Social media marketing in the UAE: what works for brands
Social media is where most UAE customers first meet a brand. They see it in a feed, check its profile, and decide whether it’s worth their time. The brands that win aren’t the ones posting the most. They have something to say every month, in the right language, and they know which numbers to watch.
Here is what works on the social media we plan and run for our clients.
Plan the year, not the week
Brands that only post when there’s news go quiet for months. A yearly plan fixes that. Set the big moments first: launches, seasons, Ramadan, Eid, National Day and your own events. Then fill the months between with campaigns that keep people following.
For Renault Dubai, we planned the whole year as seven campaigns, made the content for each and managed the accounts day to day. Followers grew by 23%, with an engagement rate of 6.5%.
Two languages, two audiences
The UAE scrolls in Arabic and English. Some posts work in both. Others land better written for one audience. Don’t translate captions line by line. Arabic written from scratch reads warmer and more natural, and Arabic speakers notice the difference immediately.
Cover events live
An event happens once, and social media lets people who aren’t there feel part of it. Have photo and video on site, post as it happens and answer comments in real time.
At the Mother of the Nation Festival, we posted more than ten times a day, over 100 posts across ten days, backed by paid digital media. The festival welcomed 151,000 visitors, with 34 million impressions online.
Put budget behind what already works
Organic reach alone rarely reaches everyone you need. Watch which posts people save, share and comment on, then put paid budget behind those, aimed at the audience you want.
Measure what matters
Likes are easy to count and hard to bank. Track the numbers linked to your goal:
- engagement rate, to see if content connects;
- follower growth from the right audience;
- clicks, messages and enquiries;
- for campaigns, the result they were built for, such as visitors, sign-ups or sales.
Work with influencers the right way
Creators can take your message to audiences you don’t reach yet. In the UAE, every creator promoting a brand needs an advertiser permit. Read what brands must check before hiring influencers.
How we run social media at Talk The Walk
We plan, make and run social media in Arabic and English with one team. That covers strategy, content, community management and live coverage, with our own photo and video crew on the ground.
FAQ
Should UAE brands post in Arabic or English?
Usually both. Plan them as two audiences: some posts work in both languages, others should be written for one. Arabic written from scratch reads very differently from Arabic translated.
How often should a brand post?
Steady beats busy. For always-on social, a plan you can keep up every week matters more than a high number. During an event or festival, posting several times a day can make sense.
Which platforms matter in the UAE?
It depends on who you need to reach. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat, X and YouTube all have large audiences in the UAE, so start from your customers, not from the platform.
Do influencers need a permit in the UAE?
Yes. Anyone posting promotional content needs an advertiser permit from the UAE Media Council. Our guide on the advertiser permit explains what brands should check.