Social Media Management Abu Dhabi - Getting Started

From the need-to-know regulations in Abu Dhabi to the best ways to manage your channels, this helpful guide will assist marketers in ensuring their social media management for their Abu Dhabi business is effective and optimized. Whether you're just getting started with new accounts, or need to revamp your existing ones, these are the tried and tested methods to follow to ensure your business maximizes on all of the opportunities which social media marketing presents.

Social Media in Abu Dhabi

Rules and regulations govern social media in the UAE. It is the responsibility of those who use these platforms to be aware of these and act responsibly or face imprisonment and/or fines. This is important for marketers to know these and adhere to them. These are some of the main rules to take note of:

• Do not post visuals of people without their permission
• Respect people's privacy and confidentiality
• Do not spread rumours that defame, offend, invade privacy
• No use of illegal channels (the UAE has blocked specific audio and video platforms)
• No posts that are not in line with Islamic morals and values
• No activity that promotes unlicensed donations, defaming of rules, hate speech or inciting violence

While noting the above is important, the value of social media in the UAE cannot be understated. 99% of the population make use of social media. Marketers, therefore, use these platforms to connect with their audiences using marketing strategies and techniques. Social media networks are becoming more accommodating to businesses, which helps to boost the potential of these platforms even more.

For more facts and figures regarding social media in Abu Dhabi, let's consider how it works in the UAE by considering HubSpot's findings:

• 73% of marketers report social media to be an effective way to market a business
• 71% of people who have a positive experience with a business online will recommend it
• 54% of people research social media before making a purchase, while 37% use these platforms for inspiration
• Social media usage and advertising continues to increase year-on-year
• People in the UAE spend more time on social media networks per day than the global average, clocking in at 2 hours and 57 minutes

Social media is essential for brand's making a name for themselves in Abu Dhabi. Not only that, but it is a full-time job to manage. It will ensure your ability to gain every opportunity available on these networks, as well as boosting your SEO with visibility and traffic.

Getting started with social media management in Abu Dhabi

Managing social media is a multi-faceted role from managing the publishing of content and monitoring of advertising ad campaigns to the communities, recording the analytics and online shopping if you have that integrated.

Social media management includes the overseeing of the implementation of the strategy. For this reason, we will focus solely on the management aspects. However, it is imperative to note that conceptualization, research and content creation are vital preceding steps, carried out by marketers and content creators.

The social media manager is usually a role given to a person or a team who then manage all of the social media accounts for a specific business. They ensure that they carry out the goals which are aligned with the overall marketing strategy. Since social media is primarily centred on instantaneity, there are generally shorter review periods.

The first step for the manager will be to conduct an audit of the existing social media channels. If it is new, then setting up all of the relevant accounts and channels is necessary. If it is the former, then reviews and insights will need to be drawn. All of the social media accounts will need to be optimized to generate the best possible results.

The next step is for the manager to be knowledgeable regarding brand identity. Knowing the visual aesthetic of the brand is key, as well as the brand voice and tone to use when interacting with audiences. The social media activities will develop and grow the brand presence online, so ensuring this is clear will assist in doing so in the most effective manner.

Here's what a social media manager is required to do:

• Content management

To be successful in social media, content is needed. The extent to which a social media manager will be responsible varies, however deciding upon the types of content required is their responsibility. Some managers can create some of the content, whether that's Story content daily, or the shooting the visuals and writing the copy. In other instances, the manager must liaise with the content creators required to produce the content for posting.

• Scheduling and publishing content

There are various social media tools which can help in managing multiple platforms or accounts. These are usually paid-for subscriptions or form part of a business's CRM software. This helps a great deal in ensuring that posting is consistent and timely. The manager is responsible for ensuring that the necessary content is published correctly, checking for any mistakes and inappropriate glitches.

• Conduct social listening

Since the social media manager is primarily based on these networks with the duty of engaging with audiences, part of their job is to monitor the activity online, which pertains to the target audiences. Knowing the habits, sentiments and values of your customers is vital to understand and improve the content which is developed for them. This also includes research on the platforms themselves, as these are continually updated and are likely to have an influence on the brand you're managing.

• Advertising campaigns

One of the most affordable ways to advertise a business digitally is on social media. It is also one of the most effective. The management of social media, therefore includes the development of advertising campaigns to the right audience and following the budget. This extends to all promotions, such as running contests, specific lead generation campaigns and relations with influencers. Each platform has its methodology for ads, so the content will need to be developed for each platform specifically, though they should maintain cohesion.

• Community management

Community management is a vital role which requires ongoing and responsive engagement between a brand and its audiences. The communication takes place both publicly and through direct messaging. This shows interest on behalf of the brand and in many cases, forms part of customer service too. Managing an online reputation through reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content is also paramount.

• Reporting based on analytics

Finally, the management of social media accounts is required to record and report back on the analytics of each social media platform. This will ensure that the goals have been met and that patterns are noted that are related to the brand's performance online. This will form part of the future social media marketing plans, as taking into account and improving on the current state is necessary. While these platforms showcase data, the management team must derive insights from this and be sure to measure the right metrics from among the many figures that one can derive.

That wraps up our guide on how to get started with social media management in Abu Dhabi. From knowing the regulations to the steps required to be effective in this role, the brand you manage stands to benefit from the wealth of opportunities available via social media marketing.

Let Nexa take care of it for you

Nexa is a digital agency, specializing in marketing. We have worked with numerous businesses to create award-winning and high performing social media campaigns. Our specialists manage social media accounts per the above. If you'd like us to handle it for you and grow your brand with social media in Abu Dhabi, then getting started with us couldn't be simpler - we're a click away.