The growing influence of social media on business in Oman

Guest post by Saurabh Tyagi - No country has remained unaffected from the stupendous growth of social media globally and Oman is no exception. With penetration of internet enabled devices like smartphones, and laptops, the number of internet users in Oman has risen in the last decade from almost 4% to nearly 70% of the entire population. This increase in number is also having its spillover effect on local businesses, who are trying to leverage its full potential by increasing their presence on social media platforms.

In a survey conducted by Ooredoo, titled as “New Horizons: Young, Arab and Connected”, it was revealed that about 62% of Omani youth believe there are good options for small businesses and entrepreneurs while 52% of Omani youth intend to start an online business.

Oman Daily Observer also reported that social media is attracting the attention of many young entrepreneurs to make sure their products and services reach as many people as possible, without going through the cost of expensive advertising and other forms of marketing. The firms in Oman are increasingly looking at social media as a crucial instrument in expansion of their business. This is necessitated by the changing consumer behavior, as many of new consumers are looking for firms that are willing to engage via sites just as Twitter and Facebook rather than through the standard company websites.  

Social media campaigns that directly promote a direct conversation between the customers and company are becoming the norm rather than exception. This is also reflected in the changing priorities of the companies when it comes to hiring new resources. Just like traditional channels of marketing have given way to social media marketing, similar shift can be witnessed in the employment market as a lot of marketing jobs in Oman now have a social media angle to them.

Saurabh Tyagi is an expert author, with an experience of over 4 years in writing content for articles and blogs. He loves to provide insights on topics related to career, education, Middle East and foreign affairs. A gadget freak and social media enthusiast, he also keenly follows the latest trends in digital marketing.