tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13034285618003533872024-03-16T03:10:52.182+02:00Mind SoupBlowing your mind away!Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.comBlogger744125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-144870053835741532023-08-08T17:57:00.000+03:002023-08-08T17:57:16.662+03:00The Viral Formula: Decoding the Psychology Behind Content Sharing<p>The art of sharing has taken on a
whole new dimension in today's digital age. With the rise of social media and content-driven
platforms, sharing has become an integral part of our online behavior. From heartwarming
videos and inspiring stories to hilarious memes and thought-provoking articles,
the content we encounter every day is ripe for sharing. As marketers,
understanding the psychology behind why people share content is crucial for
crafting successful viral marketing campaigns. In this blog post,
we'll delve deep into the intricacies of content sharing and explore the
psychological triggers that drive people to hit that "Share" button.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlXoYP1lHNp8Iw7NkdrhUfFQVvznBtpNBQkjrYap3_A_Yz8meLV6jkkwCqQSK0BX8WyKi0T6I2SzPCJEb22EQfMjJvf6kfjW1CH46BO7UaGR8EDv-_URWAreA6EWygjksUcpF4Z5lY_foYfMib-XrU1UCM6YMHjW3CI6q2OlJuVeihloYpgFp86UOKL0/s1024/friends-holding-up-thought-bubbles-with-social-med-2022-12-16-00-01-59-utc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1024" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlXoYP1lHNp8Iw7NkdrhUfFQVvznBtpNBQkjrYap3_A_Yz8meLV6jkkwCqQSK0BX8WyKi0T6I2SzPCJEb22EQfMjJvf6kfjW1CH46BO7UaGR8EDv-_URWAreA6EWygjksUcpF4Z5lY_foYfMib-XrU1UCM6YMHjW3CI6q2OlJuVeihloYpgFp86UOKL0/w640-h392/friends-holding-up-thought-bubbles-with-social-med-2022-12-16-00-01-59-utc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">I. The Desire for Connection</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the core of human nature lies the fundamental need for
social interaction and connection. Social media platforms have become virtual
meeting grounds where people gather to interact, share experiences, and express
themselves. The act of sharing content allows individuals to forge and maintain
relationships with friends, family, and even strangers with similar interests.
Whether it's posting photos of a vacation, sharing an inspirational quote, or
participating in trending challenges, content sharing is a means of reinforcing
identity and belonging in an increasingly interconnected world.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">The Need for Social Interaction: Understanding the
Importance of Connection</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Humans are inherently social beings, and the need for
connection is deeply rooted in our evolutionary history. As we've transitioned
into the digital era, social media has become an extension of our natural
inclination for social interaction. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram serve as virtual spaces where people can share their experiences,
thoughts, and emotions with others.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Building and Maintaining Relationships Online: Nurturing
Virtual Bonds</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Social media has revolutionized how we build and maintain
relationships. Through content sharing, individuals can keep in touch with
friends and family across the globe, strengthening bonds that might otherwise
fade due to geographical distances. Virtual interactions allow for constant
updates and engagement, making it easier to stay connected with loved ones.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Reinforcing Identity and Belonging: Sharing to Affirm Who We
Are</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Content sharing is also a tool for individuals to affirm
their identities and showcase their interests and passions. By sharing content
aligned with their values, beliefs, and hobbies, people can establish a sense
of belonging within specific online communities and find like-minded
individuals who resonate with their content.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">II. Emotional Triggers</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Emotions play a pivotal role in our decision-making
processes, and sharing content is no exception. People are more likely to share
content that evokes strong emotions such as joy, happiness, and amusement.
Conversely, emotionally resonant content that elicits empathy and compassion also
holds significant shareability. Furthermore, creating content that surprises
and inspires awe in the audience can ignite a desire to share the experience
with others.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Eliciting Positive Emotions: The Power of Joy, Happiness,
and Amusement</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Content that brings a smile to our faces or evokes a burst
of laughter is highly shareable. Whether it's a heartwarming animal video or a
funny meme, positive emotions create a feel-good factor that people want to
spread to their social circles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Evoking Empathy and Compassion: The Impact of Emotional
Resonance</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Content that stirs empathy and compassion strikes a chord
with people's emotions. When we see stories of overcoming adversity, acts of
kindness, or expressions of vulnerability, we feel compelled to share them to inspire
others and foster a sense of emotional connection.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Creating Surprising and Awe-Inspiring Moments: The
Shareability of Unexpected Content</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unexpected and awe-inspiring content grabs attention and
leaves a lasting impression. Whether it's a breathtaking travel photograph or a
mind-boggling scientific discovery, the element of surprise triggers a desire
to share the experience with others, sparking conversations and discussions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">III. Social Currency</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the digital realm, social status and reputation have
transformed into social currency. Sharing content that enhances one's status or
reputation can be a significant motivator for individuals seeking validation
from their peers. Additionally, sharing knowledge and expertise can elevate
one's social standing, making information a valuable form of social currency.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Enhancing Status and Reputation Through Sharing: The
Boastful Share</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the age of social media, status and reputation are
intrinsically linked to the content we share. When we share content that reflects
positively on us or aligns with our desired self-image, we seek approval and
validation from our online peers, effectively enhancing our social standing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Sharing to Educate and Inform: Knowledge as Currency</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sharing valuable information and insights positions
individuals as thought leaders within their social networks. Whether it's
sharing industry-specific knowledge or providing useful tips and tricks, people
seek to establish themselves as experts in their respective fields, thus
increasing their social currency.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">IV. The Fear Factor: FOMO and Security</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a powerful psychological
trigger that drives people to share content. The fear of being left out and not
being in the loop can spur individuals to share content to be part of the
conversation. Additionally, sharing content that warns and protects others from
potential risks or dangers is an act of social responsibility.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Its Influence on Sharing
Behavior</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FOMO is the fear that others are having exciting experiences
or opportunities that we are missing out on. In the context of content sharing,
FOMO drives individuals to share experiences or information to be part of a
shared moment, conversation, or trend, thus mitigating the anxiety of being
left out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Sharing as a Coping Mechanism: Finding Security in Numbers</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During times of uncertainty or crisis, sharing content
becomes a coping mechanism to seek solace and reassurance from others. In times
of distress or uncertainty, people turn to social media to share their
experiences and emotions, finding security in the shared understanding and
support from their virtual communities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Sharing to Warn and Protect Others: Spreading Safety and
Awareness</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sharing content that raises awareness about potential risks
or dangers reflects an individual's sense of responsibility towards their
online peers. When faced with situations that could impact others' safety,
individuals are motivated to share information to protect their community.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">V. Self-Expression and Validation</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">In an era where individuality is celebrated, content sharing
becomes a medium for self-expression. People share content to curate and
project their personal identities, seeking validation and affirmation from
their peers. Advocacy-driven sharing, where individuals stand up for causes and
beliefs, further adds to the complexity of the psychology of sharing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Personal Identity and Digital Presence: Crafting the Online
Persona</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Social media platforms offer individuals an opportunity to
curate their online personas, allowing them to showcase their unique traits,
passions, and interests. Through content sharing, people can express their
personality and values, which, in turn, shape their digital identities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Seeking Validation and Affirmation from Peers: The
Approval-Seeking Share</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The desire for validation and affirmation from others drives
people to share content that aligns with their self-image and perceived social
identity. The act of sharing content and receiving positive feedback in the
form of likes, comments, and shares reinforces a person's sense of worth and
acceptance within their social circles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Empowerment Through Advocacy: Sharing Beliefs and Causes</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Content sharing as a form of advocacy allows individuals to
use their social influence to raise awareness and drive change on social and
environmental issues. By sharing content that aligns with their beliefs and
causes, individuals become empowered to make a positive impact within their
networks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">VI. Practical Tips for Creating Shareable Content</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4NzbvfacdWJlh_JnBpXCbAzRxx8a_mq0TchcPXo_2UxnqL30Nv6fLunhzw5TnNZvZaCTaAchhqlm-plyKPRSTFy7_2aO_u8hbkosYMTBJYukVh9ClnHY_WT1h36gdO9TM9V1sLy4zw6zXIOwD07GuVgC79VwICXs2G1U3_-ST2WQM9mWB4U12DyucS0/s1024/finger-pressing-keyboard-label-viral-2023-07-24-23-41-22-utc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4NzbvfacdWJlh_JnBpXCbAzRxx8a_mq0TchcPXo_2UxnqL30Nv6fLunhzw5TnNZvZaCTaAchhqlm-plyKPRSTFy7_2aO_u8hbkosYMTBJYukVh9ClnHY_WT1h36gdO9TM9V1sLy4zw6zXIOwD07GuVgC79VwICXs2G1U3_-ST2WQM9mWB4U12DyucS0/w640-h426/finger-pressing-keyboard-label-viral-2023-07-24-23-41-22-utc.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Understanding the psychological factors that drive content
sharing is essential, but putting that knowledge into action is equally crucial
for marketers. This section will provide practical tips for creating content
with high shareability. Topics covered will include crafting narratives that
connect through storytelling and emotional appeal, leveraging user-generated
content for authenticity, creating attention-grabbing headlines, integrating
shareable visual assets like images and videos, and the importance of timing
and relevance in real-time marketing.</div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Storytelling and Emotional Appeal: Crafting Narratives That
Connect</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Storytelling has been an integral part of human
communication since time immemorial. In the digital age, crafting narratives
that resonate emotionally with the audience can significantly increase the
likelihood of content sharing. By tapping into universal themes and human
experiences, storytelling fosters a sense of relatability and shared values,
prompting people to pass on the message.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC): The Power of
Authenticity</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">User-generated content (UGC) is content created by
individuals rather than brands, and it holds significant potential for
virality. UGC feels more authentic and relatable to audiences, as it reflects
genuine experiences and emotions. Brands can encourage and amplify UGC to
enhance their social presence and create a community-driven sharing culture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Crafting Attention-Grabbing Headlines: The Art of
Click-Worthy Content</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In today's content-saturated landscape, headlines serve as
gatekeepers that determine whether an audience engages with a piece of content
or not. Crafting attention-grabbing and click-worthy headlines is an art that
involves understanding audience preferences, incorporating emotional triggers,
and optimizing for search engines. By creating headlines that spark curiosity
or tap into emotional responses, marketers can increase the likelihood of
content sharing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Integrating Visual Content: Images and Videos as Shareable
Assets</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Visual content is inherently shareable due to its engaging
and easily digestible nature. Images, videos, and infographics have the power
to convey complex messages and emotions within seconds, making them ideal for
content sharing across social media platforms. Brands can leverage visual
storytelling to evoke emotions, inspire action, and encourage audiences to
share content with their networks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Timing and Relevance: The Importance of Real-Time Marketing</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the fast-paced world of social media, timing and relevance
are critical factors in driving content sharing. Real-time marketing involves
capitalizing on current events, trends, or viral moments to create timely and
relatable content that resonates with audiences. By staying agile and attuned
to what's happening in the world, brands can tap into the collective
consciousness and increase the likelihood of content going viral.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The psychology of sharing delves into the intricacies of
human behavior and reveals the motivations behind the act of content sharing.
