March 30, 2023. Dubai, UAE. – The holy month of Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion. It is a social season where people celebrate and connect with family and friends near and far. Ramadan is also the month during which people spend more time online.
For that reason, Modest fashion and lifestyle influencers with more than 15 years of experience in the media industry, Shakhnaz Sayyidi, provides us with in-depth insights of social media behavior in Ramadan as well as best practices for individuals and brands in the region. She summarizes below the keys to running an effective Ramadan strategy on social media.
Run Discounts & Promotions:
Grocery shopping and shopping for Eid are major aspects of Ramadan. For grocery shopping in specific, we see people in the Middle East often flocking to their local supermarkets and hypermarkets to secure the best deals.
According to YouGov’s Ramadan study, the top 3 most appealing offers to UAE & KSA residents included: ‘buy 1 get 1 free’, price discounts and cash-back vouchers.
Mobile penetration:
60% of google searches are done on mobile in Ramadan, that’s 5% more than any other month. This does not come as a surprise, especially since the UAE has the highest mobile penetration in the world (80.6%) according to Newzoo’s Global Market Report.
Find a theme
Identify a theme relevant to your brand and appropriate for Ramadan. Majority of your content in Ramadan should tie into your chosen theme(s). Use your brand’s theme(s) to increase your brand equity and connect to your audience on social media.
Set up your content calendar
Build a social media content plan inspired by your selected theme(s). Familiarize yourself and your team with Ramadan social media behaviors and build your social content plan accordingly. Implement your content plan by scheduling your social media posts across channels ahead of time.
Be ready to react
Keep an eye out for trends and conversations that could be related to your brand/theme in your Ramadan strategy. It is crucial to monitor social media in this period and not miss out on any opportunity to engage with your audience. Find out which topics your audience is buzzing about online and shape your relevant content accordingly.
Localize content
Ramadan traditions and activity may differ within the Middle East itself. It is beneficial for brands to invest in local talent that are culturally aware and savvy. Localized content is critical to connecting with your target audience. Do you know what a غبقة is?
Engage, engage, engage
We now know that people engage more on social media in Ramadan. This is an opportunity for your brand to make a real and nearly effortless connection with your audience – do not miss out on this! Ramping up your engagement should be a priority in your brand’s Ramadan strategy.
Think outside the box
Nowadays, there is more to social media than simple text and images. There are countless opportunities to create content within your Ramadan strategy that resonates with your audience. A few examples include:
Instagram ‘swipe up’ feature on stories
Facebook Live-posts
Twitter connected and carousel tweets
Snapchat geo-filters
Follow Shakhnaz Sayyidi’s Instagram account to know more: www.instagram.com/shakhnaz.sayyidi