SA is set for a bumper Black Friday this year

In the days leading up to Black Friday 2015, social media saw around 4 719 mentions, whereas 2016 has already surpassed the 15 500 mark.

The majority of this year’s conversation continues to be driven on Twitter, and the massive increase in conversation is likely due to higher social media adoption by South Africans, as well as the large number of new brands which have joined this annual shopping extravaganza.

2015 vs 2016 Black Friday mentions

In terms of demographics, the interest between male (47.5%) and female (52.2%) remains mostly on par, with women just slightly edging out their male counterparts.

In terms of age, 25 to 34-year-olds are the most active in Black Friday conversation on social media, closely followed by the 45 to 54 age group; while the 55 to 64-year-olds remain the least active. This could also indicate which age groups are likely to utilise online shopping facilities as opposed to travelling to shopping centres.

Interestingly, the buzz around shopping centres remains fairly low in comparison to the general conversation around Black Friday – this could also indicate a greater interest in online shopping as opposed to physically going to the shops, but only time will tell.

Big retailers appear to be pushing hard on social media, with Game currently leading the way. Twitter and email marketing seem to be the most successful platforms for the big brands to create awareness for their Black Friday specials.

Whether South Africans flood the shops or crash the internet tomorrow, one thing is for sure, Black Friday is here to stay and continues to find popularity and growth within the local market.

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