Indonesia

From Fast to Feast: Indonesian Consumer Behavior During

Ramadhan

Masao Kakihara / June 2016 / Mobile, Video, Indonesia

Indonesia flourishes with online activity in the month before, during, and after Ramadhan. We
worked with GfK data to identify notable Ramadhan-related behavior shifts across several
apps and websites during last year’s holy month. Our findings tell where and when
Indonesians go online to get prepared, find entertainment, and observe different stages of the
festivities.

R
amadhan—one of the five pillars of Islam and the holiest month on the
calendar—is an exciting time in Indonesia. With technology taking an
increasingly larger role in Indonesian day-to-day life, smartphones now
invariably play a critical part of their religious observance. Smartphones are now
used by 61% the population, compared to just 17% who use desktops.1 And with
Indonesians on mobile an average of 5.5 hours per day,1smartphones are more
important than ever during this sacred holiday.

Indonesians welcome Ramadhan by going online

Cherished time with family. Refreshing spiritual awareness. The delicious food!
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With so much to look forward to during the holy month, Indonesians start getting
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excited and prepared long before the holiday begins. Search interest for
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Ramadhan-related terms increases as the holiday approaches—particularly one
week before2—as Indonesians search for prayers and schedules, look up
traditional recipes, and get an early start on homecoming travel plans.

For a full month before Ramadhan, during the observance, and for the full month
following, Ramadhan-related searches are on the rise. Check out the full list
of ttop-searched
top-searched
top-searched
op-searched Ramadhan-related
Ramadhan-related
Ramadhan-relatedkeywords
keywords
keywordshere.
here.
here.

While most searches for travel and ticket-related keywords take place after
Ramadhan begins, searches for train tickets (“kereta api”) peak nearly two months
before.2 With most of the country making similar travel plans, early preparations
are key to finding the best deal!

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moments essential to keeping
your brand present when Indonesians search for Ramadhan-related keywords. As
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they look
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to our terms liketo get“Amalan
Google dataRamadhan” (Ramadhan
and insights to power practice)
your business. and “Jadwal
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puasa” (fasting schedule) to get prepared, be there with relevant and timely
content that meets their needs.

Indonesians stay entertained during Ramadhan with online videos

In non-Ramadhan months, Indonesians pull out their smartphones most often

during lunch and commuting hours.3 During Ramadhan, all that changes. The
fasting month means different daily schedules, and Indonesians’ mobile usage
patterns adapt accordingly.

The biggest change we noticed was in the early morning: With all the eating and
hydrating done before sunrise, boosts in presunrise search activity show that their
mobile devices were never very far away. For some, their trusty mobiles help them
with their spiritual practice (searches for sermons and prayer times increase just
before the day begins),1 while others are just looking for some quick
entertainment (popular TV shows like Preman Pensiun are watched most often
during predawn breakfast, or ”sahur”).2

"E-commerce web traf c between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. is

152% higher during Ramadhan, particularly during sahur
time"

During the day, Indonesians spent significantly more time on gaming apps like
Subway Surfers, Pou, and Clash of Clans than they do during non-Ramadhan
months.1 Perhaps to distract themselves from their growling stomachs at
lunchtime or before breaking fast? For entertainment, IIndonesians
Indonesians
Indonesians
ndonesians turn
turn
turnto
to
to
YouTube, especially during lunch or late at night before bed.2 Online video
YouTube,
YouTube,
consumption increases
Plan big. Work smarter. Think withby as much
Google APAC. as 15% during Ramadhan—particularly on
Subscribe2to our newsletter to get Google data and insights to power your business.
mobile —as people search for their favorite shows or popular music artists like
Opick and Maher
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Online video is a great way to reach Indonesians when they’re craving
entertainment (and craving a snack)! Consider the types of videos Indonesians
search for most during Ramadhan like “Lagu religi” (religious songs) and “Preman
Pensiun” (a popular Indonesian TV series)—and think of ways your brand can
create helpful, uplifting video content for viewers as they observe and celebrate.
Check out these great examples from the Indonesia H2 2015 YouTube Ads
Leaderboard.

Ramadhan drives new peak time for e-commerce websites

The ee-commerce
e-commerce
e-commerce
-commerce sector
sector
sectorin
in
inIndonesia
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is
isbooming
booming
booming.
booming Indonesians love shopping on
their smartphones, and Ramadhan brings about a few extra waking hours to scout
around for new clothing, smartphones, and consumer electronics.

E-commerce web traffic between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. is 152% higher during
Ramadhan, particularly during sahur time.4 After a morning lull, activity peaks
again at lunch break and during the “ngabuburit” period (a 12% increase), which is
just before breaking fast at the end of the day.3

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As the month-long observance comes to a close, e-commerce traffic doesn’t slow
down as Indonesians take advantage of the Lebaran bonus, a mandated annual
salary bonus granted to every employee in the country.1 Unsurprisingly, e-
commerce apps such as Bukalapak and OLX Indonesia experience the highest
usage at the end of the holiday.1

E-commerce brands can’t afford to miss Ramadhan’s unique early morning and
midday bursts of atraffic. Look for ways your brand can engage with consumers
by displaying your shared values, perhaps by promoting samples of modest “baju
muslim” (Muslim clothing) or “gamis” (Muslim dress). Understanding and
capitalizing on these ebbs and flows in search, web, and app traffic can boost your
visibility to online shoppers when they’re looking for you.

Indonesians share in the joy of homecoming during Eid al-Fitr

The closing of Ramadhan begins a period of spiritual renewal, excitement, and

togetherness for Indonesian families. At the core of Eid al-Fitr (the festival
signifying the end of Ramadhan) is a desire to share in the blessings of another
Ramadhan’s passing with friends, family, and Muslims worldwide.

“Mudik,” the mass migration of Indonesians to their hometowns during Eid, is a

hectic but exciting part of Ramadhan’s finale. As Indonesians finalize their plans to
return home and visit extended family, travel-related searches reach their peak and
72% of searches come from mobile devices.2

At the heart of Ramadhan is a spirit of togetherness. Find ways for your brand to
be there alongside consumers by sharing in the joy and reaching out to extend
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greetings and well-wishes—”Ucapan lebaran” (well wishes and greetings for
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Lebaran) can go a long way in engaging with your audience.
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Masao Kakihara
Senior Research Manager, Market Insights, Google Asia Pacific

Sources (4)

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