March 13, 2016

Summer BBQs

1. Mobile: So hot right now

People are more likely to use a mobile device to go online in the summer months than in other seasons. Whether they're traveling on vacation, lounging on the beach or grilling in their backyards, U.S. consumers are constantly connected.

As they fire up their outdoor grills, more people are searching for "recipes" on a mobile device—the new cookbook. Mobile's share of searches is up 44% year-over-year.

Mobile Share of “Recipes" Searches

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Source: Google Data, 2013–2014, Mobile Share Query Volume, United States.

Mobile Share of "Hotel" Searches

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Source: Google Data, 2012–2014, Mobile Share of Search Query Volume, United States.

During summer travel season, searches for hotels go up. While we're seeing a general shift to mobile, this shift grew 86% faster in the summer months than any other time last year. People are looking for everything from deals to directions.

Brad Johnsmeyer Are you capturing demand across screens? Are you showing consumers the type of content they're looking for? Is your marketing contextually relevant?

2. Burnt out on summer, people are looking for relief

What are people looking for when it's warm out? A nice tan, of course. At the start of summer, we see a bump in searches for "suntan." But as the weather heats up, so do searches for "sunscreen, " followed closely by a big spike in "sunburn" searches. Now consumers are in the market for "aloe vera" to soothe those burns.

The ways the consumer journey so clearly plays out on search are fascinating. So are the regional differences. Google searches for "suntan" are most popular in Kentucky, while Hawaii is tops for "sunburn" and "sunscreen." Californians appear to look after their skin the most, searching for "sunscreen" and "aloe vera" more than people in most other states.

Searches for Suntan, Sunburn, Sunscreen and Aloe Vera

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How is weather affecting demand for your products? What can you learn about the consumer journey based on search patterns? How are you using this information to shape your messaging and distribution strategies?

3. Kansas City wins the BBQ battle

Summer is BBQ season, and it's a hotly contested cuisine. Which town is most popular this summer? If we look at searches, Kansas City is the clear winner, with Memphis and Austin vying for second place. Interestingly, Buffalo, New York (home of Oinktoberfest) makes the top five.