Cross-post originally published at: http://www.slideshare.net/ictQATAR/social-media-in-the-middle-east-during-2013 These slides, curated and analysed by ictQATAR's Damian Radcliffe and Shahd Dauleh, look back at the key developments and data points in the Middle East's social media scene during the past year. Key themes include: 1) Some wide variances in usage amongst different age groups and other demographics 2) Increased Social Media penetration and usage across countries, nationalities and age groups, 3) The continued growth of social media activity in Arabic, 4) YouTube's continued growth, especially on mobile, and; 5) The emergence of platforms such as Vine and Keek, and the evolving usage of Instagram and Facebook for eCommerce. And more!

1. Social Media in the Middle East
The Story of 2013
Social Impact Department
ictQATAR
January 2014

2. High levels of daily Internet use
Booz and Co. report shows that people in the Middle East are well connected
to the Internet, across all age groups, although not surprisingly young people
(the Arab Digital Generation aged15-35) are more connected than elders.
Arab Digital Generation 15-35
Arab Regional Generation 36-48
Arab National Generation 49-65
Booz& Co. Generations A Difference and Similarities across the Arab
Generations: http://bit.ly/1cm9JDG

3. Wide social network reach
Northwestern’s Media Use in the Middle East: http://bit.ly/1ffiKT0

4. High daily usage of social media
Bahrain leads GCC countries
in terms of daily time spent on
social networks, at 4.1 hours.
Even at the lower end of the
scale, UAE respondents were
on social networks for an
average of 2.7 hours each day.
Northwestern’s Media Use in the
Middle East :
http://bit.ly/19usTqq

5. Facebook

6. New data published by Facebook shows:
• 56 million active users on Facebook in MENA.
• 28 million log on daily, 15 million via mobile.
• 33 million access accounts via a phone or tablet each month.
Qatar Tribune:
http://bit.ly/18yrr9s

7. How Youth Use Facebook
From Arab Youth Survey: http://bit.ly/19EbHAd

8. Arabic Language Thrives On Facebook
From 5th Arab Social Media Report: http://bit.ly/1e2qwm2

9. Leading Social Network Site in MENA
From 5th Arab Social Media
Report: http://bit.ly/1716MZ2
Question: Which of the following sites do you use?
Northwestern’s Media Use in the Middle East: http://bit.ly/1ffiKT0

10. Egypt Dominates
Although Egypt has the largest number of Facebook users…
UAE is the country with the highest penetration rate.
Number of Facebook Users in the Arab Region between June 2010 and May 2013
(Top 10 Facebook populations).
From 5th Arab Social Media Report: http://bit.ly/1gUWONw

11. Facebook: A Decline?
Some
countries
continue to
have a growing
Facebook
population.
But some
countries have
seen a decline.
5th Arab Social Media
report:
http://bit.ly/1gUWONw

12. Facebook for Retail
• Local businesses using Facebook as a portal for
retail, with payment usually on delivery.
• Examples: Foulard, Anayah, Fanilla Couture.

13. Twitter

14. Twitter at a Glance
Total number of active Twitter users in
the Arab world reached 3,766,160 users
as of March 2013.
“Active user” is someone who logs in at
least once a month.
Estimated number of tweets produced by
Twitter users in the Arab world was
5,564,890 tweets per day in March 2013.
5th Arab Social Media Report: http://bit.ly/1gUWONw

15. Arabic thriving on Twitter
The 5th Arab Social Media report showed the
continued growth of Arabic as a % of tweets.
Now nearly ¾ of all MENA tweets are in Arabic.
http://bit.ly/1gUWONw

16. Saudi home to most active Tweeps
• The Top 5 tweeting countries are all
non -English speaking
Source: http://bit.ly/1f3evJG
Image: http://on.mash.to/1dkeGPv
• Saudi Arabia has the highest Twitter
penetration of anywhere in the world.

17. And dominates MENA volumes
• Saudi Arabia alone, produced almost half
(47%) of all tweets in the Arab world
Tweets in the
Arab World
5th Arab Social Media Report:
http://bit.ly/1gUWONw
• Egypt produced 12%
• UAE produced 11%

18. Most Followed Twitter
Accounts in MENA
From Top 100 Arabs Website: http://top100arabs.com/

20. YouTube: MENA Overview
• 285 million videos are viewed every day - the second-highest regional
consumption in the world.
• Across the Middle East, two hours of video are uploaded to YouTube
every minute.
• Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and UAE lead the number of playbacks.
• 50% of all views in KSA are via mobile. In UAE this figure is 40%.
5th Arab Social Media Report: http://bit.ly/1gUWONw

21. Saudi Dominates Again
Saudi is the #1 country in the world in terms of YouTube viewers.
With more than 90 million daily views to YouTube.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/22/215774.html
Al Arabiya: http://bit.ly/19e8V6W
Image: http://bit.ly/18ykoKN

22. Some high profile channels and trends

23. Further examples
The Van Damme Volvo ad was spoofed, to create a humorous
commentary on financial hardships in Jordan and Gaza.

24. Emerging Networks & Platforms

25. Growing LinkedIn Use
• 5.8 Million users in 2012
• Grew to 10 million in 2013
Tfour: http://bit.ly/J0hs2U
Wamda: http://bit.ly/1btKIck

26. Vine/ Keek
• Arab Vines has 11,004 likes on Facebook
• Local vines: Palestinian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian,
Sudanese Vines
• Arab Keek facebook page 441,342 likes and 58,282
“talking about this”

27. Instagram
• Growing trend of using Instagram by businesses
• Local business examples includes: GulfCenter (catering company),
3abella (Abaya sale KSA), Foulard (Hijab sale KSA) ..etc.
Digitalks.ME:
http://bit.ly/1btL3vw

28. Social Media & Society

29. Trust: Social Media grows as source of
news for Youth
Arab Youth Survey: http://bit.ly/19EbHAd

30. How Social Media Can
Help People
86% believe social media empowers entrepreneurs
through branding and marketing (90%), tapping into
wider markets (86%) and entrepreneurial spirit within
the entreprise (84%).
81% agree that having national social media policies
would facilitate better use of social media in the
workplace.
Social media can help youth enter the workforce
through job matching (70%), and up-skilling (84%).
Social media influences the workplace by triggering
more customer satisfaction (85%), increasing trust
between co-workers (78%), and boosting intra-agency
collaboration.