Posts by Zia Daniell Wigder from September 12, 2008

Zia Daniell Wigder | September 12, 2008, 12:06 PM
Evaluating new global online markets

I’ve been so focused on global online advertising campaigns lately (and on completing several research projects prior to an impending maternity leave) that I’ve failed to highlight any of the findings from our recently published Web Globalization report on Evaluating International Online Markets. The report identifies 12 key factors that need to be taken into consideration when evaluating a move into new global online markets.

Companies tend to do a good job of studying and understanding some market dynamics, yet often fail to take into account others. While most companies pour over local online consumer behavior statistics prior to market entry, for example, few dive as deeply into consumer demographics. However, online demographics can have a major impact on consumer behavior and dictate what type of offering is mandated.

Take age demographics: large percentages of the online audience in countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Russia are under the age of 25, indicating different online demographic pyramids than the ones in Western Europe or the US.** This dynamic should challenge assumptions about different local audiences and help shape marketers’ messages. Indeed, a recent conversation with Buenos Aires-based ad network ClickExperts revealed one way in which this demographic could affect online content providers, as one executive remarked:

“If you’re talking to teenagers [in Latin America], you have to be very, very local with your content.”

Marketers aiming to impact a large percentage of the online audience in markets such as Brazil and Mexico must understand the youth dynamic - many may want to consider adjusting the language and content of the sites as a result.

Online demographics are just one area companies don't always keep in mind when crafting a series of new global offerings - clients should check out our more comprehensive list in the report.

** Note: The overall populations of Mexico and Brazil skew young, Russia's population does not.