Google recently launched the new version of the Consumer Barometer (www.consumerbarometer.com), a free tool compare how people are utilizing the internet globally. Users can research digital mobile, video and online shopping habits across 46 countries. Coming into it’s fourth year on the market, the Google tool has been updated in size, scale and depth of questions covered.

Below are some regional data insights that offer an example of how the Consumer Barometer can be used:

UAE Data Insights

• Respondents in the UAE frequently research online and then buy offline – this is particularly the case for mobile phones with 53 percent of internet users having used a smartphone during their last purchase.
• 34 percent of respondents in the UAE made their last leisure flight purchase online.
• 55 percent of respondents in the UAE watch online video to be inspired and are most likely to watch videos with their friends.

KSA Data Insights

• 73 percent of respondents use the internet for unrelated activities in parallel to watching TV.
• 82 percent of internet users in Saudi Arabia used a smartphone during their last purchase.
• 55 percent of Saudi respondents made their last leisure flight purchase online.
• Approximately half of Saudi respondents watched their last online video with their partners.

Anyone can use the Consumer Barometer tool to access customized data and market-specific information. Users can use the tool to answer questions like: how often people go online, 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 behavior.

The tool consists of three main consumer behavior functions:

• 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 behavior – 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 presentations.

Industries currently accessible within the Barometer include: clothing and footwear, home appliances, flights, hotels, cosmetics and groceries. Up to ten new sectors will be added as Google extends the tool’s insights. Consumer Barometer will also be available in in new languages, including Arabic.

Alfonso de Gaetano, Agency and Branding lead at Google in MENA says in a press statement, “Our latest Consumer Barometer gives advertisers great insights about users behavior and preferred platforms that are being used online. From the figures we are seeing in the UAE and KSA, it’s very clear that digital has to be at the core of their communication strategies.”