By Juliet Umeh

A new study by the parent body of Facebook and Instagram, Meta has revealed a trends and behaviours of consumers during a festive period.

The report stated that 96 percent of brands in Nigeria are already leveraging social media to strategize theirs businesses.

The study was conducted by Facebook IQ, Meta’s Insights and Research division, in partnership with YouGov, a global public opinion and data company to understand the behaviours of people who observe Ramadan in 2021, titled: ‘Ramadan and Eid Study’.

With over 18,000 respondents across 12 countries including Nigeria, Meta said that approximately 1,500 interviews were completed with samples that were representative of the adult online population across age, gender and region in each market.

According to the report: “The research shows that 96%  of survey respondents in Nigeria are open to brands/businesses advertising to them on Facebook or Instagram during the Ramadan/Eid al-Fitr season.

“The majority of the respondents would like to see content that is informative, authentic, inspiring and creative, 49 percent of respondents say that they would also like to see content that updates them on latest offers and discounts.

“Also, 71 percent of survey respondents in Nigeria became more interested in a brand after learning about their business practices.

“Among the Ramadan observing and shopping community surveyed in Nigeria, 53 percent agreed that public figures and celebrities influence their purchasing decisions as they offer impartial advice. “Interestingly, 77 percent of these respondents also say that following these public figures is a great way to discover new trends.

“With the world of creators predicted to grow by another $4.1billion this year alone, now is the time for brands to engage and partner with creators to help reach new audiences in an authentic way and should explore collaborating with creators who can inspire, generate deals and announce trends.

“The research shows 82 percent of respondents agreeing that Facebook and/or Instagram helps them discover new products and services during the Ramadan season with 72 percent of respondents buying products this Ramadan that they first discovered on Facebook and/or Instagram.

“While 74 percent of the respondents also confirmed  that they would try new brands when they shop e-commerce and retail.” Meta added that brands must leverage the different purchasing behaviours during the month of Ramadan and adapt their business to reach the right audience online, where they are most likely to be found.