Understanding these psychological triggers empowers marketers to create
compelling and shareable content that resonates with their target audience. By
tapping into the desire for connection, emotional triggers, social currency,
the fear factor, self-expression, and validation, marketers can craft content
that inspires sharing and drives their campaigns to go viral. Embracing a
strategic approach to content sharing will undoubtedly shape the future of
digital marketing and propel brands to new heights in the competitive digital
landscape. As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of content
sharing, the power of understanding human psychology will remain a cornerstone
of successful marketing strategies. By leveraging these psychological insights,
marketers can not only create viral campaigns but also forge deeper connections
with their audiences, fostering brand loyalty and long-term success.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0Berlin, Germany52.520006599999988 13.4049545.1380333384657746 -127.22004599999997 90 154.02995399999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-62145133236859127392023-07-19T14:41:00.003+03:002023-07-19T14:44:40.262+03:00Captivating Audiences: How Small and Medium Businesses Can Shine with Influencer Relations<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEdBRlGTPDOVayUDLpd00tHJW6Edo7lVtStBZoiQ3XpMv18gM7sI3P6jAT7qU0tR94frZK6k0xZE2nGPZoyxYDXQOWbMJC4hiVwHO8BiuGIP3BGhuvDc9JuxSECt2aJuc2NCN1Xh15_x32Q4htwPM2lmJGS-5bSS4rdp_ZeDQqlNatZsFOQ2vlBGjnJE/s1024/woman-influencer-selling-clothes-online-2022-12-16-09-57-56-utc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEdBRlGTPDOVayUDLpd00tHJW6Edo7lVtStBZoiQ3XpMv18gM7sI3P6jAT7qU0tR94frZK6k0xZE2nGPZoyxYDXQOWbMJC4hiVwHO8BiuGIP3BGhuvDc9JuxSECt2aJuc2NCN1Xh15_x32Q4htwPM2lmJGS-5bSS4rdp_ZeDQqlNatZsFOQ2vlBGjnJE/w640-h426/woman-influencer-selling-clothes-online-2022-12-16-09-57-56-utc.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Influencer marketing has become a game-changer, driving successful marketing campaigns like never before. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have realized the immense potential of influencer relations as a cost-effective and powerful means to connect with their target audience. Unlike traditional advertising, influencer marketing harnesses the credibility and reach of influential individuals, creating authentic promotion of products and services. For SMBs aiming to stand out in a competitive market, mastering the art of influencer relations has become a vital component of their marketing arsenal.</p><p>Influencer relations involve building collaborative partnerships with authoritative figures within specific niches. These influencers hold sway over a devoted and engaged audience, making their recommendations and endorsements highly valuable. The success of influencer relations lies in strategic selection—targeting influencers whose values, interests, and content seamlessly align with the brand's message. In this context, micro-influencers—those with smaller yet more loyal and niche-specific followings—can be particularly effective for SMBs, as they often foster a more profound connection with their audience and are more approachable for collaborations.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Setting Objectives and Goals</h2><p>The foundation of any successful influencer relations strategy lies in setting clear objectives and goals. Before engaging with influencers, SMBs must outline their aspirations and what they hope to achieve through these partnerships. Objectives may include boosting brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, increasing sales, or fostering a loyal community of brand advocates. Defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals is vital for tracking progress and evaluating the effectiveness of the campaigns.</p><p>Furthermore, comprehending the target audience and desired outcomes helps identify the most suitable influencers for the brand. The selection of influencers should align with the brand's values and resonate with the intended demographic. For instance, a fitness apparel company might seek collaborations with fitness influencers who embody an active lifestyle and inspire their followers to adopt healthier habits. By setting precise goals and aligning them with the right influencers, SMBs can ensure that their influencer relations strategy is targeted and effective.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Research and Selection</h2><p>The triumph of any influencer marketing campaign hinges on meticulous research and thoughtful selection of influencers. Before reaching out to potential collaborators, it is imperative to invest time in understanding the influencer's content, tone, and level of audience engagement. Delving into their previous collaborations can reveal valuable insights into their professionalism and the types of brands they endorse. Analyzing an influencer's audience demographics, engagement rates, and authenticity enables SMBs to make well-informed decisions and identify the best fit for their brand.</p><p>Authenticity should be at the forefront of the selection process. An influencer's genuine passion for the brand's products or services will shine through in their content, resonating with their followers in a way that paid endorsements cannot replicate. It's important to remember that the size of an influencer's following is not the sole metric to consider. Micro-influencers with fewer followers often boast higher engagement rates and can offer a more personalized approach to promoting the brand. Building relationships with influencers should be seen as a long-term investment, fostering a rapport that goes beyond a single campaign, and creating a sense of mutual trust and loyalty. Engaging with influencers organically through social media interactions or sharing their content can be a powerful way to lay the groundwork for future collaborations.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Crafting an Authentic Brand Story</h2><p>Amidst the sea of marketing messages, authenticity acts as the lifeboat that keeps brands afloat. To stand out from the crowd, SMBs must craft an authentic brand story that strikes a chord with their target audience. The heart of any successful influencer relations campaign lies in a brand narrative that is not only unique but also resonates with the influencer and their followers.</p><p>Unearthing the brand's unique selling proposition (USP) involves identifying what sets it apart from its competitors. Whether it's a commitment to sustainability, a dedication to quality craftsmanship, or a socially conscious mission, the USP becomes the backbone of the brand's story. This distinctiveness attracts influencers who share a genuine passion for the brand's values and offerings.</p><p>Once the brand's narrative is defined, it's crucial to ensure alignment with potential influencers. Researching and understanding an influencer's content, values, and supported causes are vital steps. Collaborating with influencers who genuinely connect with the brand's story creates an authentic and powerful resonance with their audience. When influencers become advocates for the brand, their recommendations carry more weight, leading to increased trust and loyalty among their followers.</p><p>Effective communication of the brand story is paramount in influencer relations. Working closely with influencers to develop creative content that stays true to the brand's identity while allowing for the infusion of the influencer's unique voice results in compelling narratives that captivate audiences and drive meaningful results.</p><p>With a strong brand story and the right influencers to bring it to life, SMBs are poised to make a lasting impact in the world of influencer marketing.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Developing a Win-Win Partnership</h2><p>Influencer marketing revolves around building meaningful relationships, and this begins with creating win-win partnerships. Successful collaborations are rooted in mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision for the campaign's success. For SMBs, developing these partnerships opens doors to new audiences, increases brand credibility, and drives sales. Here are some essential steps to cultivate win-win partnerships with influencers:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Understand Each Other's Goals:</b> Before diving into a collaboration, take the time to understand each other's goals and expectations. Aligning your objectives ensures that both the brand and the influencer work towards a common vision.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Provide Value to Influencers:</b> Offer influencers something valuable beyond monetary compensation. This could include exclusive access to new products, behind-the-scenes experiences, or an opportunity to contribute to the brand's content strategy.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Customized Collaboration: </b>Avoid one-size-fits-all approaches. Tailor the collaboration to the influencer's style and audience preferences. Give them creative freedom to produce content that aligns with their authentic voice while staying true to the brand's message.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Transparent Communication:</b> Establish clear communication channels and maintain transparency throughout the partnership. Address any concerns promptly and be open to feedback from the influencer.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Long-Term Relationships:</b> Nurture relationships beyond a single campaign. Building a long-term partnership can lead to more authentic endorsements and greater brand loyalty.</li></ol><p></p><p>By fostering win-win partnerships, SMBs can unlock the full potential of influencer marketing and elevate their brand's reach and reputation.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Integrating Influencers into Your Marketing Strategy</h2><p>For maximum impact, influencer marketing should be seamlessly integrated into the overall marketing strategy. Influencers can play a pivotal role in achieving various business objectives, from product launches to seasonal promotions. Here's how to effectively integrate influencers into the marketing strategy:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Define Your Objectives:</b> Understand how influencer marketing aligns with broader marketing objectives. Determine whether you aim to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or engage with a new audience.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Identify Key Touchpoints:</b> Pinpoint the key touchpoints throughout the customer journey where influencers can make the most significant impact. This could include unboxing experiences, tutorials, or product reviews.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Leverage Different Platforms:</b> Utilize a mix of social media platforms, blogs, YouTube, and other channels where your target audience is most active. Tailor the content to suit each platform while maintaining consistency in messaging.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Plan Coordinated Campaigns:</b> Integrate influencer campaigns with other marketing initiatives for maximum synergy. Ensure that influencers are aware of the overall marketing calendar to align their content accordingly.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Measure and Optimize:</b> Utilize tracking tools and analytics to measure the effectiveness of influencer marketing efforts. Identify what resonates best with the audience and use these insights to optimize future campaigns.</li></ol><p></p><p>By integrating influencers into the marketing strategy, SMBs can amplify their brand's message and strengthen their position in the market. By identifying key touchpoints and coordinating campaigns across multiple channels, SMBs can create a cohesive and impactful marketing ecosystem that drives tangible results.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Authenticity and Transparency</h2><p>In the digital age, consumers value authenticity and transparency more than ever before. Influencer marketing provides an opportunity for SMBs to build trust and credibility with their audience through genuine and transparent collaborations. Here's how authenticity and transparency play a crucial role in influencer relations:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Genuine Recommendations:</b> Encourage influencers to share authentic experiences with your products or services. When influencers genuinely believe in your brand, their recommendations come across as honest and relatable to their followers.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Disclose Sponsored Content:</b> Transparency is essential to maintain credibility with the audience and adhere to FTC guidelines if you're in the US, or the local guidelines in your country. Ensure that influencers clearly disclose sponsored content, signifying that their opinions are unbiased.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Promote Ethical Practices:</b> Foster an environment of ethical influencer marketing. Avoid engaging in practices like buying fake followers or dishonestly promoting products to preserve the brand's integrity.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Long-Term Relationships:</b> Building long-term relationships with influencers cultivates authenticity. Continuity in collaborations shows that influencers genuinely support the brand, and their endorsements are not just one-off promotions.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Listen to Your Audience:</b> Pay attention to the audience's feedback and preferences. Tailor influencer campaigns to reflect their interests and concerns, ensuring that the content is relevant and engaging.</li></ol><p></p><p>By prioritizing authenticity and transparency, SMBs can forge deeper connections with their audience, foster brand loyalty, and stand out amidst the noise of the digital landscape.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Compliance and Legal Considerations</h2><p>In the dynamic world of influencer marketing, adhering to compliance and legal guidelines is crucial to safeguarding the brand's reputation and maintaining trust with the audience. Here are some key considerations to ensure compliance in the influencer relations strategy:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Government Guidelines:</b> Familiarize yourself with the influencer guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) if you're in the US, or your local laws. Ensure influencers clearly disclose their relationship with your brand when promoting sponsored content.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Intellectual Property Rights:</b> Respect the intellectual property rights of both influencers and the brand. Obtain proper permissions for using influencers' content and protect the brand's assets.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Image Rights and Consents:</b> Obtain appropriate consents from individuals featured in influencer content. This is especially important when featuring user-generated content (UGC).<br /><br /></li><li><b>Content Review and Approval:</b> Review and approve influencer content before publication to ensure it aligns with the brand's message and meets compliance standards.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Contracts and Agreements:</b> Create clear contracts and agreements with influencers outlining the campaign details, deliverables, compensation, and any exclusivity clauses.</li></ol><p></p><p>By staying informed and incorporating compliance into the influencer relations strategy, SMBs can mitigate legal risks and ensure ethical practices that foster a positive brand image.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNiJTJfxAIP-hixkDD26gqBYWoBtnYN88DIDiC_gqZEM24w-lTZJq4ERSB8EIPlI2v8bs55ldfxUT9hG-CWwGT4CN8qJXvsPPQdceFlJOaic_wPuIdQpZPqppLG3n3tTiycXytdPuhzlkDBQsWomAQcCiNTt3i8qd2Vqp2IjCQIMVshGtDf07G3nDJzA/s1024/arab-male-influencer-filming-video-review-of-conte-2022-12-16-07-05-18-utc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="1024" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNiJTJfxAIP-hixkDD26gqBYWoBtnYN88DIDiC_gqZEM24w-lTZJq4ERSB8EIPlI2v8bs55ldfxUT9hG-CWwGT4CN8qJXvsPPQdceFlJOaic_wPuIdQpZPqppLG3n3tTiycXytdPuhzlkDBQsWomAQcCiNTt3i8qd2Vqp2IjCQIMVshGtDf07G3nDJzA/w640-h432/arab-male-influencer-filming-video-review-of-conte-2022-12-16-07-05-18-utc.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Leveraging User-Generated Content (UGC)</h2><p>User-generated content (UGC) is a potent asset in influencer marketing, enabling SMBs to tap into the creativity and authenticity of their customers. UGC not only amplifies the brand's message but also fosters a sense of community and inclusivity among the audience. Here's how to effectively leverage UGC through influencer relations:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Encourage User Engagement:</b> Encourage users to share their experiences with the brand through creative challenges, contests, or branded hashtags. Engaging campaigns generate more UGC that can be shared by influencers.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Amplify UGC through Influencers:</b> Leverage influencers to promote and share UGC on their platforms. Influencers can curate and showcase the best UGC, further extending its reach and impact.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Showcase Real Customers:</b> Highlight real customers and their stories through influencer collaborations. Authentic stories create a stronger emotional connection with the audience.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Reward User Contributors:</b> Recognize and reward users whose UGC is featured in influencer campaigns. This fosters a sense of appreciation and encourages more users to engage and share their content.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Continuity and Consistency:</b> Embrace UGC as an ongoing strategy. Continuously encourage user participation and incorporate UGC into the overall content strategy.</li></ol><p></p><p>By integrating UGC into the influencer marketing efforts, SMBs can create a dynamic, user-driven community that strengthens brand loyalty and fosters a sense of ownership among the audience.