As early as January, Filipinos are browsing lifestyle options for the summer. According to Google Trends, millions are looking up fitness, fashion, and cooling products. Also top-of-mind are fast-food and travel, which reach the most number of searches around this time.
“Keywords used on Google Search and YouTube tell us that there are plenty of opportunities for business. Consumers are excited for summertime and brands can help them prep for their ideal experience”, says Google Philippines Industry Analyst Geia Lopez.
Fitting into the Filipino’s plans is only the first step to catch a break this summer. Geia recommends that businesses plan ahead with the rest of Pinoys, build association for the days of freedom and sunshine, and enable their target audience to explore their passion points.
Priming businesses for growth this summer
Brands can jumpstart their efforts at the beginning of the year, as in-season fashion, fitness programs, and sporting apparel become in demand. This also gives them ample time to join the summer preparation period and carve the role of their brands in the summer lifestyle.
“By taking note of the trends, businesses can offer services that consumers are actively searching for. Being online gives these enterprises the advantage of being accessible to their audiences,” Geia notes.
Google offers free online listing for establishments with Google my Business. The platform makes vital information, including operation hours and address, easily discoverable through Search.
Besides sharing the most popular topics on the search engine, Google also offered insights on YouTube. The site reports that off-school-duty millennials, teens, and moms are enjoying unhurried time immersing in music, makeup, gaming, films, and TV series during summer. These audiences spend more time watching by as much as 32%, compared to other months.
Google points out that tutorial videos continue to gain traction. “How-to” videos have jumped from sixth to second in the most watched content on YouTube.
This suggests that Filipinos are willing to spend more time on content that appeals to their interests, giving much more flexibility in format and length of branded videos on the platform. Some summer video hits include hair transformation, eyebrow makeup, Minecraft, budots (dance beats), guitar lessons, and baking.
Geia says, “Summer is a time when Filipinos pursue their interests. Marketers must be on the lookout for these passion points to help their target audience have the best, most productive summer.”
