Across the majority of February, brand demand has declined YoY, with retail sectors again proving to be the worst hit.
In retail sectors, the average decline in brand demand was 7.2% YoY, with only Supermarkets seeing a rise in organic search at 2.5%.
It’s clear that the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis will continue to impact the performance of brands in organic search, emphasizing more than ever the importance of strong brand visibility in competitive markets, not to mention the need to boost share of search in a context where the market is shrinking.
Travel and Jobs both continue to see notable YoY growth, a persistent trend that indicates a shift of priorities in spending away from retail shopping towards experiences, and an increased focus on maximising
financial security.
Fashion brand demand remains down YoY, with February seeing
demand drop by 12.5% across the sector. Particularly hard hit in February were fast fashion brands like Asos, Topshop, Boohoo, and Pretty Little Thing, who lost 28.9%, 39%, 18.7%, and 23% organic search YOY during the month.
The cost of living crisis has left its stamp on brand search in the Supermarket sector, with Lidl, Asda, and Costco’s value offerings coming out as the clear preference for consumers.
Given sector demand only increased 2.5%, it’s clear that the comparative uplift in demand for these brands comes from stealing share of search from competitors like Sainsbury’s (down 42.1%), and Waitrose (down 8.6%).
