Understanding Nighttime Digital Behavior During Ramadan: A Case Study on Saudi Women

Abstract

This paper explores how women in Saudi Arabia engage online during the holy month of Ramadan, focusing on when their digital activity peaks and how it shifts throughout the day. Drawing on 300 timestamped survey responses, the research identifies a distinct nocturnal shift in online behavior, with 42% of responses submitted between midnight and 5:59 AM. Peak online engagement among Saudi women during Ramadan occurs between 10:00 PM and 3:00 AM, shaped by cultural routines like Taraweeh prayers and Suhoor preparations. Using descriptive analysis in Microsoft Excel by focusing on time segmentation, pivot tables and frequency charts, the study mapped when users are most active. An ANOVA test confirmed significant differences in engagement frequency across age groups F (4, 115) = 18.94, p < 0.0000000000055. Participants were also grouped by age and preferred platform, revealing that women aged 18-24 were the most active, specifically in Instagram and Twitter/X during nighttime hours. These insights offer three key takeaways for marketers: (1) schedule Ramadan campaigns between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM for better reach, (2) Tailor content by age group and platform. (3) adjust team hours to match consumers’ online activity. This paper contributes to Islamic consumer behavior research by applying timestamp analytics to capture daily engagement rhythms and offers marketers a practical, culturally informed approach to digital strategy during Ramadan.