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tracking and Measuring Performance</h2><p>Data-driven insights form the foundation of a successful influencer marketing strategy. By diligently tracking and measuring performance, SMBs can make informed decisions, optimize campaigns, and drive meaningful results. Here's how to effectively track and measure the impact of influencer relations:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Determine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):</b> Identify the KPIs that align with the campaign objectives. Metrics such as engagement rates, reach, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates can provide valuable insights.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Utilize Analytics and Tracking Tools:</b> Leverage social media analytics and tracking tools to monitor influencer performance. Platforms like Google Analytics and influencer marketing software can offer comprehensive data.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Compare Performance Across Influencers:</b> Compare the performance of different influencers to identify who drives the most impact. Use this information to optimize future collaborations and focus on influencers with higher ROI.<br /><br /></li><li><b>A/B Testing: </b>Conduct A/B testing to determine which content formats and messaging resonate best with the audience. Use the insights to refine future campaigns.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Post-Campaign Analysis:</b> Conduct a comprehensive post-campaign analysis to evaluate the overall impact of influencer marketing on the business objectives. Learn from successes and failures to continuously improve the strategy.</li></ol><p></p><p>By making data-driven decisions, SMBs can maximize the return on investment (ROI) of their influencer marketing efforts and tailor future campaigns for even greater success.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h2><p>In conclusion, mastering the art of influencer relations has proven to be a game-changing strategy for small and medium-sized businesses seeking to make their mark in the digital landscape. The case studies presented above showcase the immense potential of influencer marketing in driving tangible results and achieving business objectives. By strategically selecting influencers who align with their brand's values and target audience, SMBs can leverage the influencers' authenticity and reach to create genuine connections with consumers.</p><p>The success of influencer relations campaigns lies in the power of authenticity and transparency. Genuine recommendations and personal experiences shared by influencers resonate with audiences, fostering trust and credibility. When influencers become advocates for a brand, their recommendations carry more weight, leading to increased brand loyalty and customer engagement. The importance of ethical practices, compliance with guidelines, and transparent disclosures cannot be overstated in maintaining the integrity of influencer relations campaigns.</p><p>Moreover, integrating influencer marketing seamlessly into the overall marketing strategy amplifies the brand's message and enhances its impact. By identifying key touchpoints and coordinating campaigns across multiple platforms, SMBs can create a cohesive and powerful marketing ecosystem. The use of user-generated content (UGC) through influencer collaborations further reinforces brand authenticity, encouraging a sense of community and inclusivity among the audience. Data-driven decision-making, tracking and measuring performance, and continuous optimization are essential for maximizing the return on investment (ROI) of influencer relations efforts.</p><p>Influencer marketing is not merely a passing trend but a sustainable and powerful tool for SMBs to gain a competitive edge in the digital age. By embracing the nuances of influencer relations and nurturing genuine partnerships, small and medium-sized businesses can elevate their brand visibility, forge lasting connections with their target audience, and achieve significant business growth. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses that prioritize influencer marketing as an integral part of their marketing strategy will be better positioned to thrive and succeed in a competitive market. So, seize the opportunities that influencer marketing presents, and let your brand's story unfold authentically and impactfully in the ever-expanding world of digital marketing.</p><p></p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0London51.435613200000013 -0.005597448.70107401897269 -4.40012865 54.170152381027336 4.38893385tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-38834477908130448432023-06-15T15:03:00.000+03:002023-06-15T15:03:36.262+03:00The Psychology Behind Customer Behavior: Unleashing Sales Success Like a Pro!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBqmzS4ug4ccxGXHN7I-OUbsRAGVga8-7J9vBypkBOzavGW2avt3tHhchDMR9QqjIMY3n49d4Dr2W8rViBpMObtZrp9UIZambLx-WMLn-Zk5SOA1Q4XR-vi4_BgP5oBrwNkbDuZDBpMv6xlgrHqpnYZtnA4lJj2rcvgWKXAHwaNS2pGwTL5Fy40vp/s6701/couple-consumer-holding-credit-card-and-laptop-buy-2022-11-17-10-05-17-utc-min.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4386" data-original-width="6701" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBqmzS4ug4ccxGXHN7I-OUbsRAGVga8-7J9vBypkBOzavGW2avt3tHhchDMR9QqjIMY3n49d4Dr2W8rViBpMObtZrp9UIZambLx-WMLn-Zk5SOA1Q4XR-vi4_BgP5oBrwNkbDuZDBpMv6xlgrHqpnYZtnA4lJj2rcvgWKXAHwaNS2pGwTL5Fy40vp/w640-h418/couple-consumer-holding-credit-card-and-laptop-buy-2022-11-17-10-05-17-utc-min.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>In today's ever-evolving marketing landscape, understanding consumer behavior is paramount for businesses seeking to achieve sales success. Consumer psychology offers a fascinating insight into the complex factors that drive individuals to make purchasing decisions. It delves into the why behind consumer choices, exploring the influences that shape their preferences and the strategies that can be employed to leverage this knowledge for increased sales. In this essay, we will embark on a journey through the captivating realm of consumer psychology, unraveling its mysteries and uncovering strategies that empower businesses to connect with customers on a deeper level, drive conversions, and achieve remarkable sales growth.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">I. The Foundations of Consumer Psychology</h2><p>To truly comprehend consumer behavior, we must first dive into the foundational aspects of consumer psychology. Humans possess a remarkable mind that is influenced by various factors, including perception, emotions, and cognition. These elements significantly impact the decisions consumers make when it comes to purchasing products or services.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Mind-Body Connection: Unveiling the Role of Perception</h3><p>Perception acts as a lens through which individuals interpret the world around them. It encompasses how we gather, organize, and interpret sensory information, shaping our understanding of reality. In the realm of marketing, perception plays a vital role. Businesses can utilize sensory cues, packaging, colors, and branding to shape consumers' perceptions and create positive associations with their offerings. By understanding how these elements influence consumer perception, businesses can craft experiences that captivate the senses and enhance the appeal of their products or services.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Power of Emotions: Tapping into the Emotional Landscape</h3><p>Emotions are a driving force in human decision-making. They evoke deep feelings and influence our choices, often on a subconscious level. In the realm of consumer psychology, understanding and harnessing the power of emotions is paramount. Marketers can create emotional connections with consumers through compelling storytelling, authentic brand narratives, and evocative imagery. By tapping into consumers' emotional needs, businesses can tailor their marketing campaigns to resonate deeply, forging lasting connections that transcend mere transactions.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">II. The Influences on Consumer Decision-Making</h2><p>Consumer decision-making is a complex interplay of internal and external influences. By unraveling these influences, marketers can tailor their strategies to align with consumer preferences and increase the likelihood of sales conversions.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Social Proof: Harnessing the Power of Social Influence</h3><p>Humans are inherently social beings, and the opinions and actions of others hold significant sway over our own behavior. This phenomenon, known as social proof, plays a pivotal role in consumer decision-making. Marketers can leverage social proof by incorporating testimonials, reviews, and social media influencers into their marketing efforts. By showcasing positive feedback and highlighting the experiences of satisfied customers, businesses can tap into the power of social influence, building trust, credibility, and social validation that ultimately leads to increased sales.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Cognitive Biases: Navigating the Maze of Mental Shortcuts</h3><p>The human mind is a remarkable, yet sometimes flawed, thinking machine. Cognitive biases are inherent mental shortcuts that individuals rely on when making decisions. These biases can significantly impact consumer behavior and influence purchase decisions. Marketers can navigate this maze of cognitive biases by understanding common patterns such as anchoring, loss aversion, or confirmation bias. Armed with this knowledge, they can tailor their messaging and strategies to align with these cognitive shortcuts, creating persuasive and compelling marketing campaigns that resonate with consumers on a subconscious level.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">III. The Art of Persuasion and Influence</h2><p>Persuasion is an essential skill in marketing. It involves understanding the intricacies of human psychology and employing strategies that effectively influence consumer behavior, ultimately driving sales.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Principle of Reciprocity: Giving to Receive</h3><p>Reciprocity is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. When someone receives something, they often feel compelled to give something in return. Marketers can leverage this principle by offering giveaways, freebies, or valuable resources to customers. By providing value upfront, businesses create a sense of reciprocity, encouraging customers to reciprocate by making a purchase or taking a desired action. This approach fosters goodwill, strengthens relationships, and increases the likelihood of sales conversions.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Scarcity Effect: Creating Urgency and FOMO</h3><p>The scarcity effect taps into consumers' fear of missing out (FOMO) and creates a sense of urgency. By highlighting limited quantities, limited-time offers, or exclusive access to products or services, businesses can create a sense of scarcity and increase the perceived value of their offerings. This, in turn, stimulates demand and accelerates purchasing decisions. However, it is crucial to employ this strategy responsibly, ensuring transparency and authenticity to maintain trust with customers.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Power of Social Influence: Influencers and Word-of-Mouth Marketing</h3><p>Humans are influenced by the actions and opinions of others, seeking guidance and validation from those around them. Marketers can tap into this innate desire for social connection by leveraging influencers and facilitating positive word-of-mouth marketing. By building relationships with relevant influencers in the industry and encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences, businesses can harness the power of social influence, amplifying their brand message and generating buzz. These authentic connections foster trust, enhance brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales growth.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">IV. Personalization and Customer-Centric Approaches</h2><p>In today's era of hyper-connectivity and information overload, personalization has emerged as a key driver of consumer satisfaction and loyalty. By tailoring experiences to individual needs and preferences, businesses can create meaningful connections with their customers.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Individual Touch: Tailoring Experiences to Individual Needs</h3><p>Consumers crave personalized experiences that resonate with their unique identities and desires. By leveraging customer data and employing advanced analytics, businesses can gain insights into their customers' preferences, behaviors, and demographics. This valuable information enables businesses to deliver targeted and customized experiences, recommendations, and offers that align with individual needs. By providing relevant and personalized content, businesses can enhance the relevance and effectiveness of their marketing efforts, leading to increased engagement, customer satisfaction, and conversions.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Building Trust and Credibility: The Foundation of Successful Relationships</h3><p>Trust and credibility are the bedrock of successful customer relationships. Consumers are more likely to engage with and purchase from brands they trust. Marketers can cultivate trust by practicing transparent communication, maintaining consistent branding, and delivering on promises. Exceptional customer service, prioritizing data security and privacy, and demonstrating social responsibility also play a crucial role in building trust and fostering long-term relationships. By prioritizing integrity and customer-centricity, businesses can create a solid foundation of trust that paves the way for sustained sales growth.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">V. Ethical Considerations in Consumer Psychology</h2><p>While consumer psychology offers powerful strategies for driving sales, it is essential to approach it with a strong ethical compass.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Responsible Marketing: Ethical Practices and Social Responsibility</h3><p>Responsible marketing practices prioritize transparency, honesty, and fairness in all marketing efforts. Marketers should ensure that their messaging is accurate, truthful, and free from deception. Additionally, businesses can incorporate social responsibility and sustainability into their marketing strategies, showcasing their commitment to making a positive impact on society and the environment. By aligning their marketing efforts with ethical principles, businesses can cultivate trust, build strong brand reputations, and establish meaningful connections with conscientious consumers.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Avoiding Manipulation: Striking the Balance between Influence and Integrity</h3>Marketers must tread carefully to avoid crossing the line between ethical persuasion and manipulative tactics. While the goal is to influence consumer behavior, it is crucial to maintain integrity and respect consumer autonomy. Empowering consumers with information, providing clear choices, and respecting their boundaries are essential aspects of ethical marketing. By promoting informed decision-making and respecting consumer autonomy, businesses can build trust, foster genuine connections, and cultivate long-term relationships based on authenticity and ethical practices.<p></p><p><span> </span><br /></p><p>Consumer psychology unravels the intricacies of human behavior, shedding light on the drivers that shape consumer choices. By harnessing the power of perception, emotions, social influence, and persuasive techniques, marketers can create compelling campaigns that resonate with consumers on a deep level. However, it is crucial to approach consumer psychology with an ethical mindset, prioritizing transparency, integrity, and customer-centricity. By embracing the principles of consumer psychology and aligning them with ethical practices, businesses can unlock the doors to sales success and propel themselves ahead in today's competitive marketplace. So, seize the opportunity, harness the psychology of consumer behavior, and witness the transformative impact on your sales growth. <br /></p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0Los Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.24368495.7420003638211554 -153.3999349 62.362468036178846 -83.0874349tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-45743436143374709332023-06-01T15:27:00.000+03:002023-06-01T15:27:20.093+03:00The Art of Connection: How Market Segmentation Drives Business Success<p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMs9R32C8TsJ4C-MDCQvueTH-tOzVveqg7fuRKTAz65xAdA4lyeKkQZ7yjVdGyqGppYDgdtScNKTgVdCA9iTvnWYMLs9uYLTXEPE_yY6FWwdFUcPGZm2XrmUxhYSDu_tUnptTTGO_NGcqbG-6Swqjg4soJUIC4gy9q4Oa7GJ8aBWcnzWtr13lf9mbA/s1920/market%20segmentation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1920" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMs9R32C8TsJ4C-MDCQvueTH-tOzVveqg7fuRKTAz65xAdA4lyeKkQZ7yjVdGyqGppYDgdtScNKTgVdCA9iTvnWYMLs9uYLTXEPE_yY6FWwdFUcPGZm2XrmUxhYSDu_tUnptTTGO_NGcqbG-6Swqjg4soJUIC4gy9q4Oa7GJ8aBWcnzWtr13lf9mbA/w640-h396/market%20segmentation.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, connecting with your target market is the key to entrepreneurial success. It's all about understanding who your customers are, what they want, and how you can meet their needs in a way that resonates with them. In this blog post, we'll dive into the fascinating world of market segmentation, targeting, and positioning, exploring how these concepts can help you create meaningful connections with your customers and drive your business forward.</span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Market Segmentation</span></h2><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Understanding your target market begins with market segmentation. This crucial step involves breaking down the larger market into smaller, more manageable groups with similar characteristics, preferences, and behaviors. By segmenting your market, you gain a deeper understanding of who your customers are and what makes them tick. In this section, we'll explore the importance of getting to know your audience, the various ways to slice the market pie, and the secrets of conducting effective market research.
