The final quarter in the MENA region is set for a shopping surge as brands move from short-term promotions to year-round engagement with consumers, capitalizing on the region's evolving shopping landscape.
As spending power increases across diverse demographics in the region, consumers are no longer waiting for traditional sales events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday to make purchases as generational shifts have further shaped the market.
Driven by these factors, TikTok has witnessed a clear shift towards continuous shopping behaviors on its platform. Audiences whose interests span a variety of categories now engage with brands throughout the whole of Q4, highlighting the increasing importance for brands to activate the entire quarter, rather than focusing on promotional moments, to meet the growing demand.
TikTok's Marketing Science data revealed a significant surge in consumer interest and transactions during the last quarter of 2023, with millions of transactions recorded and activities extending beyond the platform in the region.
Brands that maintained a consistent presence throughout Q4 saw significant improvements in their marketing performance during this period. They experienced a 44% increase in conversion rates, a 79% reduction in cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and drove 1.1 times more product purchases compared to brands that focused solely on specific shopping occasions.
Analysts predict this trend will accelerate in 2024 as MENA consumers, like their global counterparts, increasingly rely on digital platforms to discover and interact with brands.
With four in five shoppers saying that they always discover interesting brands and products on TikTok, and 67 percent expressing a strong likelihood of purchasing after seeing an ad on the platform, brands are recognizing that the traditional discount periods now extend to a full 'Golden Quarter'.
Implementing a sustained marketing strategy that blends creative content with innovative advertising through TikTok’s versatile toolbox has enabled marketers to maintain continuous consumer engagement, nurturing brand loyalty that transcends seasonal trends. Collaborating with TikTok creators, utilizing the platform’s creative experts, production partners, and creative tools to streamline and accelerate production, and tapping into ongoing trends allows brands to extend Q4 strategies, maintaining a lasting presence in consumers' lives while maximizing return on investment.
“The region’s vibrant and fast-growing retail landscape presents brands with a rare opportunity to seize high-engagement moments year-round,” said Aref Yehia, Head of Business Partnerships for Retail & E-Commerce, Global Business Solutions, MENA – TikTok.
“As consumer confidence in online shopping continues to grow and the market matures, brands can use TikTok’s cutting-edge advertising and creative solutions to deliver stronger business results and cut through the clutter of the shopping season. The key takeaway is that sustained engagement, which involves starting early and maintaining a consistent presence by leveraging the creative tools on our platform, drives better results. Shopping Season will be a pivotal opportunity for businesses to deliver value, foster loyalty, and secure significant returns.”
