Dubai: What kind of clothes are trendy, what shoes shoppers like to buy, the food they prefer, the flights they take — every aspect of consumers’ online behaviour can now be tracked in more detail as Google launched the new version of the Consumer Barometer, a comprehensive and free tool for anyone looking to understand and compare how people use the internet around the world.
Now in its fourth year, the tool has been updated in size, scale and depth of questions covered. It enables users to compare digital mobile, video and online shopping habits across 46 countries.
Alfonso de Gaetano, Agency and Branding lead at Google in Mena, said: “Our latest Consumer Barometer gives advertisers great insights about users behaviour and preferred platforms that are being used online. From the figures we are seeing in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, it’s very clear that digital has to be at the core of their communication strategies.”
Google created the Consumer Barometer to provide people with the latest consumer insights in a fast-changing digital landscape. Anyone can use the free tool to create and download customised data and market-specific information. These can help users discover anything from how often people go online to how many connected devices they may have, how people research and purchase online, the influence of online video on their shopping habits or the differences between generations and their online behaviour.
The tool covers four main areas of consumer behaviour:
● The Multi-screen World aims to quantify internet usage across devices, and understand online activities and attitudes across the whole population.
● The Smart Shopper focuses on the consumer purchase journey, and the role of the internet in making purchase decisions.
● The Smart Viewer provides insight into online video behaviour — particularly the context and motivations for watching videos online.
* There are some curated ‘ready made’ insights available on the homepage of the tool, and the graph builder tool allows users to build custom insights, create their own charts and easily download, share or embed in their own presentations.
Vertical sectors currently profiled within the Barometer include clothing and footwear, home appliances, flights, hotels, cosmetics and groceries. Up to 10 new vertical sectors will be added on an ongoing basis as Google extends the insights. The tool will also be available in new languages, including Arabic.
