2 out of 3 browsed online for holiday gifts

The December 2020 update from the Google Ads Research and Insights team finds:

• Hot products this holiday season - based on searches - included air fryers, mixers and laptops.
• Also frequently searched for were:
  • "stocking stuffer ideas" (+70% vs. 2019)
  • "last minute diy gifts" (+ 400%)
  • "drive through Christmas lights" (+400%)
  • "what is the cheapest" (+50%)
  • cooking holiday meals at home ("turkey gravy recipe" +100%)
  • shipping gifts (+90%)
  • Christmas movies (+60%)

The survey also found:

• 57% of survey respondents said they're shopping online more this holiday season.
• 66% of holiday shoppers browsed for gift ideas online, not in stores.
• Respondents reported buying for the first time more things like groceries and toiletries for themselves online.
• 56% reported shopping more at local small businesses.
• From 1Q2020 to 2Q2020 there was a more than 70% increase in US viewers renting movies on streaming services, and a more than 60% increase in digital movie purchases.

What businesses are doing

• 96% of advertisers believe the pandemic will cause long-term changes to advertising: more focus on campaign effectiveness, more investment in digital.
• Only 35% of C-level executives said they're confident of being able to influence peers and drive changes - down from 55% in 2019.
• Digital marketing has become more important for reaching young consumers who are heavy users of social media.

Comment: Yet one more justification for moving more ad spend to digital. (See also the Related Articles, below.)