Quebec is the second-largest province in Canada and home to more than 8 million people. Its residents are known as loyal customers, who spend more money on consumer goods than the average Canadian household.
On paper, it looks like the perfect territory to expand your market share and grow your brand’s notoriety. But, most North American companies set Quebec aside when choosing their new targeted market. Why? The answer is pretty easy: the prominent proportion of French-speakers. Because of this specificity, Advertising companies need to, not only translate their ads but rethink them so they have the same wording power, as their English equivalent… And that takes time and knowledge.
That language barrier makes it difficult for companies to create meaningful relationships with French-speaking customers. Difficult, but not impossible. Big corporation, like Pepsi, have mastered and crafted their advertising to speak directly to Quebecers about stuff that matters to them. If your company can mimic that, she’ll be way ahead of its competition.
Still not convinced that Quebec could be a great marketing opportunity for your company’s growth? These facts might change your mind :
1. Quebec is undergoing a digital transformation
Although Quebec has been lacking in term of e-commerce and digital advertising compared to the North American English-speaking territories, “La Belle Province” is accelerating its digital culture growth. In fact, the Quebec’s Government wants to build a fully digital province and it is taking action: in the upcoming years, millions of dollars will be invested to stimulate knowledge, IT development, and innovation in the digital field. Trust us, your company should be ready when it takes full expansion.
2. Quebecers are very active online
Based on CEFRIO data, in 2017, 93% of adults between 18-34 years old were active daily on the Web. In 2017, 58% of Quebec resident bought something online at least once, spending, on average, $863 throughout the year.
Even though
3. The competition isn’t as strong as other markets
Companies usually leave out the French-speaking market because it takes to many resources to learn how to do it properly. This could be good news for you: less competition equals more opportunities to become a top-of-mind company for French-Canadians.
As an example, according to eMarketer, digital ad spending in the French-Canadian market in 2016, was, on average $900. The entire country’s average was $5484.
4. Advertising prices are usually lower in Quebec
SEO and PPC campaigns are widely used in most company’s digital strategy, but these can be extremely competitive (expensive). But, as we saw earlier, less competition in the Quebec market means that advertising prices and bids are usually lower. You’ll pay less money and you’ll be more likely to appear on top of Google Search Ads. So, if you can take the time to craft well-thought ads that resonate with the culture and customer behaviors in Quebec, you’ll see a return on investment in no time.
Don’t do it alone!
Not advertising in Quebec means that your company is leaving behind just under 1/4 of Canada’s population as a potential target audience. But, we understand that the laws and regulations in Quebec can be hard to follow, some marketers even ignore them at their own risk. So, don’t jump head first in this new market without the help and knowledge of a specialized, bilingual digital agency. They will make sure your ads respect the local nuances and maximize your investment in the French market.
If your company is ready to expand into the French-Canadian market, we can help you.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marie-Joëlle Turgeon
Marie-Joelle works at Bloom, a digital marketing agency, as the Director of Marketing. She's passionate about digital marketing tactics (from social media to web design) for B2B businesses looking to grow online.
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