</span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting to Know Your Audience</span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Market segmentation is like putting on a pair of special glasses that allows you to see your audience more clearly. It involves breaking down the larger market into smaller, more manageable groups with similar characteristics, preferences, and behaviors. By understanding the unique needs and desires of these segments, you can tailor your marketing efforts to speak directly to them.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Different Ways to Slice the Pie</span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are various ways to segment your market, and it's all about finding the right recipe for your business. You can look at factors like demographics (age, gender, income), geography (location, climate), psychographics (values, interests, attitudes), and behaviors (buying patterns, product usage). By combining these ingredients, you can create distinct customer segments that reflect the diversity of your market.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Unveiling the Secrets: Market Research</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To truly understand your target market segments, you need to roll up your sleeves and dig deep. Market research is the secret sauce that gives you valuable insights into who your customers are and what makes them tick. Surveys, interviews, and analyzing existing data can help you uncover hidden gems of information that will guide your segmentation strategy.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Targeting</span></span></h2><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you have segmented your market, the next step is targeting. Targeting involves selecting the specific segments on which to focus your marketing efforts. It's about choosing the bulls-eye that holds the most promise for your business. In this section, we'll delve into the art of choosing your target segments, creating vivid portraits of your ideal customers, and standing out from the crowd through strategic positioning.
</span></div></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Choosing Your Bulls-Eye</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you've identified your market segments, it's time to decide where to aim your efforts. You want to focus on the segments that hold the most promise for your business. Factors like segment size, growth potential, competition, and alignment with your offerings play a crucial role in selecting your target segments.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Creating Vivid Portraits</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Now that you have your target segments in sight, it's time to bring them to life. Picture your ideal customers—their aspirations, challenges, and motivations. Develop detailed profiles that capture the essence of each segment, like painting a portrait with words. These profiles will become your compass, guiding your marketing decisions and ensuring that your messages hit the mark.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Stand Out from the Crowd</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In a world brimming with choices, you need to find your unique spot in the hearts and minds of your customers. This is where positioning comes into play. It's about crafting a compelling and distinct image of your brand in the minds of your target market segments. Are you the luxury brand that offers impeccable quality, or the affordable option that doesn't compromise on value? Find your sweet spot and let it shine.
</span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Benefits and Challenges</span></span></h2><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Understanding your target market brings a multitude of benefits to your business. By tailoring your offerings and messages to the unique needs of your customers, you can create a deeper connection, boost customer satisfaction, and drive sales and profitability. However, navigating the path of market understanding is not without its challenges. Market dynamics change, customer preferences evolve, and there is a risk of over-segmentation. In this section, we'll explore the sweet taste of success that comes with understanding your target market, as well as strategies to overcome the roadblocks that may arise.
</span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sweet Taste of Success</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Understanding your target market unlocks a treasure trove of benefits. By tailoring your offerings and messages, you can create a deeper connection with your customers. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction, higher sales and profitability, and greater brand loyalty. It's like discovering a secret ingredient that sets your business apart from the rest.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Navigating the Roadblocks</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As with any great adventure, there are challenges to overcome. Markets change, customer preferences evolve, and there's always the risk of over-segmentation. But fear not! By staying agile, keeping your finger on the pulse, and staying true to your core values, you can navigate these challenges and emerge stronger than ever.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">4. Implementation Strategies</span></span></h2><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you have gained a solid understanding of your target market, it's time to implement strategies that will effectively connect with your ideal customers. In this section, we'll explore the power of authentic communication in building trust and rapport, the importance of personalization in creating memorable customer experiences, and the need for ongoing monitoring and adaptation to stay aligned with your target market's evolving needs.</span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Power of Authentic Communication</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To win the hearts of your target market segments, your messaging needs to resonate on a human level. It's all about being genuine, relatable, and engaging. Create a consistent voice across all your marketing channels, from social media to customer service. Speak to your customers as if you were sitting down for a cup of coffee—honest, friendly, and authentic.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Personal Touches that Make a Difference</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Make your customers feel special by personalizing their experiences. Tailor your offers, recommendations, and interactions based on their preferences and past behaviors. Embrace the power of technology to gather and utilize data in a way that feels personal and respectful, like a trusted friend who understands their needs.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Journey Never Ends</span></span></h3><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember, understanding your target market is an ongoing journey. Continuously monitor and evaluate your strategies, adapting as needed. Seek feedback from your customers and be open to their insights. Your target market is a dynamic entity, and staying attuned to their ever-changing needs will keep you ahead of the curve.
</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">5. Case Studies</span></span></h2><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In this section, we will explore a collection of compelling case studies that demonstrate the power of effective market segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies. These case studies shed light on how companies across various industries have leveraged these strategies to connect with their target markets, establish strong brand identities, and achieve remarkable success. From tech giants to beverage manufacturers, let's delve into the stories of Apple, Starbucks, Red Bull, Zara, GoPro, and Spotify to uncover the key insights and strategies behind their triumphs.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple: Segmentation for Differentiated Appeal</span></span></h3><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is renowned for its innovative products and has perfected the art of market segmentation. The company effectively targets different segments with tailored products and marketing strategies. For instance, Apple segments its market based on demographics, focusing on tech-savvy individuals who value design, simplicity, and high-quality user experience. By understanding the unique needs and desires of each segment, Apple has positioned itself as a premium brand that delivers superior technology and user-centric design. Their ability to cater to specific segments, such as professionals with the MacBook Pro and creatives with the iPad Pro, has contributed to their immense success.
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Starbucks: Creating a Coffee Culture</span></span></h3><p></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Starbucks is known for its expertise in market segmentation and targeted positioning. The company segments its market based on psychographics, targeting individuals who value quality coffee, a comfortable ambiance, and a sense of community. Starbucks has positioned itself as a premium coffee experience, focusing on offering a wide variety of high-quality beverages and providing a welcoming atmosphere for customers. By understanding the preferences and lifestyles of its target market, Starbucks has become synonymous with the coffee culture and successfully expanded its global presence.</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Red Bull: Energizing Extreme Sports Enthusiasts</span></span></h3><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Red Bull has become synonymous with extreme sports and high-energy lifestyles. Through effective market segmentation and targeting, Red Bull focuses on individuals who are adventurous, thrill-seeking, and active. The brand positions itself as a source of energy and excitement, sponsoring extreme sports events and athletes worldwide. By aligning its brand with the interests and passions of its target market, Red Bull has built a loyal following and established itself as a leader in the energy drink market.</span></span><div><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Zara: Fast Fashion for Trendsetters</span></h3><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Zara has excelled in market segmentation and positioning within the fashion industry. The company targets fashion-forward individuals who value affordable and trendy clothing. Zara's fast-fashion model allows it to quickly respond to emerging fashion trends and offer a constantly updated inventory. By positioning itself as a fashion destination that offers the latest styles at accessible prices, Zara has garnered a loyal customer base and achieved significant growth in the competitive fashion market.</span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">GoPro: Empowering Action Enthusiasts</span></h3><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">GoPro revolutionized the action camera industry by effectively targeting adventure enthusiasts and extreme sports athletes. Through market segmentation, GoPro focuses on individuals who seek to capture and share their adrenaline-fueled experiences. The company's positioning strategy centers around offering rugged, high-quality cameras that can withstand intense conditions and capture immersive footage. By understanding the needs and aspirations of its target market, GoPro has established itself as a leader in the action camera market.</span></div><div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Spotify: Personalized Music Streaming</span></h3><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Spotify has transformed the music streaming industry by implementing a highly effective market segmentation and targeting strategy. Through sophisticated algorithms and data analysis, Spotify tailors its music recommendations and playlists to individual user preferences. By segmenting the market based on music taste, Spotify has positioned itself as a platform that offers a personalized and engaging music experience. This approach has attracted a vast user base and allowed Spotify to dominate the streaming market.</span></div>
</span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #343541; font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Noto Sans, sans-serif, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In the realm of entrepreneurship and marketing, understanding your target market is like speaking a language your customers understand. By segmenting, targeting, and positioning, you can create meaningful connections, deliver personalized experiences, and build a loyal customer base. So put on your market segmentation glasses, take aim at your target, and let the journey begin—because when you truly understand your customers, the possibilities are endless.</span></span></p></div>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0Paris, France48.856614 2.35222193.5583709969080957 -138.2727781 90 142.9772219tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-33640588153403637512023-05-25T14:42:00.000+03:002023-05-25T14:42:29.987+03:00Crafting Narratives that Resonate: Unveiling the Secrets of Powerful Marketing Storytelling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uIx_NKDLE0bJLYlxrtT4i0nJxNi3LYOzhxUmXA7rgc1Z9B8x1dfS4h_KvZUUqlKqC4_cCqn3bQWDMmehQRZg-W6uNq7-hoSfIxcbOhD7twg9hVh4HXTmDgveOKgeUbS68Wn5IaLLMk28iz20ssrbY0AXQiYB9JiW8ZB6gIHHV4VY_gy69f5qlC1a/s5000/woman-holding-blank-book-as-mock-up-copy-space-2021-08-28-23-39-19-utc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3333" data-original-width="5000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uIx_NKDLE0bJLYlxrtT4i0nJxNi3LYOzhxUmXA7rgc1Z9B8x1dfS4h_KvZUUqlKqC4_cCqn3bQWDMmehQRZg-W6uNq7-hoSfIxcbOhD7twg9hVh4HXTmDgveOKgeUbS68Wn5IaLLMk28iz20ssrbY0AXQiYB9JiW8ZB6gIHHV4VY_gy69f5qlC1a/w640-h426/woman-holding-blank-book-as-mock-up-copy-space-2021-08-28-23-39-19-utc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Storytelling has emerged as a potent weapon in marketing, enabling businesses to mesmerize their audiences, stir their emotions, and leave an indelible mark. It taps into our inherent yearning for stories, fostering profound emotional bonds. In this article, we delve into the immense power of storytelling in marketing and unveil the strategies that businesses can employ to enthrall their audience, cultivate unwavering brand loyalty, and propel their growth. Prepare to embark on a captivating journey into the realm of storytelling and discover the hidden gems that lie within, enabling you to craft narratives that deeply resonate with your target market.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">I. Understanding the Psychology of Storytelling</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Science Behind Storytelling: Why it Matters</h3><p>Storytelling has been deeply ingrained in human culture for centuries. From ancient myths to modern novels, stories have the power to captivate and inspire. In marketing, understanding the psychology behind storytelling is crucial. Stories create emotional connections, engage multiple regions of the brain, and activate mirror neurons, making the audience more receptive to the message. By leveraging storytelling techniques, marketers can tap into these psychological triggers and make a memorable impact.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Elements of a Compelling Story</h3><p>Every compelling story possesses key elements that make it relatable, engaging, and memorable. These elements include a relatable protagonist, a clear conflict or challenge, a journey of transformation, and a resolution. Marketers can apply these storytelling elements to their brand narratives, allowing customers to see themselves as the hero in their own journey. By crafting stories that resonate with their target audience, businesses can forge emotional connections and foster brand loyalty.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">II. Crafting Your Brand Story</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Discovering Your Unique Brand Narrative</h3><p>Every brand has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the founder's journey, the brand's mission, or the impact it seeks to create, uncovering your unique brand narrative is the first step. By identifying the core values, vision, and purpose that drive your business, you can craft a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Understanding Your Audience: Creating a Connection</h3><p>To create a powerful brand story, it is crucial to understand your target audience. Conduct market research, analyze customer demographics, and gather insights to gain a deep understanding of their needs, desires, and pain points. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your brand story to resonate with your audience, creating a genuine connection that leaves a lasting impression.