It is no secret that Cyber Month is one of the key shopping moments in the MENA region. Starting on November 1, it includes Black Friday (or White Friday), Singles Day, Cyber Monday, and much more. This is the period where brands opt to offer unbeatable discounts and promotions to their customers.

According to RedSeer Consulting’s Black Friday Report, consumers in the MENA region are expected to spend up to $6 billion on online goods during this period, up 30% on last year, and more than 80% of online shoppers are expected to make at least one purchase.

In fact, Consultancy ME announced that Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead the way in the region when it comes to consumer spend during Cyber Month. Globally, shoppers are expected to spend an average of $264 during Cyber Month, compared to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where the consumer is expected to spend an average of $322 and $380 respectively.

Even looking at 2020 online data by Meltwater, it was recorded that 844 social media mentions of “White Friday” were from the Middle East. Almost 40% of those mentions came from the UAE, followed by 39% from Saudi Arabia, making them the top two countries in the region to have online users talking about White Friday online.

This creates a key opportunity for brands to increase their sales during this period and positions Cyber Month as an essential shopping season in this region. Based on extensive experience and campaign data, Brand Ripplr has identified three unique features that set influencer marketing campaigns during Cyber Month apart from influencer campaigns launched during other shopping moments, along with essential recommendations to ensure that brands optimize their influencer marketing campaigns accordingly.

Feature 1: They are very time sensitive and timing is key

Our recommendation: All campaign elements including campaign brief, content creation, approval, and posting schedule should be finalized and locked in by the brand and the talents as early as possible, ideally by mid-October. This is because Cyber Month campaigns are very time sensitive with no room for re-posting or rescheduling, especially since many campaigns have a limited-time offer (for example a 24-hour discount). This will also help avoid clashes with talents who may be locked in promoting offers for other brands during the same time period, especially if there is no exclusivity.

Feature 2: They are a one-off campaign

Our recommendation:  The campaign activations should aim to:

• Drive conversions with a burst. Since offers are very time-sensitive, brands should make sure to release the content in one burst or in one shot, rather than focusing on building momentum and raising awareness about the product in advance.
• Focus on Stories. Based on campaign data, Instagram Stories tend to perform better in supporting and driving conversions, therefore we recommend including this deliverable as a major part of the campaign while including Link stickers.
• Extra tip: Drive in-store footfall and sales. If brands are looking to push store visits as well, and not only online sales, then we recommend incorporating in-store activations to increase footfall.

Feature 3: They are sales-focused, and conversion driven

Our recommendation: The content should focus on:

• Being more literal than creative. Speak about the product through a review or tutorial, where the focus is less on creativity and more on selling the product. The creators are recommended to focus on a more direct and informative approach in their content.
• Names of the products. Include the names of all the products showcased in the content clearly on the posts, video frames, or stories to keep the product top-of-mind for consumers and clearly showcase the products on discount.
• Strong CTA in all content. Include a strong and clear call-to-action that is focused on driving conversions such as ‘Buy now,’ ‘Shop now,’ or ‘Avail discount.’ Make sure to incorporate the link stickers in all stories, especially on the Snapchat platform for markets such as KSA.
• Show discount value: Show the difference between the prices before and after the discount. The discount value should be very visible to the audience to attract them to buy and show them the cost-saving associated with this offer.

It is important to keep in mind the key attributes that distinguish Cyber Month campaigns and to create content tailored for this season to opt for a successful sales-driven campaign. In general, brands should make sure to keep their communication direct and be literal with their content to achieve and encourage better performing results in the upcoming peak shopping season.

About Brand Ripplr:

Brand Ripplr is the region’s number one influencer agency and platform in MENA. Powered by data, our proprietary platform and 360° campaign management service enables brands to partner with a network of over 17,150 vetted content creators across the MENA region and deliver effective influencer marketing campaigns. Brand Ripplr offers data-driven solutions to a growing portfolio of over 150 clients including PepsiCo, Estee Lauder, and Nestle, and successfully launched over 2,000 campaigns across the GCC region.