As the leading ad market in Latin America and one of the largest advertising markets in the world, Brazil poses a unique and exciting opportunity for today’s brands, especially in the mobile arena.
Brazil’s share of mobile internet in digital ad spend is forecast to grow from 28% in 2016 to 64.8% by 2019 – which by 2019 is estimated to account for a $3.75 billion investment. Moreover, Brazil’s total ad revenue across channels is estimated to reach nearly $30 billion US dollars by 2019.
A unique environment
So what makes Brazil unique? Compared to the rest of the world, Brazilians are the most active mobile users in terms of both app usage – 29 apps used per person per month – and engagement – apps are engaged with 54 times per month.
Globally on average, 27 apps are used per person per month and are engaged with 39 times per month. This has bred a fast-growing mobile environment where consumers feel secure using their smartphones to shop and participate in other types of transactions online. Brazilian mobile internet usage continues to grow rapidly and in the next five years, the number of mobile internet users in Brazil is estimated to almost double.
Brazil’s tech-savvy entrepreneurs have also made the country a unique market. Despite economic struggles seen over the last few years, there has been a large growth in entrepreneurship linked to the rapid adoption of advanced technology – from product manufacturing and distribution to fully automated marketing suites.
In contrast, technology adoption in the US began earlier – long before Brazil’s technology boom in 2012; so US entrepreneurs adapted gradually to new innovations as technology advanced. Brazil’s combination of tech-savvy entrepreneurs and the broad usage of mobile devices by consumers has established a strong foundation for performance marketing in the country, making Brazil primed for scaling.
In order to tap into this rapidly growing, mobile-first market, it’s important for marketers to understand Brazil’s unique environment. Here are a few tips on how to approach digital marketing in Brazil to help increase your chances of success.
Get to know the locals
In Brazil, personal relationships are usually formed first to build trust before a business relationship can grow between companies. A couple of great ways to start a personal relationship with your client is by meeting in person or by partnering with a local expert based in Brazil. I personally have found great success meeting, breaking bread and having a drink with prospective clients. The Brazilian culture thrives on fun and joy, and if you can take part in it, you can go far professionally.
During my most recent trip to Brazil for an event, I had a 15-hour layover which provided the opportunity to organise a last-minute dinner with a local prospect. After visiting their company headquarters and having dinner together, they expressed how refreshing it was that I had taken the time to not only meet with them, but really get to know them on a personal level. Since then, they have become partners and friends, even working with our team on content for publications to build our business relationship further.
Make social media and apps a priority
As smartphone use continues to grow in Brazil, there are more opportunities for advertisers to increase their engagement with digital audiences. Let’s take a look at a few favourites among Brazil’s digital audience – the top mobile operating system is Android, the most popular app category is social, and the most popular mobile app is WhatsApp. Most Brazilians avoid using their providers for texting and calling, and instead prefer to use social media apps, such as WhatsApp and Facebook. eMarketer predicts that in 2017 there will be 64.5 million mobile messaging app users.
Due to the prevalence of mobile devices, affiliate marketing providers must have mobile tracking capabilities that include features that are designed to deal with the complexities inherent in the mobile environment. Mobile advertisers should plan to reach consumers in Brazil with ads relevant to their location, language, device type, operating system, screen size and more.
Be ready to measure performance in real-time
Successful digital marketing is dependent on the ability to see what’s working and what’s not, and to adjust campaign strategies on-the-fly if necessary. This demands real-time insight into marketing performance, including how campaigns are performing across channels, partners, types of offers and creative strategies. Fortunately, today’s marketers have access to large quantities of data that can provide this insight, however, without the right tools to analyse massive quantities of data, the task can quickly become overwhelming.
When it comes to deploying tracking technology, networks have two options: build or buy. While in-house solutions can be 100% customisable, they also require an investment of resources, time and maintenance. The most cost and time-effective solution is to outsource this and use advanced tracking technology available.
Find the right performance marketing software
Advanced tracking technologies empower marketers to analyse large sample sizes of data in a short amount of time, providing a real-time view of campaign performance. Accurate performance metrics help marketers measure ROI, reward affiliate partners, test offers and constantly improve decision-making and campaign strategies so that media spend is optimised.
When looking for a tracking solution, Brazilian marketers need to consider the following: can the solution track and attribute performance across multiple channels, ranging from mobile to email marketing, to lead generation e-commerce and display? Does it provide accurate insight in real time? Can it track granular specifics like device used and geographic location? Attention to these details can help you optimise results and support strategies for cross-selling and upselling, making performance insight the driving factor for your success in Brazil.
As one of the largest advertising markets in the world, Brazil genuinely poses a unique and exciting opportunity for today’s brands.