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">III. Applying Storytelling Techniques in Marketing</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Evoking Emotions: The Heart of Effective Storytelling</h3><p>Emotions play a vital role in storytelling. By tapping into the power of emotions, marketers can create stories that deeply resonate with their audience. Whether it's joy, empathy, excitement, or nostalgia, evoking specific emotions can leave a lasting impression and foster a strong bond between the brand and the customer. Use vivid language, compelling visuals, and relatable characters to elicit emotional responses and make your story memorable.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Authenticity and Transparency: Building Trust</h3><p>Authenticity is key in storytelling. Customers crave genuine connections and are more likely to engage with brands that demonstrate authenticity and transparency. Share real stories, highlight real people, and showcase the genuine impact your brand has had. By being transparent about your values, successes, and even failures, you build trust and credibility with your audience.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">IV. Amplifying Your Brand Story</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Storytelling Across Multiple Channels</h3><p>To maximize the impact of your brand story, it's crucial to amplify it across various marketing channels. Leverage social media platforms, blog posts, videos, and podcasts to share your brand narrative consistently and creatively. Tailor your storytelling approach to each platform, ensuring that the essence of your story remains intact while adapting to the specific requirements of each medium.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Engaging the Audience: User-Generated Content and Storytelling</h3><p>Empower your audience to become part of your brand story by encouraging user-generated content. Invite them to share their experiences, testimonials, and stories related to your brand. This not only strengthens the emotional connection but also creates a sense of community and authenticity. Incorporate user-generated content into your storytelling efforts to showcase real experiences and engage your audience on a deeper level.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">V. Measuring the Impact of Your Brand Storytelling</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)</h3><p>To measure the effectiveness of your brand storytelling, it's essential to define relevant key performance indicators (KPIs). These could include metrics such as brand awareness, engagement, conversion rates, or customer loyalty. By setting clear goals and tracking progress, you can assess the impact of your storytelling efforts and make informed adjustments as needed.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Continuous Iteration and Improvement</h3><p>Storytelling is an ongoing process of refinement and improvement. Monitor the performance of your brand storytelling initiatives, gather feedback from your audience, and iterate based on the insights gained. Continuously refine your storytelling strategy to ensure it aligns with the evolving needs and preferences of your audience.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">VI. Overcoming Challenges in Storytelling</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Maintaining Consistency and Coherence</h3><p>Consistency and coherence are crucial in storytelling. Ensure that your brand story aligns with your overall brand identity and values. Maintain a consistent tone, messaging, and visual elements across all touchpoints to create a cohesive brand experience.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Breaking Through the Noise</h3><p>In today's crowded digital landscape, breaking through the noise can be challenging. To stand out, focus on creating unique and authentic stories that resonate with your audience. Find innovative ways to share your story and leverage emerging technologies to engage and captivate your target market.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">VI. Case Studies: Brands that Mastered Storytelling</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nike: Empowering Athletes with Inspirational Narratives</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhjQJLVmIgc5QFaKE6t5BhaXW5-D7Y2ayVMwV3zpz_nTT-JxTh8st7KAOCp2gl-uHiUiMwWAsPsxZ4f3BoTjB0stUacSE5mHUzAFeHL_zJY7gUHoPHYc27xRM750ZHOdXfT7dcdApckfi-sSAO29hT9_x3ZwOBrH7VlLg-S9zvDJhPa7LrB3sp5HT/s3300/pic08922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1856" data-original-width="3300" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhjQJLVmIgc5QFaKE6t5BhaXW5-D7Y2ayVMwV3zpz_nTT-JxTh8st7KAOCp2gl-uHiUiMwWAsPsxZ4f3BoTjB0stUacSE5mHUzAFeHL_zJY7gUHoPHYc27xRM750ZHOdXfT7dcdApckfi-sSAO29hT9_x3ZwOBrH7VlLg-S9zvDJhPa7LrB3sp5HT/w640-h360/pic08922.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Nike has long been recognized as a brand that excels in storytelling, particularly through its focus on empowering athletes with inspirational narratives. The brand understands that the power of storytelling lies in connecting with the aspirations, struggles, and triumphs of its target audience – athletes and sports enthusiasts. Nike's campaigns often feature real athletes and their personal journeys, showcasing their dedication, resilience, and ultimate success. By highlighting these stories, Nike creates emotional connections with its audience, inspiring them to push their limits and pursue their goals.</p><p>One remarkable example is Nike's "Just Do It" campaign, which has become an iconic storytelling platform for the brand. The campaign features athletes from various sports, sharing their stories of overcoming adversity, challenging societal norms, and breaking barriers. Through these narratives, Nike not only promotes its products but also fosters a sense of empowerment, encouraging individuals to embrace their inner athlete and strive for greatness. By consistently delivering powerful storytelling content, Nike has solidified its position as a leader in brand storytelling, capturing the hearts and minds of millions around the world.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Coca-Cola: Spreading Happiness and Unity</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CRyDUOiMulP1RjFe4v_HNs9XWeIQQMUbbt1--99Uk0SxmMyFw3Xvet90TZNq7EgL5PFPQwN4PLp1B2tgr0qKmhxzepmYnfKxcY7hTQdB-cqNUQDllFRfGGGEbIwoeFRGqIiJ2CB3xGDB4CWTaKx9Chdknz2Z_c-mD38fAj-a8I20mfjpV_aWNG9J/s1280/coke-holiday-packaging-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1280" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4CRyDUOiMulP1RjFe4v_HNs9XWeIQQMUbbt1--99Uk0SxmMyFw3Xvet90TZNq7EgL5PFPQwN4PLp1B2tgr0qKmhxzepmYnfKxcY7hTQdB-cqNUQDllFRfGGGEbIwoeFRGqIiJ2CB3xGDB4CWTaKx9Chdknz2Z_c-mD38fAj-a8I20mfjpV_aWNG9J/w640-h292/coke-holiday-packaging-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Coca-Cola is another brand that has harnessed the power of storytelling to great effect. With a focus on spreading happiness and promoting unity, Coca-Cola has created numerous campaigns that tug at the heartstrings and evoke a sense of joy and togetherness. The brand understands that its product goes beyond mere refreshment – it is associated with creating memorable moments and bringing people together.</p><p>One notable campaign is Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" initiative, where personalized bottles with individual names became a global sensation. By personalizing their packaging, Coca-Cola created a sense of connection and shared experiences. People eagerly searched for bottles with their own names or the names of loved ones, sharing the excitement and joy associated with finding their personalized Coca-Cola bottles. The campaign extended to social media, where consumers were encouraged to share their stories and experiences using the hashtag #ShareACoke. This integration of personalization, storytelling, and social media engagement not only drove sales but also fostered a sense of community and emotional connection with the brand.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Airbnb: Inspiring Travel and Cultural Exploration<br /></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIJx1kCoWKykOLoJBpSrNZhfrO3AqCUv95EW68-DzDgy3wxkNPMcg_AAXrdvoIQuaLZ2yo132xhhFobu5wyzWHz_Hjrcxd1faJgsvWFwMdOrMDyWDjMdh2dlCLHS0YWDlvl8_KwRKwYij0M54VnP1xU90HvwNaxdqjTqpOL_nbWrfmcR6_k77od3n/s712/airbnb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="712" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIJx1kCoWKykOLoJBpSrNZhfrO3AqCUv95EW68-DzDgy3wxkNPMcg_AAXrdvoIQuaLZ2yo132xhhFobu5wyzWHz_Hjrcxd1faJgsvWFwMdOrMDyWDjMdh2dlCLHS0YWDlvl8_KwRKwYij0M54VnP1xU90HvwNaxdqjTqpOL_nbWrfmcR6_k77od3n/w640-h404/airbnb.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>Airbnb, the online marketplace for lodging and homestays, has successfully incorporated storytelling into its marketing strategy. Through their "Belong Anywhere" campaign, Airbnb aims to inspire travel and cultural exploration. They highlight real stories of hosts and guests, sharing their unique experiences and the connections forged through the platform.</p><p>By showcasing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and locations, Airbnb taps into the innate human desire for exploration and connection. The stories featured in their campaigns celebrate the power of travel to foster understanding, break down barriers, and create lasting memories. Airbnb's storytelling approach has helped the brand differentiate itself in the crowded travel industry, positioning it as a facilitator of authentic experiences and cultural immersion.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Dove: Redefining Beauty and Empowering Women<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ9G9ciOT5q4DBJ37s7W6apICneXfIFfJ2dlgk442LkmQGcerP4BHAYesvW1P2tzn5OhOlgmt0eb6ToYxrBAl74qUrC6XB1nReKM_KY6Zjg_FzBXAREO4bPJUIAToSOn86aA9UsT0HP1ASrUpZZwMct6SvpnHSpRdnp9X8HD0BKvVDsNxlq5tsjvW/s1017/dove%20real%20beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1017" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ9G9ciOT5q4DBJ37s7W6apICneXfIFfJ2dlgk442LkmQGcerP4BHAYesvW1P2tzn5OhOlgmt0eb6ToYxrBAl74qUrC6XB1nReKM_KY6Zjg_FzBXAREO4bPJUIAToSOn86aA9UsT0HP1ASrUpZZwMct6SvpnHSpRdnp9X8HD0BKvVDsNxlq5tsjvW/w640-h454/dove%20real%20beauty.jpg" width="640" /></a></h3><p>Dove, the personal care brand, has made a significant impact with its storytelling campaigns focused on redefining beauty standards and empowering women. The "Real Beauty" campaign, in particular, has been widely acclaimed for its powerful narratives that challenge traditional notions of beauty and promote self-acceptance.</p><p>Dove's campaigns feature real women of diverse ages, body types, and backgrounds, celebrating their unique beauty and encouraging women to embrace their own. By sharing stories of real women and their journeys to self-acceptance, Dove strikes a chord with its audience and fosters a sense of empowerment and confidence. These storytelling efforts align with Dove's commitment to promoting positive body image and self-esteem, positioning the brand as an advocate for authenticity and inclusivity.</p><p>Storytelling captivates audiences, evokes emotions, and leaves a lasting impression. Through case studies of Nike, Coca-Cola, Airbnb, and Dove, we witness storytelling's impact. These brands effectively use storytelling to connect with their audience, foster emotional connections, and drive engagement.</p><p><br /></p><p>By understanding the psychology behind storytelling, crafting authentic brand narratives, and amplifying them across channels, businesses unlock storytelling's potential. Whether empowering athletes, spreading happiness, inspiring travel, or redefining beauty, storytelling connects with consumers on a deeper level.</p><p>Embrace storytelling, unleash your brand's unique story, and watch it resonate with your audience, drive engagement, and fuel business growth. Let storytelling become an integral part of your marketing, and witness its transformative impact on your brand's success. </p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5072178 -0.127586223.196983963821154 -35.2838362 79.817451636178845 35.0286638tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-17125127003881600772023-05-22T01:51:00.001+03:002023-05-22T03:15:30.230+03:00Marketing Mastery: Avoid These 15 Mistakes for Unparalleled Success!<p>Marketing is a critical aspect of any business, but even experienced marketers can stumble into common traps that hinder their success. In this article, we will explore 15 marketing mistakes that you should steer clear of to achieve outstanding results. By understanding and avoiding these pitfalls, you can optimize your marketing efforts and propel your business to new heights. So, let's dive in and uncover these crucial insights!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8klfig7QRcDVzzD9ftn4qUl3YmosHK1xw1RTB0U36KdFmJwPYkIpgla9Dj-P_SwhfYEqBQJffu34GHuZ79gAmPvLye3e8fYM2rFOHSEX67IV_iNduFlWg1vn4xxTV0Xh07izjOdYiLXsaFZWArP9FNg9gCvpIOhkL4K-_wtR2KLpFDuoU4LYThu4/s7934/happy-business-people-planning-ideas-in-meeting-t-2022-12-07-23-53-51-utc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5292" data-original-width="7934" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8klfig7QRcDVzzD9ftn4qUl3YmosHK1xw1RTB0U36KdFmJwPYkIpgla9Dj-P_SwhfYEqBQJffu34GHuZ79gAmPvLye3e8fYM2rFOHSEX67IV_iNduFlWg1vn4xxTV0Xh07izjOdYiLXsaFZWArP9FNg9gCvpIOhkL4K-_wtR2KLpFDuoU4LYThu4/w640-h426/happy-business-people-planning-ideas-in-meeting-t-2022-12-07-23-53-51-utc.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">1. Neglecting to Understand Your Target Audience:</h3><p>One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is not putting in enough time and effort to truly understand their target audience. Without a deep understanding of your customers' needs, desires, and pain points, your marketing messages will fall flat. Take the time to conduct thorough research and build comprehensive buyer personas to tailor your marketing strategies effectively.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">2. Failing to Set Clear Goals:</h3><p>Without clear goals in mind, your marketing efforts may lack direction and purpose. Setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals ensures that your marketing campaigns have a clear focus and measurable outcomes.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">3. Ignoring the Power of Data and Analytics:</h3><p>Data and analytics provide invaluable insights into the performance of your marketing campaigns. Failing to track, analyze, and act upon relevant data can result in missed opportunities and ineffective strategies. Leverage analytics tools to gain a deeper understanding of your campaigns' performance and make data-driven decisions.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">4. Overlooking the Importance of SEO Optimization:</h3><p>Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role in improving your website's visibility and organic traffic. Neglecting SEO best practices, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, and link building, can limit your website's reach and hinder your online presence.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Being Inconsistent in Your Branding:</h3><p>Inconsistency in branding can confuse your audience and dilute your brand's identity. Ensure that your brand elements, including logos, colors, and messaging, remain consistent across all marketing channels. Consistency builds trust and helps establish a strong brand image.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">6. Not Engaging with Your Audience on Social Media:</h3><p>Social media platforms offer an excellent opportunity to engage with your audience, build relationships, and promote your brand. Failing to actively engage and respond to your followers' comments, questions, and feedback can diminish your brand's credibility and hinder your social media growth.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">7. Neglecting to Develop a Comprehensive Content Strategy:</h3><p>Content is the backbone of your marketing efforts, but publishing content without a well-defined strategy can be counterproductive. Develop a content strategy that aligns with your business goals, defines your target audience, and outlines a consistent publishing schedule.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">8. Underestimating the Importance of Mobile Optimization:</h3><p>With the increasing use of smartphones, optimizing your marketing efforts for mobile devices is vital. Neglecting mobile optimization can lead to a poor user experience, high bounce rates, and lost conversions. Ensure your website, emails, and landing pages are mobile-friendly and responsive.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">9. Ignoring the Value of Competitor Analysis:</h3><p>Understanding your competitors and their marketing strategies is crucial for staying ahead of the game. Failing to conduct regular competitor analysis can result in missed opportunities and an inability to differentiate your brand effectively. Analyze your competitors' strengths, weaknesses, and marketing tactics to refine your own strategies.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">10. Relying Solely on Paid Advertising:</h3><p>While paid advertising can yield quick results, relying solely on this channel can be risky. Over time, investing in alternative marketing channels, such as content marketing, SEO, influencer partnerships, and email marketing, can provide a more sustainable and diversified approach.