Social Celebrities - Neal Bowden

Being a radio presenter at Merge 104.8 Neal is already a celebrity. He’s been providing great entertainment to all fans and listeners since coming on board, definitely a great addition to the team. You might think it’s an easy job but constantly finding new content to keep people with different background and cultures happy is not easy task. 

Here is what Neal shared with us:

I've been in Oman for just under 2 years. Originally from the UK, I’m no stranger to the region having spent 11 years in the Middle East.

I work in the media and worked in radio since leaving school. In this region I have set up a launched a couple of English radio stations in Egypt and Dubai from scratch, as well as trying my hands in South East Asia, consulting for a radio station in Phuket, Thaialnd.

Current place of work?

Head of Music for Merge 104.8

How did your passion for social media started?

I saw the potential of Facebook back in 2007 and have seen it grow from something quite small to the monster that it is today (in a good way!). At first I found it a great way to stay in contact with friends and family located all over the world and reconnect with those I had lost contact with over the years. Now I find it a great way to get closer to the brands I use on a regular basis.

Have you ever thought it could become your 'real' job?

Keeping on top of Social Media often feels like a full time job! As pages grow and brands expand we are always learning as we go along. Even though Facebook and Twitter have been around for a number of years I think we are all still finding our feet with social media and discovering new ways to make it even more powerful. Social media is here to stay.

What's your favourite platform?

Facebook and Twitter. Instagram I’m a little late to the party with - but I’m starting to see the potential!

What's the biggest challenge you had to face?

Staying on top of it can be a challenge at times. We depend on social media so much now that people want instant gratification. If I’m not active for 5 or 6 days people start asking if I’m OK because they haven’t seen me online! Professionally we also have to be seen to respond to queries in a quick and professional manner which can be a challenge at times. There’s nothing worse than a client or listener being ignored after they have taken the time to get in contact.

And the biggest satisfaction?

Seeing people react to various postings. Knowing how to get people talking and reacting to something is quite a skill I believe, but once you have figured it out it’s not that difficult. It still amazes me when people react to even the simplest of things!

How many hours a day do you spend on social media?

Gosh – several hours every day. For work I’m checking it many, many times a day. My own personal platforms a couple of times when time permits.

Who's the person you read/follow the most online?

I’m not a big follower of celebrities or showbiz gossip – I can get that elsewhere from other sources if I want it. Rihanna’s latest dress or what colour fingernail polish she is using today doesn't interest me in the slightest!

The people I really look forward to seeing in my feed are friends back home especially when new photos of the family have been uploaded. My Mum recently came back from safari in South Africa and I couldn't wait to see the pictures!

If you were not into social media, what would you be doing?

Tough question! Probably trying to figure out what all the fuss is about!

Great work Neal, thanks for the time and keep up the good work!

Check previous social media Celebrities in Oman:  Nicole Bassit, Riyadh Al-Balushi, Rasha Al Madani, Fahmi Al Ma'Awali and Al Sayyida Mayya.