As the holiest month in the Islamic calendar approaches, brands around the world gear up to connect meaningfully with their Muslim audience. In this fast-paced digital age, social media is the king of communication, bringing fruitful opportunities for engagement and connection.
With hundreds and thousands of users flocking to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok during Ramadan, brands have an exclusive chance to advertise their products/services and connect with their audience. That being said, let’s jump right in on how to create a Ramadan marketing calendar!
Define Your Audience in Ramadan
To understand the Ramadan audience on social media, you must take a different approach and consider cultural sensitivities, religious observances, and online behaviors. During Ramadan, Muslims worldwide engage more actively on social media platforms to share greetings and recipes and connect with their loved ones.
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, social media usage among Muslims increases by 20% during Ramadan, with platforms like Facebook and Instagram experiencing a surge in activity.
It’s important for brands to realize the fluctuating demographics within the Ramadan audience. For example, younger Muslims are more active on platforms like TikTok, but older generations prefer Facebook or WhatsApp. Understanding these minute details helps brands curate their content and messaging to connect with different segments of the Ramadan audience.
Objectives for Ramadan Campaigns
Setting clear objectives for Ramadan social media campaigns is mandatory to ensure that brands achieve actual results and reach their target audience. For example, if you run a clothing brand, set a goal to increase online sales by 30% during Ramadan through a campaign about modest fashion trends. Similarly, a food delivery service may aim to boost brand awareness by 50% through a Ramadan-themed recipe contest on social media.
These clear-cut objectives provide direction for the campaign and align with the values of the Ramadan audience. Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals enables brands to track their progress and adjust their strategies to maximize engagement and increase conversion.
Personalized Content for Ramadan
Your content must be personalized so the Ramadan audience can relate it to the holy month’s values, traditions, and sentiments. To get an idea, a beauty brand can create tutorial videos featuring makeup looks for Ramadan gatherings or Eid celebrations with touchy captions that show self-care and inner beauty. A travel agency could display stories of Muslim travelers during Ramadan with visuals of Mecca or Medina.
Brands can also use clever tricks, like gathering user-generated content by encouraging followers to share their Ramadan experiences, recipes, or traditions using a branded hashtag.
Use Each Platform Differently
If you want to see the maximum potential of a social media platform, use it as per its framework. With its wide range of features, such as Stories, Reels, and IGTV, Instagram offers brands the opportunity to engage with their audience. On Instagram, a fashion brand can display its latest Ramadan collection through Carousel posts and Stories to share behind-the-scenes glimpses of the design process.
Similarly, TikTok provides a platform for brands to create short-form videos that entertain and inspire during Ramadan. Brands can also leverage other platforms like Pinterest and Snapchat to reach and engage with their audience through Ramadan-themed boards, filters, and lenses.
Timing and Frequency of Posts
Timing and frequency of posts are the backbone of Ramadan social media campaigns, especially on platforms like Instagram. During Ramadan, brands must schedule their posts smartly to reach their audience when they are most active. Research shows that engagement on Instagram tends to peak during suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (breaking of the fast) times, as well as in the evenings when families gather for prayers.
Therefore, brands benefit from posting content during these peak engagement hours to maximize visibility and interaction with their audience. Additionally, a balanced approach, such as posting once or twice a day with high-quality, relevant content, helps maintain audience interest and engagement throughout Ramadan without inundating their feeds.
Hashtags and Trends
Incorporating hashtags and trends in your content is a powerful method for brands to skyrocket their presence and engage with their audience during Ramadan. Identifying relevant hashtags and participating in trending conversations allows brands to increase the visibility of their content. Take #RamadanWith [BrandName], for example; creating a branded hashtag like this can encourage user-generated content and develop a sense of community around the brand.
Additionally, staying ahead of popular Ramadan-related trends on platforms like Twitter and TikTok allows brands to join conversations organically and show their relevance in real-time. Brands can align themselves with the spirit of the season and connect with a broader audience by incorporating popular hashtags like #RamadanKareem or #EidMubarak into their posts. Also, creating custom challenges or contests around trending topics can incentivize user participation and generate buzz around the brand.
Measure and Cross-check Strategies
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rate, reach, conversion rate, and sentiment analysis offer thorough insights into the campaign. By tracking these metrics consistently throughout Ramadan, brands can identify areas for improvement and adjust their strategies. A/B testing allows brands to compare different variations of content, timing, or messaging to determine which best fits their audience.
For example, testing different ad creatives or post formats helps identify the most effective approach for driving engagement and conversions. Soliciting feedback from the audience through surveys, comments, and direct messages brings further insights into their preferences and expectations.
Case Study: Starbucks
One case study of a successful Ramadan social media campaign is Starbucks’ “Share the Spirit of Ramadan” campaign in the Middle East. In 2021, Starbucks launched a multimedia campaign across various social media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, to celebrate the spirit of Ramadan and promote community engagement. The campaign featured stories of generosity, kindness, and togetherness shared by customers and employees alike, with added appealing graphics and videos.
Starbucks encouraged its followers to participate in the campaign by sharing their Ramadan experiences using the hashtag #ShareTheSpirit. The campaign quickly spread, sharing thousands of user-generated posts and heartfelt stories on social media. This way, Starbucks successfully bound its connection with the local community and reinforced its inclusivity and compassion brand values. The campaign proved to be a win-win situation for the company and its customers.
Creating a Ramadan marketing calendar and maximizing your brand’s social media impact during this season requires a strategic approach that considers the audience’s values and aspirations. Brands can create authentic connections and engagement throughout the holy month by understanding the unique characteristics of the Ramadan audience, setting clear objectives, generating engaging content, and utilizing visual platforms effectively.
Sunan is the perfect partner if you’re ready to upscale your Ramadan social media strategy and make a viral impression this holy month. We support your digital media needs by drawing from years of experience working with leading Islamic brands and non-profits.
How are you creating content this Ramadan? Let us know!