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">11. Practicing Poor Email Marketing Habits:</h3><p>Email marketing remains a powerful tool, but certain mistakes can hinder its effectiveness. Avoid spammy subject lines, generic content, and excessive promotional messaging. Instead, focus on delivering value to your subscribers, personalizing your emails, and providing engaging content that nurtures your relationship with them.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">12. Neglecting the Importance of Customer Retention:</h3><p>Many marketers get caught up in acquiring new customers and overlook the value of retaining their existing ones. Ignoring customer retention can be a costly mistake. Invest in customer loyalty programs, personalized communication, and exceptional customer service to foster long-term relationships and increase customer lifetime value.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">13. Lack of Collaboration with the Sales Team:</h3><p>Marketing and sales teams should work hand in hand to drive business growth. Failing to collaborate with the sales team can result in misalignment, lost leads, and missed revenue opportunities. Foster open communication, share insights, and align your strategies to achieve mutual success.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">14. Underestimating the Power of Influencer Marketing:</h3><p>Influencer marketing has gained significant traction in recent years. Underestimating the potential of influencer collaborations can limit your brand's reach and influence. Identify relevant influencers in your niche, build authentic relationships, and leverage their influence to amplify your brand message.<br /><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">15. Failure to Adapt and Innovate:</h3><p>Marketing is an ever-evolving landscape, and failing to adapt to changing trends and consumer behaviors can leave your strategies outdated. Stay abreast of industry developments, experiment with new tactics, and embrace innovation to stay ahead of the curve.<br /><br /></p><p>Avoiding these 15 marketing mistakes can help you optimize your strategies and achieve outstanding results. By investing time and effort into understanding your target audience, setting clear goals, leveraging data and analytics, and staying up-to-date with industry trends, you can position your brand for success. Remember, marketing is a dynamic field, so be open to experimentation, learn from your experiences, and continuously refine your strategies to stay ahead in the competitive marketplace. Your dedication to avoiding these mistakes will pave the way for remarkable marketing success.</p><p><br /></p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0188 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA40.7353651 -73.985920740.709347557202264 -74.020252975390619 40.761382642797741 -73.951588424609369tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-31657570088516682722021-01-30T01:18:00.001+02:002021-01-30T01:48:24.866+02:0011 Tips For An Effective Social Media Strategy For Your Business<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIMSs7_HoW8C2xUhyphenhyphenJeqTWbS0QrXRq-B88v35rbyDxIsWEBS1OaLBH4hqQz7yr2SDxBK10N3OU3-BHRRj3Oglosee15MPm7gUZU_D6nD51koMPeITA-duh4tHZ1OzP3Mzn-fVcg2BaeA/s2048/Social+Media+Strategy+Tips-min.jpg" style="background-color: white; font-family: nitti; font-size: 19px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIMSs7_HoW8C2xUhyphenhyphenJeqTWbS0QrXRq-B88v35rbyDxIsWEBS1OaLBH4hqQz7yr2SDxBK10N3OU3-BHRRj3Oglosee15MPm7gUZU_D6nD51koMPeITA-duh4tHZ1OzP3Mzn-fVcg2BaeA/w640-h428/Social+Media+Strategy+Tips-min.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nitti; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 44px; margin: 30px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: baseline;">Social Media And Effective Marketing</h2><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: nitti; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Over the last decade, social media marketing has proven to be the most effective form of marketing especially compared to traditional media advertising. It is much cheaper, can reach a much bigger audience, can be highly targeted, is easily measured, and provides a direct two-way communication with an audience. It is especially crucial during the global pandemic that we live in, as many e-commerce has almost completely replaced traditional commerce, and social media is the main medium of promoting products and services.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: nitti; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">However, embarking on a social media journey is no simple feat. Many startups and businesses treat it as a series of random posts which usually proves ineffective. Creating a social media strategy is crucial to ensure a professional and productive social media presence for your brand.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: nitti; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Here are 11 tips that businesses should consider when creating and implementing strategy for their business.</p><h2 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nitti; font-size: 34px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 44px; margin: 30px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; vertical-align: baseline;">Creating And Implementing Your Social Media Strategy</h2><ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: nitti; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 1.5em 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A proper social media strategy includes <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">many components </strong>among them goal setting, target audience and creating personas, asset mapping, position in the sales cycle, choice of channels, voice and tone, posting frequency, posting time, content types, content calendars, community management, online advertising strategies, influencer marketing strategies, social media policies, crisis management policies, monitoring, measurement, and reporting.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Setting <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">quantifiable goals </strong>is very crucial so that everyone is clear on what you want your social media plan needs to achieve.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What your target audience already knows about you will dictate what you can credibly have a conversation about on social media. That is why is it important to be aware of your <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">position in the sales cycle</strong>.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A common myth about social media is that it’s free, or at least very cheap. While it may be free to set up a Twitter or Facebook account, it <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">requires time </strong>and lots of it to effectively manage these accounts. <br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A great way to ensure you hit your target and focus communications on the right people is to <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">create personas</strong>. These are short descriptions of fictional individuals that represent your target.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Prioritize your channels</strong>, start slow and get comfortable even if it means starting with just one platform. Spend time getting accustomed to posting content, answering questions and comments, and the overall level of engagement required. Once you’re comfortable, add another platform and slowly build your network.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Setting your <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">voice and tone </strong>is very important to create a professional brand for your business on social media. Voice is your brand personality described in an adjective while the tone adds specific flavor to your voice based.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Content creation </strong>is a vital element in contemporary marketing strategies. There is a science behind what motivates users to share digital content. Researchers have discovered a number of psychological triggers that inspire people to engage in online activities: social approval, communication, support ideas, and entertainment.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So that your social media <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">content is more shareable</strong>, consider the following: create high-quality content, use smart structuring, add value to users’ lives, keep your audience in mind, trigger emotions and exploit trendy topics.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Make sure to create a <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">crisis management strategy </strong>that takes into account speed, hyper-transparency, dialogue, search and detractors.<br /><br /></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Before commencing with paid advertising, you should properly understand the <strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">organic algorithms </strong>for the platforms that you are using.<br /><br /></li></ol><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><i>If you want to learn more about social media strategy or request consulting and training, please contact me through my <a href="http://www.mohammadhijazi.com" target="_blank">website </a>or <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/mhijazi" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.</i></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="font-size: inherit;"><a name='more'></a></span><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A version of this article has appeared on <a href="https://berytech.org/11-tips-for-an-effective-social-media-strategy-for-your-business/" target="_blank">Berytech.org</a>.</span></i></span></div>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0Dubai - United Arab Emirates25.2048493 55.2707828-3.1053845361788461 20.1145328 53.515083136178845 90.4270328tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-79720993893968849152020-09-05T23:13:00.005+03:002020-09-05T23:23:09.342+03:00How can fake reviews hurt your brand?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFS6ITSKwtQmY8G6fS3mgLAouHR4JOMydOJl67CS_dUAwt4pwSgnuOi0wwx5lJ3JFtcSqPXcfZ6dDXof8kej3RoFHvvzfZ2cqYhMuZUFxXJpmF24lWZ4-hTtSY0QrsqzcRJq2Ojeq3Zo/s2048/For+Non+boosting.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFS6ITSKwtQmY8G6fS3mgLAouHR4JOMydOJl67CS_dUAwt4pwSgnuOi0wwx5lJ3JFtcSqPXcfZ6dDXof8kej3RoFHvvzfZ2cqYhMuZUFxXJpmF24lWZ4-hTtSY0QrsqzcRJq2Ojeq3Zo/w625-h625/For+Non+boosting.png" width="625" /></a></div><p></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="fd12">According to a <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/19/online-reviews/" href="https://www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/19/online-reviews/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Pew Research Center</a> report, 82% of Americans say they read online reviews at least some of the time. While <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/" href="https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">BrightLocal</a> reports this number to be higher with 91% of people regularly or occasionally reading online reviews and 84% trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Reviews help them to form opinions quickly as studies have shown that 68% of them form an opinion after reading only 1 to 6 online reviews.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="cb7b">Needless to say, online reviews are important to the success of your business and in encouraging or discouraging customers from purchasing your product or service.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="d1c0">In the era where everything can be faked, e-commerce sites such as Amazon, eBay and may others are plagued with fake reviews that are causing customers to become more skeptical. The <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-merchants-secretly-use-facebook-to-flood-amazon-with-fake-reviews/2018/04/23/5dad1e30-4392-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-merchants-secretly-use-facebook-to-flood-amazon-with-fake-reviews/2018/04/23/5dad1e30-4392-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Washington Post</a> revealed in an investigative piece than in some categories, the percentage of questionable reviews can go up to 67%!</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="681b">As consumers are waking up to the reality of the internet that they use on a daily basis, they are learning to identify the real reviews from the fake ones, thus avoiding products that seem to have too many suspicious reviews.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="bcd6">Here are 5 ways fake reviews can hurt your brand:</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="2785"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">1.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Fake reviews are illegal</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="8e4d">Believe it or not, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) makes fake testimonials illegal in <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/45" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/45" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Section 5 of the FTC Act 15 U.S. Code § 45</a>. The FTC considers a review to be fake if it is not based on the experience of a real customer. A fake review is seen as deceptive advertising as it may mislead the customer, encouraging them to purchase a product or use a service under false pretenses.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="ebf5">If a company or a person is caught engaging in fake reviews, every single one of their violations is subject to a $10,000 fine. Recently, the FTC has started implementing this law by <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/02/ftc-brings-first-case-challenging-fake-paid-reviews-independent" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/02/ftc-brings-first-case-challenging-fake-paid-reviews-independent" rel="noopener" target="_blank">bringing a case</a> against an independent retail website that paid for fake reviews. In order to ensure endorsements and testimonials are up to the standards of the FTC and you won’t get into legal trouble, they have issued <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf" href="https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">this guide</a> to help you learn more about this issue.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="d9be"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">2.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Consumers are smarter than you think</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="c70c">Consumers have become experts at spotting fake reviews and many of them ignore the star rating all together in favor of reading the description that reviewers leave before they decide on buying the product. A suspiciously high star rating is alarming, and customers tend to steer away from products that are too good to be true.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="40a4">In addition to that, customers are doing more research on other platforms such as blogs and YouTube where they can get expert opinions and detailed breakdown of features away from written reviews on e-commerce sites. If the reviews on those sites do not match what experts are saying, customers will lose trust in the company and its products.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="fb8f">Honest negative reviews on your product page helps customers weigh the pros and cons. Customers already know that products are hardly-ever perfect and are actually deserving of a perfect 5-star rating. They are realistic and are not expecting flawless reviews. They read reviews to answer questions that they have about the product to make sure it suits their needs. Many users start by reading the one-star reviews to understand what customers hated about the product or service in order to determine if they buy it or not.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="bd2d">When a product’s reviews are mostly fake, customers are more likely to do more research about the product because they are more suspicious, which may lead to them not buying the product.</p><figure class="graf graf--figure" name="8dd4"><img class="graf-image" data-height="889" data-image-id="1*_gDqWSs8IXsuZ4HFaxFz-w.png" data-width="651" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*_gDqWSs8IXsuZ4HFaxFz-w.png" /><figcaption class="imageCaption">Source: <a class="markup--anchor markup--figure-anchor" data-href="https://theconversation.com" href="https://theconversation.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://theconversation.com</a></figcaption></figure><p class="graf graf--p" name="d65f"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">3.