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2022 Retail Marketing Guide: Customers turn to Google every day to browse, research, and buy

Allan Thygesen / March 2022
A woman of color wearing a hijab smiles as she holds her smartphone.

You are reading part 1 of the 6-part 2022 Retail Marketing Guide. Jump to Chapter 2: Build your brand and acquire new customers; Chapter 3: Grow your online and in-app sales; or Chapter 4: Drive foot traffic and in-store sales.

People are shopping across Google more than a billion times a day1

In the last few years, we’ve seen a shift in the path to purchase, with shoppers combining online and in-store shopping experiences to meet their changing needs. Knowing when and where to show up is essential for connecting with current and potential customers.

Every day, hundreds of millions of people turn to Google to discover and shop for what they care about. Find out how you can meet your customers across all moments in the shopping journey.

Reach customers as they browse

People search online to explore new ideas and keep up with the things that matter to them. As shoppers browse across Google and YouTube, they discover new brands and products that are relevant to them.

48% of consumers in surveyed countries around the world say they get inspiration for purchases when they are online.

To discover new brands and products that are relevant to them, shoppers:

1. Find inspiration on YouTube, 2. Browse Google Images, 3. Scroll through Discover
  1. Find inspiration from watching YouTube videos. Eighty-seven percent of people surveyed in the U.S. say they feel like they get the highest-quality information about products when shopping or browsing on YouTube.2
  2. Browse Google Images. There are hundreds of millions of shopping searches on Google Images every single month.3
  3. Scroll through Discover to catch up on interesting topics. Forty-eight percent of consumers in surveyed countries around the world say they get inspiration for purchases when they are online.4

Engage customers as they research

Shoppers are constantly on the lookout for the best product to meet their needs. Before making a purchase, they seek information from trusted sources to compare products and narrow down their choices.

They turn to Google to find out which product is best in its category, compare prices, and check out the latest reviews.

89% agree that YouTube creators give the best information about products and brands.

To seek information, compare products, and narrow down choices, shoppers:

1. Look for information and articles on Google Search, 2. Watch reviews and compare products on YouTube
  1. Look for information and articles on Google Search. Across surveyed countries, over 40% of shoppers go to Google when researching a purchase they plan to make in-store or online.5
  2. Turn to YouTube to watch reviews and compare products they’re interested in. Eighty-nine percent of shoppers surveyed in the U.S. agree that YouTube creators give them the best information about products and brands.6

Convert customers looking to purchase

When it comes to making a purchase, convenience is key, and shoppers buy from brands that can provide a seamless experience wherever they prefer to shop. They want to be able to buy a product online as soon as they find it or see what a local store has in stock.

31% of consumers in surveyed countries say they are researching online more before purchasing to avoid stock, inventory, and shipping challenges.

To buy products online and see what stores have in stock, shoppers:

1. Explore Maps for local stores in the area, 2. Check Business Profiles on Google Maps, 3. Find products in the Shopping tab
  1. Explore Maps to see what local stores they have in the area. Google Maps searches for “shopping near me” have grown globally by over 100% year over year.7
  2. Check Business Profiles on Google Maps to see if a local store is open and has a product available for pickup. Thirty-one percent of consumers in surveyed countries say they are researching online more before purchasing to avoid stock, inventory, and shipping challenges.8
  3. Find products and compare prices in the Shopping tab. Almost half (49%) of consumers in surveyed countries expect to be able to buy from any store online.9

Explore the guide

Chapter 1: Customers turn to Google every day to browse, research, and buy

Chapter 2: Build your brand and acquire new customers

Chapter 3: Grow your online and in-app sales

Chapter 4: Drive foot traffic and in-store sales

Chapter 5: Use insights to inform your strategy and boost performance

Chapter 6: Be ready for the holidays and seasonal shopping moments

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Allan Thygesen

Former president, Americas & Global Partners Google

1 Google Internal Data, Global, 2021.

2 Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., Shopping at the Speed of Culture 2021 study, n=2,000 A18–64 gen. pop video users, Aug. 2021.

3 Google Data, Global, March 2021.

4 Google-commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 tracker, AU, BR, CA, CN, FR, DE, IN, IT, JP, MX, RU, ZA, KR, ES, U.K., and U.S., n=500–1,000 online consumers 18+ per market, May 20–23, 2021.

5 Google-commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 tracker, AU, BR, CA, CN, FR, DE, IN, IT, JP, MX, RU, ZA, KR, ES, U.K., and U.S., n=500–1,000 online consumers 18+ per market, Sept. 9–12, 2021.

6 Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., Shopping at the Speed of Culture 2021 study, n=2,000 A18–64 gen. pop. video users, Aug. 2021.

7 Google Data, Global English, Dec. 14, 2021–Feb. 11, 2022 vs. Dec. 14, 2020–Feb. 11, 2021.

8 Google-commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 tracker, AU, BR, CA, CN, FR, DE, IN, IT, JP, MX, RU, ZA, KR, ES, U.K., and U.S., n=500–1,000 online consumers 18+ per market, Jan. 6–9, 2022.

9 Google-commissioned Ipsos COVID-19 tracker, AU, BR, CA, CN, FR, DE, IN, IT, JP, MX, RU, ZA, KR, ES, U.K., and U.S., n=500–1,000 online consumers 18+ per market, Dec. 2–5, 2021.