(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) With the birth and rise of social media, internet users in the Arab world have been quick to embrace the new technology and utilize all what social media has to offer to connect, communicate and share information with others.
The youths in the Arab world were among the top groups in social media usage. However, they were soon joined by other segments of the population. Shortly after that, businesses and media were swift to ride the new wave of social media to establish virtual presence, connect with their respective customers and leads, and to advertise their products and services.
Also, the Arab governments have realized the importance of social media, and in turn, began leveraging the new online territories.
With the insertion of new social media channels, users in the Arab world were quick to create new usages for these channels. Nowadays, users resort to social media to chat, keep updated on current events, share ideas/pictures/videos/etc., get information on specific topics, or simply to connect with the online world.
How Arab individuals use social media
The Arab social media users can be classified in the following five main clusters based on their attitude and behaviour towards social media.
How Arab individuals use social media
Social Media users in the Arab world have a lifestyle that revolves around the use of technology and social media with constant update checking and posting of materials.
Meaning of social media in the Arab World
Arab users believe social media serves as a 'life enhancer'; brightening up one's day and adding excitement to their lives. For many young Arab individuals, being connected to social media makes them feel "alive"!
This description of social media is true throughout all the surveyed Arab regions, without any exception.
Usage and Attitudes Towards Social Media
Users perceive that social media has made the world smaller by connecting people together regardless of the geographical distances and cultural differences that may separate them. In this respect, 4 out of 5 users believe that "social media has made it easier for people to connect with each other" and that "social media has
On the downside, only 2 out of 5 users reported that "social media help in preserving our traditions and habits" and that they "trust social media changed the world as we know it.
On the downside, only 2 out of 5 users reported that "social media help in preserving our traditions and habits" and that they "trust social media".
Connectivity is the main reason or motive for people to use social media in the first place (55%). It is followed by gaining information, watching videos, listening to music, and sharing photos, the second top main reason for using social media
Usage and Attitudes Towards Social Media
Whatsapp and Facebook were also the top used social media channels among Arab countries, as Facebook was the top used social media channel in 10 Arab countries (UAE, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, and Morocco). On the other hand WhatsApp was the most used social media channel in the remaining countries (KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco ).
Whatsapp and Facebook
Across the Arab World, Facebook was the most used social media channel followed by WhatsApp (87 per cent and 84 per cent, respectively)
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