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">You will lose credibility</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="4ec6">Customers are becoming more vocal as social media platforms gives them a stronger voice that reaches people beyond their networks, and you better believe that they will use this voice when they believe they are being scammed or taken advantage of. As they are better at spotting fake reviews, this increases the probability of exposing your practices. Once the word gets out that you are buying fake reviews to hype your product or service, your business’s trust and credibility suffers. They will encourage their friends to expose you as well causing your reputation to take a massive hit. Once customers lose trust in your company, it will be very hard to gain it back again.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="79e0"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">4.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Platforms will block your account</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="a160">Several e-commerce platforms have instated policies that can suspend or ban sellers from using their platforms if they are found to be manipulating reviews and ratings. <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201996120" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201996120" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> states that “If we determine that you have attempted to manipulate reviews or violated our guidelines in any other manner, we may immediately suspend or terminate your Amazon privileges, remove reviews, and delist related products.”</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="b9e8">Facebook and eBay have also <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/08/facebook-ebay-ban-users-trading-fake-reviews-after-uk-cma-warnings.html#:~:text=Facebook%20and%20eBay%20have%20signed,in%20selling%20fake%20write-ups." href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/08/facebook-ebay-ban-users-trading-fake-reviews-after-uk-cma-warnings.html#:~:text=Facebook%20and%20eBay%20have%20signed,in%20selling%20fake%20write-ups." rel="noopener" target="_blank">started cracking down</a> on accounts and groups that are engaged in trading fake reviews for money or incentives after receiving complaints from the U.K. antitrust regulator.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="ed3f">Amazon is even going much further than just banning sellers and accounts, according to <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/27/amazon-sues-more-sellers-for-buying-fake-reviews/" href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/27/amazon-sues-more-sellers-for-buying-fake-reviews/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">TechCrunch</a>, they have sued more than one thousand defendants who were found to provide or engage in fake reviews.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="9512"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">5.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Higher ratings will result in higher return rate</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="a25c">When a customer purchases a highly rated product, they automatically have higher expectations about the product. Once they try it out, they are more likely to get disappointed from the over-hyped review and therefore they are more likely to return it.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="8259">In a study conducted by the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://hbr.org/2016/09/when-positive-product-reviews-backfire-for-retailers" href="https://hbr.org/2016/09/when-positive-product-reviews-backfire-for-retailers" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Harvard Business Review</a>, they concluded that “overly positive reviews inflate customer expectations about the product (that’s why they buy it), customers can experience greater disappointment upon receiving the item if it doesn’t live up to its rave reviews. This then leads more people to send the product back.” They found that overly positive reviews increase the likelihood of product return by around 10%. This not only results in a decrease in profits and return costs associated, but as <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.ecommercebraintrust.com/episodes/episod-24-what-a-high-product-return-rate-means-on-amazon" href="https://www.ecommercebraintrust.com/episodes/episod-24-what-a-high-product-return-rate-means-on-amazon" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ecommerce BrainTrust</a> reports, Amazon will take down the product page of any product with a return dissatisfaction rate higher than 10%.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="0c19">So, it is very clear now that purchasing fake reviews is not the best way to increase your sales and get feedback from your customers. <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">But are there legal ways where you can increase verified honest reviews that will increase your company’s credibility?</strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="cd57">The answer is yes. And here are two of the ways you can receive legitimate reviews from customers who try your product.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="53e0"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">A.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Amazon Vine</strong></p><figure class="graf graf--figure graf--layoutOutsetLeft" name="8f08"><img class="graf-image" data-height="314" data-image-id="1*iBd59THmuK-hGAPPFt6cFg.png" data-width="572" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/600/1*iBd59THmuK-hGAPPFt6cFg.png" /></figure><p class="graf graf--p" name="372d">To battle fake reviews and gain trustworthy reviews for sellers, Amazon launched Amazon Vine, an internal service that provides sellers with unbiased reviews for their products from reliable reviewers with a high “reviewer rank” which Amazon calls “Vine Voices”. Having a high “reviewer rank” means that a reviewer is consistently submitting honest feedback for products that they have purchased on their site. Vine Voices are chosen by an invitation program and are determined by several criteria, most notably feedback from other customers about their reviews. You can learn more about joining the Amazon Vine Program as a seller <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/boost/assets/2017/Q3/onepager_2017Q3_AmazonVine._V516147552_.pdf" href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/boost/assets/2017/Q3/onepager_2017Q3_AmazonVine._V516147552_.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="c689"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">B.</strong> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Revioly</strong></p><figure class="graf graf--figure graf--layoutOutsetLeft" name="0f4e"><img class="graf-image" data-height="260" data-image-id="1*LH5_geGlqng5N-qRKSPn6w.png" data-width="511" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/600/1*LH5_geGlqng5N-qRKSPn6w.png" /></figure><p class="graf graf--p" name="f807"><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.revioly.com" href="http://www.revioly.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Revioly</a> is a market test platform that provides brand owners with early authentic reviews of their products, by their actual target market. Revioly states that they strive to purify online reviews, so that online shoppers can be confident about their choices. Brands can sign up for their service to receive honest and authentic feedback about their product as an Early Authentic Review Service (EARS). However, the company insists that do not guarantee 5-star reviews for your products because their team of reviewers will review them in a fair and truthful manner. You can learn more about joining Revioly’s review program as a brand <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://amzfulfillmentcenter.com/early-review-service/" href="https://amzfulfillmentcenter.com/early-review-service/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-4087736469364102592017-08-18T11:19:00.003+03:002017-12-11T17:03:17.607+02:00Overview of my latest trip to Japan: Changing the world with JCI!“The JCI Academy is the best JCI experience that you will ever have” is a statement that I frequently heard from past national presidents. “It will probably be in the top experiences of your life.”<br />
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And indeed, it was, without a doubt, as memorable as they described it. I could not have thought that one can create as many memories, learn as many lessons or make as many friends in the span of 10 days.<br />
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Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the 2017 JCI Academy in Kumamoto, Japan. The JCI Academy is an annual event that is hosted in a different Japanese city every year where upcoming JCI national presidents and leaders are invited to an empowerment academy to prepare them to be future leaders. This year, we were celebrating the 30th edition of the academy, three decades of evolution and experience had culminated in a wonderful experience for everyone involved. Under the slogan “Who Changes The World? It’s Us!”, JCI Japan had prepared an intensive program with JCI Past President & Academy Course Leader Lars Hajslund. This academy was also special because it included JCI Past President Pascale Dike and JCI Past Executive Vice President Boydee Dizon as trainers, giving us a greater grasp of knowledge and experience. So many lessons learned, so little time to talk about them all! I was truly an overwhelming week and a half, of which I will describe the highlights.<br />
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As part of the program, we were invited by a Japanese family to spend a weekend with them at their home in Kumamoto. Each international delegate was assigned a different family and he/she was whisked off after an introduction ceremony. I was lucky to be hosted by the Yonemuras, a delightful family with young parents and adorable daughter & son that lives in Kumamoto’s suburbs. Like many other families, they barely spoke any English, which made the experience even more interesting. Communicating by Google Translate (so grateful for the invention) and sign language, we were not only able to talk about necessities, but also deep meaningful conversations. Even though this was not my first trip to Japan, I feel that with them, I was introduced to traditional Japanese customs and traditions… and the home-cooked meals were superb! They truly treated me as their own child and went above and beyond to make me feel at home. They were also very glad to learn about my country Lebanon and try samples of its food, which to them must have felt like an exotic faraway land! I truly feel that they are now my second family and I hope to visit once again very soon.<br />
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Another highlight of the program is the Japanese elementary school experience, and this year, we were truly lucky to not only spend one day (as usual) but two days at different schools to absorb this unique cultural experience. We were invited to attend a school day at one of the Kumamoto elementary schools where the teachers and students welcomed us with a meticulously-choreographed ceremony. After that, we joined the students in their gym class where we were introduced to traditional Japanese games along with a few games of dodgeball (which proved once again that I suck at sports, even against 9-year-olds). We were also invited into the classroom where each of us made short presentations about our respective countries as we saw the children’s light up with fascination about the different cultures. Yet, the most fascinating encounter we had was lunch & cleaning time. Japanese school children are taught responsibility by taking care of most of the school’s chores, from serving food, cleaning the classrooms to scrubbing the toilets. Being served a typical Japanese school lunch, we had the chance to chat with children about their hopes and dreams and about our cultural differences and traditions. Then we joined them as they cleaned their classrooms like clockwork, a very mesmerizing sight.<br />
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Our second encounter with elementary school children was harmonious in nature. The JCI Academy committee had organized for us to attempt to break the Guinness World Record of the most nationalities attending a dance class. More than 77 nationalities performed the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_910236957&feature=iv&src_vid=gtvX0TbdKRk&v=sBBZop5j6D0" target="_blank">Kumamoto song</a> along with a whole Japanese elementary school; the only way I can describe it is magical (and sweaty)! We were even featured in Japanese media such as TV reports and <a href="https://this.kiji.is/257676679469678593" target="_blank">news articles</a>.<br />
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All this and I haven’t even begun talking about the official training academy yet! The best way to describe it is the most I’ve been out of my comfort zone, ever! Starting off by being grouped with Japanese roommates, who may or may not speak English, and being assigned to a team that you are supposed to work and present with (some of my team members only spoke Spanish, Korean, or Japanese) and that was the beginning of a week full of hilarious and emotional moments of cultural diversity. Living alongside my team (Team H) for a week, being together non-stop: eating, partying, sleeping and breathing, made us a family, one big multicultural multilingual family. A week of intensive training and group work did not pass without frustration, embarrassing instances, tearful emotions and a great deal of separation anxiety. During our last night, the amount of hugs received and tears shed surpasses those of best friends parting.<br />
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I will not go into details about the official program to leave some mystery for the future delegates of the JCI Academy, but I will share the top lessons that I learned below.<br />
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<b>TOP 11 LESSONS THAT YOU LEARN AT THE JCI ACADEMY:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>You will not learn anything new if you stay in your comfort zone. It will be difficult but it is definitely worth it.</li>
<li>Fear is an illusion. As soon as you overcome it, you will become more powerful and can achieve what you thought was impossible. How about jumping on a pile of broken glass?<br />
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<li>“Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to act in the presence of fear.</li>
<li>Language barriers can be easily overcome especially in our day and age. Don’t let it be an obstacle to meeting and getting to know people that don’t speak your language.</li>
<li>A task can be done in several different ways and all of them can be right.</li>
<li>Whenever you are angry or frustrated, be patient and think to yourself: “right now I am learning. I might know what exactly, but I am definitely learning.”</li>
<li>Love transcends language, culture, age, nationality, gender, and orientation. You can’t imagine how amazing it feels to give love (or “diamonds”) to strangers or acquaintances and receive it back.</li>
<li>The pen is mightier than the sword and if you let it flow on its own, you’ll be surprised by the creative ideas that you will come up with.</li>
<li>Many times, you should be a leader and guide people on the right path. Yet, the hallmark of a great leader is knowing when to follow other leaders.</li>
<li>Do not regard people who are working on similar ideas/projects/goals as competitors. By supporting each other, your achievements will be better and more impressive.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">It is rewarding to take the untraveled path, but sometimes, following instructions of those who are more experienced and practicing their ways can be more rewarding.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BWefnD1FIcn/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Karate chop on the first attempt today at the #JCIAcademy2017! Such an enriching experience about power and fear! #WeAreJCI #JCI #JCILebanon #Kumamoto #Japan</a></div>
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A post shared by Mohammad Hijazi (@mhijazi89) on <time datetime="2017-07-13T06:20:21+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 12, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT</time></div>
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I was expecting the JCI Academy to give me information about leading my national JCI organization. Make no mistake, it did. But it also gave me much more than that. It taught me vital life lessons that have permanently altered my life, my beliefs, my behavior and way of thinking. It gave me friends all over the globe, many of which are now very dear to my heart, and from countries that I didn’t even know existed! It got me out of my comfort zone so much that going back to it right now feels weird. It showed me a different global perspective and made me consider ideas that I haven’t even thought of before.</div>
