Leading Brands in Canada's Business & Productivity Software Category: Q3 2023 Analysis

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving landscape of business and productivity software, certain brands stand out for their impressive digital presence and user engagement. In Q3 2023, Gmail, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 emerged as leaders in Canada, attracting some of the largest monthly true audiences across their websites and apps. Sensor Tower’s comprehensive data offerings, such as Web Insights, Pathmatics, and App Performance Insights, provide unparalleled insights into these cross-platform trends.

Gmail

Gmail's digital presence is robust, with a significant audience both on its website, mail.google.com, and the Gmail - Email by Google app.

• Audience Trends: From Q2 to Q3 2023, Gmail’s website maintained a consistent monthly audience with visits per unique visitor peaking in August at 86. The monthly true audience rose steadily, surpassing 24M by September.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users grew from 19.5M in April to over 20.5M in September, indicating strong mobile engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Gmail’s monthly advertising spend was minimal, with a notable spike in August on Facebook, reaching over $2K, generating significant impressions.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, continues to be a pivotal player with its various applications like Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Meet (original).

• Audience Trends: The websites, including calendar.google.com and docs.google.com, saw a steady increase in visits, with September’s unique visits for Google Calendar surpassing 3.2M.

• App Engagement: Google Calendar's app users increased to over 8.4M by September, while Google Docs saw a slight rebound in monthly active users, reaching over 4.3M.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Google Workspace’s monthly advertising saw a significant push in August with desktop video channels, spending over $96K and achieving substantial impressions.

Microsoft 365 (Office 365)

Microsoft 365 continues to lead with its suite of tools, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft Teams.

• Audience Trends: The website forms.office.com experienced growth in visits, with September reaching approximately 14M visits. The monthly true audience on office.com increased to over 4.1M.

• App Engagement: Microsoft Teams' monthly active users climbed back to over 5.7M in September, while Microsoft Outlook maintained over 8.5M monthly active users.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Microsoft 365’s monthly ad spend showed a decreasing trend from April to September, with significant allocations to Facebook and Instagram, achieving millions of impressions each month.

Conclusion

Gmail, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 have demonstrated their dominance in Canada’s business and productivity software category throughout Q3 2023. With Sensor Tower’s unique cross-referencing capabilities, brands can gain critical insights into user behavior across web, app, and advertising platforms, ensuring they stay ahead in the competitive landscape. Sensor Tower’s data-driven insights empower decision-makers with the tools needed to navigate and excel in today’s digital market.