New research shows that 56% of Irish consumers who shopped online in the lead-up to Cyber Monday were influenced to make a purchase through digital advertising on websites or social media.
This is according to the latest Digital Consumer Index, which was commissioned by Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the country's largest representative body for digital and online businesses, and conducted by Amárach Market Research.
It found that 56% of consumers who purchased online in the month leading up to Cyber Monday (1 December) said they had made a purchase directly after clicking on an online or social media advertisement.
DBI said this showed the effectiveness of on-site and social media advertising in converting consumer interest into sales, particularly during peak retail periods.
Its findings also highlighted a resurgence in more established digital marketing tools, with 40% of consumers who bought products online having done so on the back of email marketing.
DBI said this reaffirms anecdotal feedback from its membership that email marketing has seen a comeback in 2025 as a reliable and effective means of engaging customers, despite industry trends of SEO optimisation and a focus on social media.
Today's research shows the top online retail categories with consumers were clothes (48%) and cosmetics, beauty or wellness products (35%).
Caroline Dunlea, Chairperson of Digital Business Ireland, said the research clearly demonstrates the power and effectiveness of digital advertising in today's economy.
"With more than half of online purchases directly influenced by ads on websites and social media, digital marketing has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes," she said.
"The strong performance of email marketing is hugely insightful - underlining that amid a rapidly evolving tech landscape, thoughtful, well-targeted, data-driven engagement continues to be one of the best ways to meaningfully engage customers online," she stated.
She also said that for Irish SMEs in particular, the insights highlight the importance of investing in digital marketing capability and skills.
"Ensuring businesses have access to the tools, training and supports needed to compete online will be critical to sustaining growth and competitiveness in an increasingly digital-first marketplace," she added.
