Social media has transformed the way people receive and share information in both personal and business settings. New challenges and new opportunities are been created every single minute and day.

In  Middle East one should always ensure that their use of social media is tailored to the specific cultural and demographic diversity of the region.

The adoption of social media by business is not an entirely new phenomenon. Now, a corporate presence on social networks is even more widely expected as these digital tools touches more deeply in our daily lives.

This creates a number of new risks & challenges for businesses house in MENA region. These include the viral news  of a company can spread over the web in split seconds, the potential for sensitive or confidential information to be published online and the increasing need for businesses to conduct shareholders relations in public domain. In the high-tech world of social media, the potential impact of a company CEO saying the wrong thing at the wrong time has been magnified exponentially with a long lasting impact.

This has not gone unnoticed by corporate leaders. A global study published last year by EY found that, among top executives from 300 major companies, the risk to reputation driven by social media was their biggest cause of concern.

Despite the pitfalls, the potential benefits of social media to a business are undeniable higher. When created effectively, the power of social media can enable companies to be more transparent and accountable and strengthen their relationships with key stakeholders. In this way, social media engagement can create a  better corporate governance practices, leading to greater stakeholder confidence, and ultimately, driving business value creation.

However, it is important that businesses in the Middle East markets do not simply adopt social media strategies from other parts of the world without tailoring them for use in the region. There are unique cultural and demographic factors that should influence the way brands use these digital tools to disseminate information and engage in dialogue with their key partners,shareholders and customers.

Our societies are widely characterized by a relationship-based culture. As more corporate communications move online and onto social networks, businesses should be careful that they do not lose the personal connection when engaging with stakeholders. This might mean ensuring the company’s Twitter account is represented by an actual person rather than an anonymous handle or putting a greater focus on video-based platforms in which real company spokespeople communicate directly with shareholders or the wider public is a great strategy.

Businesses in the Middle East region are required to communicate corporate information to diverse multilingual audiences. This can be challenging when the subject matter is complex or incorporates a lot of industry or regulatory jargon that is not easily translated. 

The use of info-graphics and other visual's  which are well defined to be shared on social media and to augment business communications can help companies overcome the language barrier and increase the chances of their messages being understood by the widest possible audience.

Businesses in the Gulf region should always take into account the Middle East’s increasingly young population. 35 per cent of the region’s population is aged between 15 and 29 creating a youth population of more than 100 million people. The Young generation, many of whom grew up with the digital media tools and apps, will eventually make up the vast majority of customers, partners and employees of regional companies in the years to come.

And to understand  how this growing youth population uses social media and how it prefers to receive and share information should be an integrated marketing campaign part of any company’s reporting and communications strategy. 

Social digital media has undoubtedly become an essential way of sharing information and interacting with others. Many companies around the world are still catching up the phenomenon  with the rapid use of these technologies and their impact on corporate governance and communications and customer acquisition. Rather than simply borrowing social media strategies from elsewhere, businesses in the Middle East should always keep in mind that culture and demographics can be as influential online.

Now the global world is eyeing on new markets and specially the gulf markets indeed holds a key importance this not only helps the world to reach the MENA region but also creates a vital link with the world which doesn't only is by the sea route but now with a Digital highway.

Cpdeux