The Beautiful Wait: Understanding Ramadan on TikTok

The Beautiful Wait: Understanding Ramadan on TikTok

April 14, 2021

TikTok For Business, Editorial Team

InsightsSmall Business

Ramadan is the most important time of year for Muslims all over the world. It's a time where people gather together, reflect, and celebrate with friends and family. 

While last year had its challenges, this year is full of hope. The holy month this year has a lot of excitement around it: big plans; in some cases big gatherings and the ability to be together. People will see it as an opportunity to put the past behind them and make the most of the present.

Ramadan is a month of patience. People wait, with anticipation the arrival of the month to be able to celebrate. And during the month, they wait from dawn to dusk to be able to claim their spiritual reward.

And while they wait, more users are spending their prime time on TikTok - viewing more videos and engaging more than they would normally. In fact, our data shows that engagement surged 72% across Muslim-majority countries during the Ramadan period last year.

Based on 2020 data from the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, people spend more time on TikTok during Ramadan compared to the months before and after, and engagement in particular reaches a peak during Eid.

People were more active and engaging, keeping the connecting spirit of Ramadan alive. It's common to see videos where the whole family is participating together, whether it be a “day in the life” scene, a dance or a challenge.

TikTok provided users with a voice to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan They found ways to connect with others and bring the spirit of Ramadan to life: sharing authentic and relatable Ramadan moments, and using creativity to express themselves.

Suhoor

Families having Suhoor together spend time on gaming videos and gamified content until the prayer call.

Noon

Cooking and health content consumption rises, as users look for ways to keep healthy during Ramadan.

Late afternoon

As energy drops during the afternoon, people  entertainment is key. People are open to engage with brands.

Iftar & midnight
Collective engagement increases after Iftar; towards Suhoor, users consume more interest-based content again.

#ramadanfood- 12M views

#cookfromhome- 330M views
#healthtips- 2.2B views

#joyofgiving- 100M views
#suhoortime- 102M views

#yourramadansong- 112M views
#kongsikebaikan('share the good') - 538M views

For brands, this is a great opportunity: engaging with users who are seeking joyful distraction, and who are giving their full attention to a full-screen experience, and in most cases doing so in a sound-on environment. People are also searching and shopping more online during Ramadan, according to research from Malaysia, making this an ideal moment to connect them with your business. ^3,4

On TikTok, brands have the chance to show up as a member of the community. Here, brand communication is no longer a one-way conversation, but a real and meaningful connection with users. 43% of TikTok heavy users said that TikTok’s ads naturally blend with the content on the site, making them more native and interactive.5 Whether reaching them through paid or organic content, here are our tips for engaging with the community:

Families tend to spend more time together during Ramadan, so brands should look at creative marketing strategies that involve the whole family: think of interactive games, quizzes, challenges or dances. Whatever it is, make it fun, shareable, and easy for all ages to participate.

Based on our insights, the Muslim community is most inclined to participate in brand activities during the hours before sunset. While designing creative content, advertisers can combine elements of Ramadan, such as lanterns, crescents, and filters with a festive atmosphere, to bring joy and blessings to the Muslim community.

For example, fashion e-commerce brands could create a Branded Hashtag Challenge, inviting users to show off their colorful traditional clothing. The TikTok Creator Marketplace also has plenty of in-market talent that can be tapped for partnerships.

On TikTok, Ramadan-related topics gradually start to gain traction around two weeks beforehand, until user activity peaks around Eid al-Fitr. Advertisers can think about ways of integrating into conversations at each stage:

• Stage one: Welcoming Ramadan. Consider publishing content related to traditions, generosity, and good deeds to create influence and drive brand awareness in the local community. You can also get a head start by advertising 'Ramadan preparation' shopping ideas ahead of time.
• Stage two: During Ramadan. Offer blessings and encouragement, as well as entertaining distractions during the day. Celebrate Iftar online with the community; share ideas for healthy meals to celebrate at night.
• Stage three: Eid al-Fitr. Share the time of celebration and reunions; offer greetings, shopping, food, and decoration ideas.

TikTok's 100% full-screen, sound-on, and highly interactive ad formats give marketers the tools to better tell their story and capture the user's attention. According to research from Ipsos in the UAE and KSA, TikTok delivers "ad impact results even more promising than those of TV advertising at its prime (in the mid-2000s) and even better than Digital Advertising today."

TikTok is a dynamic platform and allows for constant discovery. This allows for brands to be relevant and discovered in the same way, especially during Ramadan when the audience has more time to discover content. 88% of TikTok users said that they discover new content that they enjoy while using the app, and about half of users said they discover new products through advertisements posted by a product or brand.⁵ 

While it's easy to get swept up in the excitement of an opportunity to sell more, don't forget the true meaning behind Ramadan: ultimately this is a time to pause and reflect, and to give and do good. Brands can be sensitive to the moment by using this period to either do more good in the community, or empower the community to do more.

Sources
1. TikTok platform data, Ramadan 2020, Muslim-majority countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE)
2. TikTok platform data, Ramadan 2020, MENAT region

3. Ramadan 2020: What Malaysians searched for online while fasting at home, iPrice, May 2020
4. Vase.ai survey of 1,077 Malaysian Muslims, Apr 2019
5. Nielsen custom Authenticity Study commissioned by TikTok, Persons 18+, 5/1/2020 - 6/19/2020

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