But the interesting thing is that influence marketing is the number one among channels for promoting goods and services and increasing brand awareness in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The Middle East is a market leader in social media use. Multiple countries in the MENA region rank above the global average in terms of the percentage of the population using social networks.

Five MENA nations can be seen in the Top 10 for take-up of social networks.

UAE - 1st - Ranked top with over 100%

Bahrain - 2nd, 98.7%

Qatar - 3rd, 96.3%

Lebanon - 6th, 90.5%

Oman - 7th, 90.5%

An expert from Dubai rental service Colife https://colife.ae/, a UAE-based rental and property management international proptech company that also uses influencer marketing in Dubai, talks about the reasons for leadership and the features of influence marketing hub in MENA.

Why influence marketing in the MENA region is a leading channel

Trust and loyalty. Influencers are perceived as reliable sources of information with a strong connection to their audience. This is especially traced in the MENA region, because trust in traditional advertising formats is very low. According to the Nielsen Trust in Advertising study, conducted in 56 countries around the world, including the Middle East, 71% of consumers trust advertising, opinions and product placements from influencers. Another survey of 1,000 Emirati and Saudi residents, aged 18 to 35, which was conducted jointly by the BPG Group and YouGov confirmed it. 73% of respondents had purchased from a brand or tried a service mentioned by an influencer.

Attractive KPIs. Influencer accounts often have a large number of followers and a high ER (engagement rate), allowing brands to achieve good results and reach a target audience.

Traditions and mindset. Influence marketing in the Middle East and North Africa is different from the Western market. The marketing campaign must be created and implemented in keeping with the culture and region; otherwise, the KPI will be low. Influencers must comply with the cultural values and traditions of their audience and country. For example, during religious holidays such as Ramadan, influencers collaborate with brands to create content that reflects the holiday while promoting related products or services. This approach extremely strengthens the connection with the audience, influencer, and brand.

Portrait of an influencer in MENA. Who is he/she, what does he/she do, and where does he/she come from?

The biggest challenge brands face is the lack of a clear idea of how to find and negotiate with relevant influencers. The BPG Cohn & Wolfe Influencers Survey, in association with YouGov, showed 55% of brands said their biggest challenge when picking influencers was finding relevant ones that relate to the brands.

"I've worked with a lot of influencers in the MENA region, and I've always faced three common problems: most bloggers buy followers and account activity (comments, likes); they don't try to stand out and be authentic, relying only on edited photo shoots; unprofessional attitude and lack of commitment," says SMM Team Lead of Dubai rental service Colife Polina Naidenova.

The average portrait of an influencer in MENA

Age: from 21 to 30

Gender: women

Nationality: from the UK and Pakistan to Dubai residents

Occupation: all full-time influencers, most bloggers are expats from the fashion and beauty industry, as well as travel bloggers (among them travelers who come to the city for a couple of days or a week)

Interested in collaboration with real estate companies because: the need for beautiful places where they can shoot content (an alternative to a photo studio); free accommodation during their stay in Dubai; to live in a new place if they don’t currently live in the fancy and stylish area/building

The most frequently requested areas are: Business Bay, Downtown, and Dubai Marina

Income: micro-influencers (with a follower count within the range of 10,000–100,000 followers) now earn between $3,000 and $7,000 per post. At least that's what most influencers ask for

Key platforms for influence marketing in MENA

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube have millions of daily active users in the MENA region. Arab consumers adore content. About 30,000 YouTube bloggers from the Middle East have more than 10,000 subscribers. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have a combined user base of over 200 million in the region. Other platforms, such as Snapchat, TikTok and Twitter also have a significant audience. And, of course, there is TikTok. Most of the influencers in the region of this social network are from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. TikTok itself launched the #CreateForGood and #TikTokCares campaigns with bloggers from MENA countries to educate people about tolerance and safety.

Regarding the price of advertising, the most expensive platform is YouTube, then Instagram. Prices on YouTube start at $8,000.

How influencers promote products and services

"Influencers often prefer to be on camera. This approach allows them to make a personal connection with their audience and create content that feels sincere and necessary. Influencers demonstrate how a product or service integrates into their lifestyle, interests, and daily activities. This approach adds “humanity” to the promotion, making it more attractive and convincing to their followers. Among all the formats for integrations, influencers prefer stories, then reels, and then posts," says SMM Team Lead of Dubai rental service Colife Polina Naidenova.

The Middle East's influencer marketing industry is set to hit $1.3 billion in 2023, as a YouGov survey reveals that 75% of UAE residents actively follow social media influencers

According to YAAP’s new report titled, "The State of Influencer Marketing in UAE", marketers have identified influencer marketing as a key priority for their brand, ranking it second only to social media.

In 2023, the budgets allocated for influencer marketing have significantly increased, with over 75% of marketers diverting their investments from TV, print, and outdoor advertising towards influencers.

And there are no reasons for changing this trend in 2024 and next years.