All marketeers NEED to know these statistics
In the first of a series of eWavelength blogs on all things digital, we give you bite size pieces of digital insight based on the UAE and global trends, tailored for marketers, retailers and business leaders to help you reach your audiences more effectively. Here we look at internet and social media usage in the UAE.
Something amazing has been happening here, a quiet but powerful revolution.
That revolution is digital. According to Global Media Insight, the ‘UAE has now grown into the most digital-friendly country in the Middle East.’ From a total population of 9.54 million in 2018, a massive 9.38 million are active internet users. The top three sites should come as no surprise with Google, Youtube and Facebook leading the way.
Facebook deserves a special mention with a well over 9 million active users - and half of these based in Dubai - as the platform has grown exponentially in recent years to become the biggest user base in the GCC countries.
So how often are people online? The answer is a lot!
“Over 9 in 10 people on the internet use it every day averaging just under 8 hours activity daily - social media accounts for almost 3 hours a day. “
Source: Global Media Insight, 2018
Our advice would be to build Facebook in to your sales and acquisition strategy. Test Facebook ads with your customers and refine the offer until you hit that sweet spot. Link it to Google Analytics so you can record the user journey as they flow from Facebook, to your site. The golden rule for business decision makers? Take off your business hat and think as you do at home - as a customer. Get on their wavelength.
In our next eWavelength blog, we’ll be drilling down in to the demographics of the UAE population to look at digital journey development so marketers and retailers can begin to shape their online journey around their customers’ needs and behaviour.
eWavelength is a digital marketing consultancy that manages and delivers digital projects in the UAE through our network of digital consultants. We have helped some of the region’s leading entertainment, finance and aviation businesses implement and deliver digital strategies to boost sales and income. Talk to us to discover powerful digital strategies that work across platforms and channels.