Before planning and implementing a food digital marketing strategy, it is always good to start with an understanding of where your target groups are online and what they are doing, particularly in relation to food searches. There are various information sources available to help do this.
According to Google’s Consumer Barometer for Ireland in 2015, 73% of Irish people are accessing the internet daily. The growth in smartphone ownership (now at 75% of population) is having significant implications for where online content is being consumed and in what format. On a daily basis, 58% of smartphone users are using them to take photos and videos – therefore highlighting the increasing demand for mobile enabled, audio visual content.
Changes in how consumers view television are also underway. While most of the population watch live TV, 52% are also watching ‘Recorded TV and 31%, ‘Connect TV’. This has implications for future marketing decisions in terms of whether to target TV viewers through spot advertising and other activities such as TV programme sponsorship or product placements.
IPSOS’s Social Media Review in January 2016 also highlights which digital channels are attracting the highest number of users and levels of engagement. Facebook remains the number one on both counts. 22% of Irish population are on Instagram and these are highly engaged with 48% claiming to use it daily.
Among other trends, the 2016 Food Trends on Google indicates a very strong growth in searches for functional foods. “Best foods for” searches have grown ten times since 2005, often followed by terms like “skin,” “energy,” “acid reflux,” “your brain,” and “gym workout”. Top trending foods over the last two years are “healthy” ingredients like turmeric and apple cider vinegar. For five of the top 10 trending functional foods, over 50% of the searches are on mobile.
On average, searches for the top 10 functional foods across devices peak on Mondays, and slowly decline throughout the week until interest reaches its lowest point on Fridays.
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