Industry Insights - “So What”?

Jan 3

Why Industry Benchmarks and Market Insights Matter

Understanding your market is the cornerstone of growth. In today’s competitive e-commerce environment, businesses that leverage data and insights stay ahead of the curve. At Awelin, we help clients cut through the noise by focusing on measurable factors that reveal market potential and performance. This article breaks down four essential areas—industry search volume, branded awareness, traffic benchmarks, and market expansion—to show how actionable insights can drive better business decisions and long-term success.

1. Industry Category Search Volume – Understanding Market Demand

Before exploring a new market or expanding a product line, understanding the existing demand is critical. Analyzing search volumes in relevant industry categories offers direct insight into what customers are searching for and how competitive the space is. High search volumes often correlate with growth potential, while declining trends might signal saturation or declining trends.

By breaking down search volume trends across different regions, we can map out which markets are expanding, stabilizing, or contracting. For instance:

A mature market may show consistent search volume but limited growth potential, indicating stability and high competition.
A declining market may reveal shrinking interest over several years, signaling challenges or shifting customer preferences.
A market with recent growth could highlight emerging opportunities, even if long-term trends show stagnation.

We also evaluate cost-per-click (CPC) to measure competition and seasonal trends to align marketing with demand spikes.

Example: A market analysis shows slight declines in the UK but recent growth, reflecting stability. In Germany, continued drops highlight ongoing challenges.

Category Search Volumes - Breakdown per market

2. Branded Awareness – Why Brand Recognition Matters

Branded awareness measures how visible a company is in relation to its competitors. By analyzing branded search volumes, we track how often consumers search for specific brands within a category, highlighting market positioning and recognition.

Analyzing branded awareness over time helps reveal:

Growing brands that show increased search volume, signaling rising demand.
Stable brands with consistent visibility, reflecting steady market presence.
Declining brands facing drops in awareness, indicating competitive pressure or reduced interest.

We also look at branded awareness across regions to identify where a brand holds a strong position and where it may need more attention. This allows for targeted marketing efforts to strengthen brand visibility in key markets.

Example: In a competitive market, one brand shows steady awareness growth over three years but experiences a recent dip, aligning with broader category challenges. Another brand sees sharp declines, reflecting potential brand fatigue or increased competition.

3. Traffic Benchmark – Staying Competitive

Website traffic is a clear reflection of customer interest and purchase intent. By comparing a company's traffic to industry benchmarks, we can assess how well it performs relative to competitors. This helps identify whether a business is gaining traction, maintaining stability, or falling behind.

Analyzing traffic trends over time provides deeper insights:

High-growth brands often show rapid traffic increases, signaling effective marketing and customer acquisition.
Stable brands reflect consistent traffic, suggesting a solid market position.
Declining brands may see reduced traffic, indicating the need for strategic
adjustments or market shifts.

By evaluating year-over-year (YoY) growth and compound annual growth rates (CAGR), we can highlight out performers and identify brands that are outpacing industry averages. This also helps detect emerging leaders or areas where market share is being lost.

Example: A performance analysis reveals one brand with 20% CAGR over three years and a 129% YoY growth rate, showcasing exceptional momentum. In contrast, another brand grows at a slower pace, reflecting steady but less aggressive expansion. Tracking these metrics allows businesses to refine strategies and align with market trends.

Traffic Development - Traffic Share % per competitor

4. Google Market Finder – Spotting New Opportunities

Google Market Finder helps businesses identify high-potential regions by weighing multiple factors, such as category search volumes, ad competitiveness, income levels, and ease of doing business. This comprehensive approach assigns an opportunity score to each market, enabling data-driven expansion decisions.

Analyzing different markets often reveals unique patterns:

High-volume markets like the US show vast interest but come with high ad competition, requiring careful budgeting.
Emerging markets with large size and lower competition, such as Japan, present opportunities for faster growth.
Smaller markets with a balance of moderate competition and favorable conditions, like the Netherlands, can offer attractive entry points with less saturation.

Example: A market analysis may highlight the US as the top market due to its high search volume and disposable income, but with significant competition. Meanwhile, Japan’s lower competitiveness makes it appealing for brands seeking growth with less ad spend.

Gogle Market finder - Based on current category

Summary

By analyzing search volumes, branded awareness, traffic benchmarks, and market opportunities, businesses can make confident, data-driven decisions. At Awelin, we guide clients through these insights, helping them identify growth areas and sharpen their competitive edge.

Curious to learn more? Reach out – we're ready to help your business grow.

Jakob Peterson