We are stepping into the new year. 2022 went by quickly and yet brought a lot of changes – generally as well as in the digital and social media marketing space.

We’re sure you have already been bombarded with a list of articles talking about social media management and marketing trends. This piece of content will also talk about almost the same trends but with respect to the UAE market. If you’re a business, influencer or professional trying to target UAE, then this article might give you a few important tips or insights.

Let’s start with a few important stats to get an overall idea:

53% of the UAE’s internet users use social media to connect with friends and relatives
With 8.08 million users, WhatsApp is the most popular messenger app in the UAE
59.70% of UAE’s internet users use TikTok
Facebook had 7.20 million users in the UAE in early 2022
YouTube had 9.06 million users in the UAE in early 2022
Instagram had 5.25 million users in the UAE in early 2022
LinkedIn had 5.70 million “members” in the UAE in early 2022
Snapchat had 3.25 million users in the UAE in early 2022
Twitter had 2.45 million users in the UAE in early 2022

The above stats have been shared only to give you an overall idea. It, in no way, demonstrates which platforms to use and which ones to leave behind. Selection of the right social media platforms solely depends on your industry, product and mainly the way you want to connect with your audience.

Trend 01: Podcasts

Podcasts are taking the limelight mostly because people are inclined towards having conversations now more than ever or because everyone has an opinion, and they like to put it out there. Not just individuals or professionals but brands are also coming up with podcast series. The UAE audience is familiar with the concept and has shown a positive response.

Podcasts can be a good way to put the point across or build a certain reputation for your brand and let people know what matters to you as a business or how you want to change the society.

Trend 02: Twitter spaces

Businesses are increasingly using Twitter spaces as their platform for conferences, virtual events, and discussion sessions. The people in UAE like to connect with people behind their favourite brands or especially government organizations, hence it is a lucrative tool to explore and use it to your benefit. It hasn’t yet been used creatively in various industries – though individuals are using it much more diversely than brands so there is much more space for creative experiments.

Trend 03: Reels, reels, and reels

The reels have been there and will be there for a few years. Instagram reels and TikTok videos are on the rise when it comes to viral social media marketing, and they are here to stay. There is no hidden secret behind how these can be used by different types of brands, influencers, and non-profit organizations. As a social media marketing agency, we would suggest you keep them short, creative and provide some value to your users.

Trend 04: Marketing tool for small businesses & home businesses

Small businesses and home-run businesses are using social media as their primary marketing & advertising tool, which is a competition any business or enterprise shouldn’t ignore. They are producing unique content, involving influencers, setting up Insta shops, and using WhatsApp or other messaging apps to take orders or provide customer service. They might not be your competitors when you look at the revenue numbers, but they are a competition when it comes to social media marketing space. Keep them in mind when working out your strategies.

Trend 05: Influencer marketing demands authenticity

In the UAE, influencers or content marketers are regularized. Even on the global level, users know when an influencer is doing a paid post hence the level of impact is affected. Hence, brands are now struggling with making these reviews look more authentic so what can be done?

You can let the influencers try your product and then post the unedited review. This makes people see the difference and it can help your brand earn a true follower or a user. This also means your brand or product must be able to deliver the value you’re claiming it can – you can’t fool around with fake reviews from influencers. As UAE has a huge number of content creators in every field, you can easily find the ones to support this authentic kind of review and make your way through the crowd.

Trends always act as pointers only. You can only benefit if you can customize them according to the nature and objectives of your brand/business. It’s creative thinking and effective implementation that matter.