Google Contextual Advertising in Morocco

Morocco is a dynamic nation in North Africa, which offers great opportunities for advertisers looking to expand their business internationally. With a population of over 37 million people and a rapidly growing number of internet users, it is a very attractive destination for companies looking to reach new audiences.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, Morocco’s internet penetration rate has increased from 58.3% in 2019 to 84.1% in 2023, indicating rapid growth in digitalization. And according to a report by Hootsuite and We Are Social, there are 25.32 million internet users in Morocco in 2023, which is about 68% of all residents.

All of this makes running contextual advertising in Morocco a very attractive idea. Next, let’s talk about what you need to consider when setting up an advertising campaign tailored to this country.

Features of setting up contextual advertising in Morocco

In order for the launched campaign to work really effectively, when setting up contextual advertising in Morocco, it is necessary to take into account the unique features of the local culture and religious preferences of the society. Take into account the following aspects.

Target audience

Morocco has a predominantly Muslim population, where Islam is the state religion and has a strong influence on public life. This should be kept in mind when creating advertisements, avoiding themes and images that may be considered inappropriate or offensive to adherents of Islam.

However, despite being religious, it is not customary to use religious motifs in ads here. It is better for marketers to focus on creating content that reflects cultural values and traditions without touching on religiosity.

Note that Moroccan audiences appreciate humor and creativity. The use of local color, funny characters and witty slogans can multiply the appeal of ads and improve the response of future customers.

Language targeting

This is a multilingual country where Arabic and Berber (Amazigh) are the official languages. However, French is also widely used in business, education and everyday life, especially in the larger population centers. Although Arabic remains the native language of the majority of the population, the local dialect (Darija) differs from the standard Arabic used in official documents and media.

When creating ads in Arabic, it doesn’t hurt to keep these differences in mind and use expressions that the locals understand. For this reason, it is better to hire professionals with knowledge of the local language and culture to select the semantic kernel and compose ad texts.

Berber has several dialects – Tamazight, Tashelhit and Rif. Although it is the official language, it is less common in the online space compared to Arabic and French, so setting up a separate campaign in this language is not necessary in most cases.

English is also quite popular among Moroccans, especially among the young and educated urban population. According to the EF English Proficiency Index, the level of English proficiency here is rated as “low”, but it is gradually increasing due to the increase in tourism and the development of international business relations. However, the language is still rarely used in advertising.

Seasonality in advertising

The Moroccan market is characterized by a pronounced seasonality associated with religious and cultural holidays. One of the most significant periods is the month of Ramadan, during which many companies increase their marketing budgets.

During Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, there is a significant increase in the consumption of media content, especially in the evening hours. This makes it an ideal period to launch large-scale campaigns on TV, radio, outdoor and, obviously, in the online space.

Еще один сезонный фактор, который нужно брать во внимание при настройке рекламных кампаний — это туризм. Страна привлекает миллионы туристов ежегодно, особенно в периоды с апреля по октябрь.

That’s why it’s a hot season for companies focused on the tourism sector, which leads to increased budgets and higher average click-through rates. Therefore, if your business is related to tourists, you should plan to increase your marketing investments for this time.

Geographic targeting

The most promising destinations for setting up location-based targeting are:

1. Casablanca. The economic capital and largest city with more than 3.7 million inhabitants. It is the most important industrial, financial and commercial center, attracting companies and investments from all over the world. When setting up geo-targeting, Casablanca should be a priority, as an important part of potential customers with high purchasing power are concentrated here.
2. Rabat. The capital and second largest city with a population of about 1.2 million. Having become a political and administrative center, Rabat attracts educated professionals and government officials. Setting up geographic targeting for this city can be effective when you are targeting the government sector and highly skilled professionals.
3. Fez — The ancient capital and third largest population center, home to about 1.1 million people. It is a cultural and spiritual center known for its madrasas, mosques and traditional crafts. Fez attracts both locals and foreign tourists interested in Moroccan history and culture.
4. Marrakech. One of the largest cities with a population of about 1 million people, known for its rich history, architecture and vibrant atmosphere. This tourist center attracts travelers from all over the world, especially from Europe. It is most favorable to promote here if your business is related to the spheres of tourism, hospitality and entertainment.
5. Tangier. A major port city in the north. Due to its strategic location near the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier has become an industrial and commercial center. Including Tangier in geographic targeting can be useful if your services are related to logistics, import/export and tourism.

