Social media for business has become an effective way for marketing. Even the big brands of today are investing on this because the majority of the target market spends several hours of their day online. With the prominence of Internet-ready gadgets today, people are slowly leaving traditional ways of mass media and turning online as main source of information. In fact, even the new models of the television have incorporated social media surfing capabilities in order to adapt to the demands of their social networking consumers. In the United Arab Emirates, the number of social media users have ballooned significantly compared to last year in just six months according to SocialBakers.com. This means that advertising companies should rethink their marketing strategies by embracing the social media phenomenon because it is cost effective and the viral marketing happens round the clock. In Abu Dhabi, UAE social media is being utilized by incorporating a clever loyalty program that enables the customer to earn points while sharing their experiences with their favorite establishments. This means the more visits they get, the more swipes and shares on social media walls they get, the more points they will accumulate to earn rewards and other items.
Genius, I say. As an expat living in Abu Dhabi, it is very appealing and fun when it comes to customer engagement. I, for one, like checking in on Foursquare or Facebook check-ins just for the heck of it. What more if my favorite store rewarded me for it.
Social Media in UAE 