month. 

How can you build a great Ramadan marketing campaign in 2023? We have compiled a list of do’s and don’ts for you to make the most of this season:

Ramadan marketing do’s

Find Your Prospective Shoppers

Ramadan marketing campaigns should be targeted to the customer base most likely to shop during the Ramadan period. If you’ve run previous Ramadan campaigns, it’s important to reconnect with those shoppers. Sync your Customer relationship management (CRM) data, email list, or in-store system and serve ads to any customers who previously shopped with you and opted in for further communications. You may also want to target specifically by region. 

Products 

Ramadan shoppers are likely to be looking for things that help them observe Ramadan – and those purchases vary by time. Before Ramadan, we could expect groceries, décor, and home goods especially to rise. Travel planning and gift purchases could happen as the holiday progresses. 

By knowing what your customers need for Ramadan, you can create more personalized campaigns. 

Expanding Your Market 

Dozens of countries around the world observe Ramadan. The potential of investing in Ramadan marketing campaigns is extremely high, but only if the ads are relevant to the holiday itself. As you prepare your Ramadan marketing campaign in 2023, it’s important to remember that the more personalized, the better the returns. When it comes to building ads that really make an impact, context is everything.

 Go Beyond the Price 

Ramadan is about family and prayer first and foremost. It’s not a time when shoppers are necessarily looking for deals. In fact, flashy ads that are only about deals and discounts may backfire. Ads specific to Ramadan should focus on the meaning of the holiday itself. This can play an important role in whether shoppers notice the ad or not. So, as you think about creativity, focus more on the holiday and less on the price.

Advertise ahead of time

When? Now. Consumers tend to shop days before Ramadan to stock up. Online display ads across display networks and social media are best for this. Bring a twist to the messaging when Ramadan begins. That way the promotions still continue and feel fresh.

Ramadan marketing Don’ts

Don’t repeat products or designs

Whether it's the product or the way you sell it, make sufficient 'Ramadani' changes or additions to create that special feel. From the packaging to dedicated microsites, Ramadan is all about creating special moments. It's that time of the year when you are selling more of the experience compared to the product. Go granular and try out some new hashtags while you're at it.

Don’t leave product launches for Ramadan

Customers have less time to experiment with brands, products, and services during this season. They are better off using what they have been comfortable with over the years, or with something they’ve heard via word of mouth. Customers also tend to stock up on goods for the whole month. So if you’re going to pour in budgets to introduce a new product into the market, be careful. Audiences are going to recall your Ramadan prices more than they recognize your brand and product values in the 11 months to come.

Don’t run campaigns 24/7 during Ramadan

Based on the nature of your product, use your ad platform scheduler wisely. Try to advertise burning impressions during the daytime when audiences are fasting, having an extended sleep in the early mornings, taking a mid-day nap, or busy trying to wrap up work. Muslim audiences also try to avoid checking social media feeds when fasting, to avoid bumping into content that may divert their state of mind.

Don’t miss out on utilizing Arabic within your ad messaging

Whether you are advertising during Ramadan or beyond, it’s a rule of thumb to use dual-language ads to capture communities taking part in the spirit of Ramadan. Regardless of having to double the work when it comes to media spending, copywriting, website/landing page creation, etc. but the fact remains, the farther your ads reach, the more your prospects for conversion.

Don’t rush to exhaust your budgets

In case you sense direct response campaigns to be performing badly, do not expand your targeting in the hopes to spike up the reach towards the end of the month. A lot of advertisers do just that and exhaust campaign spending. Instead, take cues from the first week of your campaign. This gives you enough time to alter your campaign assets & setup for better days ahead. One such recommendation would be to filter clicks coming from display banners showcasing on mobile apps.

Don’t go all-out across one particular online media channel

Although we cannot back this up with references, Ramadan summers tend to make wealthy Muslims take a break offshore. The remaining folks resort to taking breaks within the social media space. If you’ve been advertising for a while, your best bet is to run retargeting ads using data before Ramadan.

Don’t underestimate the power of content

With ‘how to’ and DIY searches spiking up during the month, content is key to creating a brand presence during Ramadan. Audiences seem to be searching more for Islamic topics, with food and events coming next in line. Be sure to spruce up your vlogs, blogs, and other content forms to provide as much beneficial info as possible.

Don’t miss out on bringing something special to the table

It’s that special time of the year when people are looking out for rewarding experiences, whether it be a religious or a business offering. Roll out 'direct response' campaigns where users get to sign-up and download beneficial content. Nothing compares to free giveaways that coincide with the festive aura.

Conclusion:

We hope our suggestions proved to help plan your Ramadan campaign.

We all know how the UAE gets clogged with tourists around Eid. Be sure to represent your product or service, target them to the rest of GCC, and combine UAE-related keywords to pinpoint a specific yet commonly searched necessity. Try an inbound marketing campaign so prospects come to you instead of the reverse.