Advertising tools

Morocco’s advertising market is under active development, combining both traditional and digital promotional channels.

• Traditional advertising. Despite the growing popularity of online marketing, television, radio and print media still play an important role in the country’s media landscape. These traditional formats are still effective in building brand awareness and reaching local audiences.
• Search Ads. This is the main tool when setting up Google Ads in Morocco, which allows you to attract the most “hot” traffic – those users who have already decided on the desired product or service and are looking for where to order it.
• Google Shopping ads. These ads help to show a product photo, its price and company name in Google search results and in the “Shopping” tab. This tool is one of the most effective in promoting online stores.
• Performance Max. A new and increasingly popular type of campaign in Google Ads that uses artificial intelligence to work with ads and optimize them. It allows simultaneous placement in Search, contextual media network, YouTube, Gmail and Google Maps. At the same time, the advertiser only provides source resources (text, images, video, feeds), and the system itself creates and optimizes ads taking into account the goals of the campaign.
• Social networks. Today, it is one of the most popular platforms in Morocco for advertising. Meanwhile, Facebook has long held the status of the leading social network with more than 18 million active users. Instagram and YouTube are also gaining popularity, especially among young people.

What can’t be advertised in Morocco?

When promoting in this country, it is better not to use the following “forbidden” topics in creatives and ads:

1. Religion. Material that could be perceived as offensive or disrespectful to Islam and other religions is strictly prohibited. Advertisements must not contain religious symbols or images in an inappropriate context.
2. Alcohol. Although the sale of alcohol is allowed here in specialized stores and some hotels, it is illegal to advertise alcoholic beverages. This is due to religious and cultural norms as well as government policy to limit alcohol consumption. Therefore, it is better to refrain from promoting alcoholic beverages in the Moroccan market.
3. Gambling. Advertising of casinos, online gambling and other forms of gambling is not allowed. The same applies to sports betting and bookmaker’s offices. The ban is due to the overwhelming influence of Islamic traditions on local life.
4. Tobacco products. As part of the government’s anti-smoking policy, advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products is strictly limited.
5. Offensive Content. Obscene and vulgar content is not allowed. This applies to both the visual and textual content of the advertisement.
6. False or misleading information. Advertisers are obliged to provide accurate information about the products and services promoted, avoiding exaggerations and unfair practices.

Cost of Google Ads contextual advertising in Morocco

Although the price of contextual advertising in Morocco is a complex indicator, which is influenced by competition in the chosen niche, and the quality of ads, and the cost of services to set up the campaign, the main factor is the actual cost of a user’s transition to the site, which can be obtained from the tool “Google Keyword Planner”.

Here are some examples of CPCs for Morocco in the most popular topics:

• Car repair services – $0.45;
• French language courses – $0.60;
• Men’s clothing – $0.30;
• Sahara Desert Tours – $0.80;
• Food delivery – $0.20;
• Solar panels – $0.70;
• Web design services – $0.40.

As you may have noticed, the cost per click here is relatively low compared to developed countries of the European Union or North America. This is due to less competition and lower paying capacity of the local population.

Google’s share of total search traffic in Morocco

Google has become the undisputed leader among search engines around the world and of course the Moroccan audience has not been spared. Here it holds a dominant market share of 96.69% as of September 2024.

The second most popular search engine is Bing, which accounts for 2.24% of search traffic. Despite the serious gap with Google, Bing has managed to gain a certain loyal audience in the local market due to its integration with the Windows operating system and other Microsoft products.

Yahoo is in third place with a share of 0.63%. This figure indicates a gradual decline in the popularity of this once popular search engine against the backdrop of the growing dominance of Google. But the other search engines (Yandex, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia), are content with a minimal presence in the market – 0.18%, 0.1% and 0.06% respectively.

Given the search giant’s overwhelming advantage in the Moroccan market, setting up Google ads in Morocco is one of the most effective strategies to reach the target audience for this country.

However, despite Google’s dominance, you shouldn’t completely ignore Bing either. In addition to strengthening your brand’s online presence, it will also be able to offer a lower cost per click, which is important when the cost of Google traffic is constantly rising.