In today’s digitally connected world, partnering with social media influencers has become an effective strategy for business growth.
Social media influencers are individuals who have a significant following on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. Because of their strong online presence, they have such a huge influence on the marketability of brands.
When influencers promote a product or service, their followers tend to trust and value their recommendations. According to the 2021 Nielsen Trust in Advertising study, conducted in 56 countries around the world including the Middle East, 71 percent of consumers trust advertising, opinions and product placements from influencers.
By leveraging the influence of social media personalities, businesses can amplify their message, boost their overall brand visibility, and increase their customer base.
Social media users in the UAE
The UAE boasts a substantial number of active users on various social media platforms. In 2022, the total number of active social media users in the UAE reached approximately 9.98 million.
This figure underscores the vast audience that businesses can potentially tap through social media influencer partnerships.
Therefore, collaborating with influencers in the UAE presents a promising opportunity for businesses.
Popular platforms
Some of the more popular social media platforms in the UAE include YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and TikTok.
On these platforms, social media influencers play a significant role in shaping trends and actively engaging with their audience. Consider the following statistics according to Meltwater’s 2023 Global Digital Report:
- Facebook: Boasting around 7.6 million active users, this platform is popular for content sharing, sending messages, and staying connected with friends and family.
- Instagram: With roughly 7.1 million active users, this platform is recognized for its easy-to-use interface and sharing of visually appealing content.
- Facebook Messenger: This messaging app is utilized to share messages, images, videos, and location data for communication. It has over 6.1 million active users in the UAE.
- TikTok: The platform’s over 6.5 million active users usually explore creative videos, connect with global creators, and join fun challenges.
- WhatsApp: With approximately 7.7 million active users, WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging app in the UAE. It is increasingly being used for lead generation and engagement in addition to simple messaging between family and friends. Location information is also shared usually through this app.
- YouTube: This is another platform popular among social media users. It is accessed for various types of content, such as tutorials, vlogs, reviews, and entertainment.
Read: Mastering TikTok SEO and using the media as a search engine
Partnering with social media influencers
Identify target audience
To find influencers who resonate with your target audience, it is important to understand your audience and their preferred social media platforms.
An important factor in identifying your target audience is demographics. Consider, for instance, that YouTube is highly popular among individuals aged 18 to 29.
In addition, consumer preferences and behaviors are important factors to consider as well. It is important to know when they are usually online or where they spend time the most.
Research influencers
When researching social media influencers in the UAE, it is essential to consider relevant data and statistics to ensure you find the right fit for your brand.
Micro-influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers are already considered influential in the UAE. Aside from numbers, it is critically important to consider their engagement rates as well.
Meanwhile, popular niches among UAE influencers are lifestyle, fashion, beauty, food, and fitness.
Engaging influencers
After researching and identifying the right social media influencers for your brand, it is now time to create a strategy that will help you successfully collaborate with them.
There are many ways to work with influencers, including:
- Sending an email request for collaboration. Connecting with them directly on their social handles is also an option.
- Offering them free product samples in exchange for promotion on their social media accounts. Collaboration is often a healthy and strategic way of engaging influencers.
- Working with them on sponsored content either directly or through their handlers. There are now a growing number of social media agencies in the market that offer this type of service.
- Creating an influencer program where you pay each influencer a monthly fee in exchange for their promotion of your brand. In Dubai, some influencers charge anywhere from AED3,000 to AED30,000 per post. Some charge more, depending on their following and engagement rates.
- Developing a long-term partnership by signing them on as an ambassador.
Compelling content
Subsequently, to make the most of your partnership with social media influencers in the UAE, it is essential to create compelling and creative content.
Think of content that is not just trendy, but also meaningful and relevant for your target audience. If the content resonates with your audience, they will engage.
Monitor and measure
After creating an impressive campaign with your influencer, make sure to track its performance. Use this benchmark for future campaigns.
By tracking engagement metrics, you can gauge the effectiveness of your influencer partnerships. High engagement rates indicate that the target audience is responding positively to the content and message. The ones that usually matter are click throughs and number of leads generated.
In addition, by utilizing social media analytics tools and tracking key metrics, you can evaluate the success of your influencer collaborations in the UAE.
Nurture relationships
Maintaining positive relationships with influencers can boost the effectiveness of social media influencer strategies.
To achieve this, businesses should engage with the influencer’s content, promote their work, and explore future collaboration opportunities.
Final thoughts
Businesses in the UAE should take strategic steps towards utilizing social media influencers to maximize the impact on their marketing strategies.
As social media platforms evolve, there will be new opportunities for businesses to engage and leverage.
As the number of social media users in the UAE increases, social media influencers can become an even more valuable asset for future growth.
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