studies

For the first time ever the majority of purchasers does online research before purchasing. The online purchase share shows limited growth for most products, however online research grows strongly and consistently across all countries and products.

Key Findings

• Online purchase mainly grows in travel and media, however online research grows strongly and consistently across all countries and products.
• Online research grows equally strong amongst online and offline purchasers and is consistent amongst countries and products as well.
• Products of higher value show both more online research and more online purchase than lower value products.

The Global Business Map provides a country profile for 48 countries on 6 different continents. The country profiles give an overview of fundamental country facts and specific market insights. We have collected those metrics most relevant for uncovering market potential and to help you recognise business opportunities specific to your company. This guide also provides an introduction to a range of products and tools available to you at Google, which are each explained briefly to help you get acquainted with the different ways in which you can reach out and connect with your target markets.

Each country page contains the following data:

• Basic Facts: official country name, capital, area, top-level domain, official or most spoken language, local currency, age distribution and GDP in terms of purchasing power parity and rank. GDP in each country has been expressed in US Dollars.
• Demographics: Population (total, growth and country rank), a breakdown of the age distribution according to gender and age group, median age.
• Internet statistics: The Internet penetration of the population, the total number of broadband and fixed Internet subscriptions, as found by the International Telecommunications Union.
• Google Contact: The email address that you can use to get in touch with our local representatives. They will be happy to give you more insight into the statistics you can find in the pages here and connect your ideas with the appropriate Google products.

H&M uses Google+ to connect with over 940,000 users and deliver engaging exclusive content. Miriam Tappert, Global Social Media Manager at H&M, explains that the objectives for setting up the brand’s Google+ page were simple: “To be where our customers are, have a dialogue and share the latest fashion.” H&M shares some winning tips to social success below:

• Use video and photos frequently in posts, as visuals are an effective way to promote fashion and lifestyle.
• Make followers on Google+ feel that what they get is unique, offering access to behind the scenes footage.
• Use Google+ Ripples feature to analyze trendsetting and keep track of the top influencers for various categories.
• Use social extensions to integrate social strategy into search. Social extensions help the company obtain a higher number of brand recommendations, +1’s and direct traffic to their Google+ page, effectively increasing the number of followers. On average H&M has achieved a 22% CTR uplift on all their AdWords campaigns thanks to implementing social extensions.

This research offers unique insights into the usage of internet enabled devices (PCs, smartphones, tablets, etc.) as well as internet & broadband penetration and online behaviour. The enumeration survey was conducted during Q1 2012 in 40 markets and this is the overview presentation on 11 Northern and Central Europe (NACE) markets.

Key results:

• Growing smartphone & tablet penetration in all NACE markets.
• In Norway, Sweden and UK every second adult uses a smartphone.
• In most NACE-countries mobile networks are the most often used channel to go online via smartphone.
• In every market laptops are more common than desktops – Norway has highest laptop share.
• Across all countries (private) internet usage is on a high level. In the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark private usage reaches 90%.

With Sweden's smartphone penetration now at 51% and 75% of smartphone owners accessing the Internet every day from their device, mobile has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Google partnered with Ipsos OTX Media CT to understand how the growing adoption of smartphones has transformed consumer behaviour from media consumption to commerce to connecting with the world around us. These insights can help advertisers understand how to best use smartphones to engage with their customers. Here's what we found:

• Smartphone users are multi-tasking their media with 84% using their phone while doing other things such as watching TV (59%). 89% of smartphone users look for local information on their phone and 84% take action a result.
• Smartphones are critical shopping tools with 90% having researched a product or service on their device. 27% of smartphone users have made a purchase on their phone.
• Mobile ads are noticed by 88% of smartphone users. Smartphones are also a critical component of traditional advertising as 59% have performed a search on their smartphone after seeing an offline ad. Review the full study to understand the business implications and opportunities for marketers.

This study will help you understand more about how consumers in Sweden use various information sources, including the internet, when making tech purchases.

Key findings:

• Online purchase is an established purchase method in the tech vertical
• Mobile commerce is growing fast: 8% of all onliners have already made a purchase via smartphone
• Online research drives offline sales: 60% of the shoppers who researched online made their purchase offline (ROPO effect)

This study will help you understand the YouTube audience in Sweden.

Key findings:

• YouTube is the leading online video site in Sweden. It is in an excellent position in terms of awareness and usage and is seen as a likable site.
• YouTube users are a valuable audience: in comparison with non-users they are a group of rather young, well educated people with comparably high income.
• YouTube users are highly engaged and digitally active – particularly in social networking, blogosphere and online gaming.