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My advice for all JCI members is to work hard through empowering their community in their local and national chapters and work hard to be selected to attend the JCI Academy in Japan because it is well worth the commitment.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">*JCI is a nonprofit organization of young active citizens age 18 to 40 who are engaged and committed to creating impact in their communities. Active citizens are individuals invested in the future of our world. JCI gathers active citizens from all sectors of society. Worldwide, JCI has more than 200,000 members in 5000+ local chapters across 124 countries and has implemented tens of thousands of impactful projects. For more information about JCI, visit <a href="http://www.jci.cc/">www.jci.cc</a>. If you are in Lebanon and interested in joining, fill in this form: <a href="http://www.bit.ly/jcilebanon">www.bit.ly/jcilebanon</a>.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</span></i> <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">**This post was originally written for the JCI official website. You can find the published version </span><a href="https://jci.cc/en/news/31737" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #0b5394;">.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</span></i> <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">***You can view the full album of photos from this trip <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10159159821820372.1073741835.738305371&type=1&l=d328782801" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></i>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-15917617233980274792017-01-20T15:18:00.000+02:002017-01-20T15:50:54.971+02:00SIX STEPS to plan a vacation or travel trip yourself online<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPRUgI3jQo-ivJwlF_KYDjkBpPUswMd6FYCr9QJvxPfP8zMJdjVB9PmWEqvGQhUfN0TIRkzo0ZDujHXQPt-0Je6k34yW397tdiSH86ZxZJWGbWawDIqriVnHwhWQuhg-S1RlaAblp_j4/s1600/Qatar+Airways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
With over 100 flights in the past two years, I have become a master of planning my own trips and booking them online. Many people would opt to pay a travel agent to plan all their trips and vacations, but there are several reasons why it might be better to plan and book them themselves.<br />
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Most big agencies won't customize the trips for you especially when they have group offers, and this for me is the number one reason why I plan everything myself. I customize everything to my liking in the interest of not wasting time on things that I have no interest in seeing or doing. Additionally, I like to book the flights that best suit my time and the hotels that fit my budget and my preferred locations within a city without the added fees and commission of the agent.<br />
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Another reason is that it gets you more involved; you would learn about the destination that you are going to beforehand so you know what to expect. You can read reviews and avoid tourist traps that agents usually get commissions to take you to.<br />
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Another important reason is that it is usually much cheaper to plan it yourself. You can see all the prices of the hotels, flights and activities that you want to do and with a little bit of research and comparison sites, you're guaranteed to get the lowest price available.<br />
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Below you will find some resources to help you plan a trip yourself with SIX simple steps.<br />
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<b>STEP 1: Making a decision</b></h2>
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Here are some tips to help you make a decision on where you want to travel<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.minube.net/" target="_blank">Minube</a> is a website that helps you determine your interests.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.trippy.com/" target="_blank">Trippy</a> helps you ask travel enthusiasts questions about the destinations that you are interested in. </li>
<li>Set your dates but try to be flexible if you want to find cheaper prices or better experiences.</li>
<li>Research unique vacations; do not settle for the cliche trip vacations such as Paris, Rome or London.</li>
<li>Set your budget and try to divide it up into your different travel components: flights, transportation, accommodation, activities, dining and shopping.</li>
<li>Looking for Visa free countries? There’s a Wikipedia list for that! <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Lebanese_citizens" target="_blank">Here's the constantly-updated list for Lebanese citizens</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<b>STEP 2: Flight Booking</b></h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPRUgI3jQo-ivJwlF_KYDjkBpPUswMd6FYCr9QJvxPfP8zMJdjVB9PmWEqvGQhUfN0TIRkzo0ZDujHXQPt-0Je6k34yW397tdiSH86ZxZJWGbWawDIqriVnHwhWQuhg-S1RlaAblp_j4/s1600/Qatar+Airways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPRUgI3jQo-ivJwlF_KYDjkBpPUswMd6FYCr9QJvxPfP8zMJdjVB9PmWEqvGQhUfN0TIRkzo0ZDujHXQPt-0Je6k34yW397tdiSH86ZxZJWGbWawDIqriVnHwhWQuhg-S1RlaAblp_j4/s320/Qatar+Airways.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Here's a list of the best websites to book cheap tickets from:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.momondo.com/" target="_blank">www.momondo.com</a> (my absolute favorite site and app for comparising flight and hotel prices) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.cheapoair.com/">www.cheapoair.com</a> (it is the website that usually has the lowest flight prices)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.travelocity.com/">www.Travelocity.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.expedia.com/">www.expedia.com</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.edreams.com/">www.edreams.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.kayak.com/">www.kayak.com</a></li>
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When using these websites filter by:<br />
<ul>
<li>Least number of stops</li>
<li>Shortest duration</li>
<li>Lowest price</li>
<li>Good airlines</li>
</ul>
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<b>Flight booking tips:</b><br />
<ul><ul>
</ul>
<li>Always search in incognito mode when you are looking flights because some sites increase the price when they notice that you have come back to book a flight after you saw a lower price (using cookies)</li>
<li>Try to stick to one airline alliance for all your trips and claim your traveled miles with one of their airlines. The three major airline alliances are <b>SkyTeam </b>(I have an account on MEA), <b>One World</b> (I have an account on Qatar Airways) and <b>Star Alliance</b> (Lufthansa for me).</li>
<li>Sometimes it's worth it to mix and match especially from the same alliance. Most airlines now sell one-way flights at reasonable prices, meaning one might be cheaper for the outbound flight while the other works better for the return. </li>
<li>You could even fly to one airport and depart from another.</li>
<li>On international flights, book window seats so you can rest your head on the bulkhead.</li>
<li>Book seats close to the front so you can beat everyone to the passport control line. Also, you will get your food first.</li>
<li><b>Leave on a Wednesday: </b>It's the cheapest day to do it, says F<a href="http://arecompare.com/">areCompare.com</a>. Per the website: "The day with the most seats is likely to have better supply, and thus ... more empty seats that require discounting to fill the plane—meaning they'll have to release more seats at their cheapest price point." </li>
<li><b>Book Six Weeks in Advance: </b>A revealing study from Airlines Reporting Corporation found that the best time to purchase your airfare is about six weeks prior to travel. The reason: Around this time, prices drop below the average fare.</li>
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<h2>
<b>STEP 3: Booking Your Accommodation</b></h2>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDGhYBy_qHdvOMMisk68BFnwHt2ZBw_N3sYL07UoIvmBWqndBKW6hxraSs93NX9dDuiBhiHr5hV9-DK-8xWXOFbZWelLWD7bN7bVvaGwNgreFw3tHYKB6aEkEsvo_2wRSq50B8_mrSTI/s1600/14731322_10157808782185372_3831291312282529547_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDGhYBy_qHdvOMMisk68BFnwHt2ZBw_N3sYL07UoIvmBWqndBKW6hxraSs93NX9dDuiBhiHr5hV9-DK-8xWXOFbZWelLWD7bN7bVvaGwNgreFw3tHYKB6aEkEsvo_2wRSq50B8_mrSTI/s320/14731322_10157808782185372_3831291312282529547_n.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
Here are some of the Best websites to book cheap stays:</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.hotels.com/">www.hotels.com</a> (My favorite because it has the best rewards program. For every 10 nights you book on it, you will get 1 free hotel night with the average cost of the 10 nights you booked. Also, it has a lowest price guarantee, meaning that if you find a cheaper price of the same hotel room on any other website, they will match it for you)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.booking.com/">www.booking.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.momondo.com/">www.momondo.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.travelrepublic.co.uk/">www.travelrepublic.co.uk</a></li>
<li><strike>www.trivago.com</strike> (It never has the cheapest room rates and its ads are super annoying so I'm crossing it off from my list)</li>
</ul>
<br />
When using these websites filter by:<br />
<ul>
<li>Distance to city center</li>
<li>Cancellation option</li>
<li>Price before and after cancellation</li>
<li>Stars (1 – 5)</li>
<li>Rating (1 – 10)</li>
<li>Whether a bus station or any other form of transportation is next to the hotel</li>
<ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Hotel tips:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Book a room with a free cancellation option (even if the price was higher than booking it without this option). Later on, this booking can be cancelled when the whole trip is 100% confirmed and another room without the cancellation option is booked instead in order to benefit from the lower price.</li>
<li>Book several “free cancellation” hotels and decide which hotel you want a few days before your trip to better accommodate your itinerary.</li>
<li>Book business hotels on weekends and during summer, prices are usually cheap because demand is low.</li>
<li>Ask for a corner room because it is usually bigger and quieter than regular rooms.</li>
<li>Sign up for a hotel’s loyalty program and try to book hotels with their chain if you can to get rewards.</li>
<li>You can usually find coupon codes for hotels on <a href="http://coupons.com/">Coupons.com</a> and <a href="http://dealisplus.com/">DealIsPlus.com</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Other accommodation options:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.airbnb.com/c/mhijazi7" target="_blank">Airbnb:</a> Find local short-term accommodations. Travelers can choose a wide range of shared rooms, private rooms and entire apartments or houses.</li>
<ul>
<li>You can get $20 off your first Airbnb booking by <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/c/mhijazi7" target="_blank">using my link when you sign up</a>.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.tripping.com/" target="_blank">Tripping</a> is platform that connects travelers with locals who are renting out their homes around the world. There are over 750,000 rental spaces ranging from luxurious penthouses to rustic beachside stays.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.hoteltonight.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tonight</a>: For last-minute lodging deals, a free mobile app available on iOS andAndroid devices for when you are stuck without a place to sleep.</li>
<li><a href="http://hostels.com/">Hostels.com</a> allows you to book a bed in a shared room at hostels in 180 countries.</li>
<li><a href="http://couchsurfing.org/" target="_blank">Couchsurf</a> for free with people who share their homes, cities and lives in profound and meaningful ways, making travel anywhere in the world a truly social experience. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h2>
<b><br /></b></h2>
<h2>
<b>STEP 4: Arranging Transportation</b></h2>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTXrU9yGUAuMdG-mSOxgA7zBQrnCGx4UpTteUD55QkIt6W5ix_jTuTH4yNsZOcSpInZsPh7gY1xDnz0IT6lbvH9XOXaxqOM3HTTWWViRIPDdtOekwU2QSICYeSjxiCUwCxMYi4e7GzBo/s1600/Istanbul+Tram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJTXrU9yGUAuMdG-mSOxgA7zBQrnCGx4UpTteUD55QkIt6W5ix_jTuTH4yNsZOcSpInZsPh7gY1xDnz0IT6lbvH9XOXaxqOM3HTTWWViRIPDdtOekwU2QSICYeSjxiCUwCxMYi4e7GzBo/s320/Istanbul+Tram.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
These are the transportation pathways that you need to consider for your trip:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Inter-city transportation:</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Airport – Hotel transportation</li>
<li>Hotel – Hotel transportation (when visiting more than one City in the same Country) </li>
</ul>
<li><b>In-City transportation:</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Hotel – Restaurants </li>
<li>Hotel – Beach</li>
<li>Hotel – Night Spots</li>
<li>Hotel – Attractions (Museums, Historical areas, Monuments, etc..)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Types of transportation forms to consider:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.uber.com/invite/rpjpr" target="_blank">Uber</a>:</b> Using Uber application on mobile or using their website. Other similar services include Lyft, Sidecar and Careem. Uber is by far my favorite method of transportation in my hometown and when I travel because it is much cheaper and safer than any other car-based transportation service.</li>
<ul>
<li>Use my code <b>rpjpr</b> or <a href="https://www.uber.com/invite/rpjpr" target="_blank">click on this link</a> when you sign up to get your first free ride for free! </li>
</ul>
<li><b>Taxi:</b> Ordering a taxi could be done from the Hotel or online depending on the destination. </li>
<li><b>Public bus:</b> Google search the public bus schedule and routes based on the destination.</li>
<li><b>Metro/Train/Subway:</b> Google search the train stations schedule and routes based on the destination. Most cities have their own metro/train apps.</li>
<li><b>Rent a car:</b> Google search rental companies based on the destination. </li>
<li><b>Internal flights:</b> Big countries such as US, Canada and India have many airports and many times internal flights are cheaper than land transport.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h2>
<b><br /></b></h2>
<h2>
<b>STEP 5: Getting familiar with your destination geographically</b></h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_HV6f1_fEvnlf-iCPJFhmtn-UuS6p0zenbtBlcVNu_izvIzbOJIm2iOHNN_qgAaJEDEtYnF7BZBbQjuUTqZrpzprhriLOK4QIa_ntNw6yNJBWbwYFJEp4iQrsxzVOqR7D2hTztX7XGA/s1600/Tokyo+Food+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_HV6f1_fEvnlf-iCPJFhmtn-UuS6p0zenbtBlcVNu_izvIzbOJIm2iOHNN_qgAaJEDEtYnF7BZBbQjuUTqZrpzprhriLOK4QIa_ntNw6yNJBWbwYFJEp4iQrsxzVOqR7D2hTztX7XGA/s320/Tokyo+Food+Map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Getting familiar with the area geographically helps a lot in having a sense of direction when you reach your destination. This will definitely save a lot of time! The best way to do that is by using: <b><a href="http://maps.google.com/" target="_blank">GOOGLE MAPS</a>!</b></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<br />
Use Google maps for the following purposes:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>To find the location of the city center area with respect to the Hotel</li>
<li>To find bus and metro stations. Google maps will also tell you which buses/trains you should take to reach a certain destination and how much they cost. This will be extremely helpful for countries where the majority don't speak English (such as Japan and Turkey). </li>
<li>To determine the distance from the hotel to your targets (attractions, restaurants, shopping centers, pubs and night clubs)</li>
<li>Star all the locations that you want visit. This will help you cluster nearby attractions together in the same day.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: bold;">
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>
STEP 6: Finding attractions, restaurants and wild night spots</h2>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTL2IuF9Alw6aD_L3H_ddV4dSMlth3gMPfT8wTnqEA3KGjblnIO9GqZLJglLunXMYZxkou02bzBBL_2rAyD1oIsSs2DAuu8v3vn0BYTQvKTOT4hTnq9GBEumZpismlsG20XekXvR44RJE/s1600/12017616_10156189994180372_780461051895854490_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTL2IuF9Alw6aD_L3H_ddV4dSMlth3gMPfT8wTnqEA3KGjblnIO9GqZLJglLunXMYZxkou02bzBBL_2rAyD1oIsSs2DAuu8v3vn0BYTQvKTOT4hTnq9GBEumZpismlsG20XekXvR44RJE/s320/12017616_10156189994180372_780461051895854490_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The best way to find and decide on top attractions, restaurants, shopping centers and night spots to visit, is through <b>word of mouth</b> and performing a good search online. Contacting a person who lives in the country you are planning to visit for the first time is a very reliable source as well. Even more reliable than what you can find online. Questions you might want to ask include:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>What are the major attractions?</li>
<li>What would a tourist most likely won't want to miss?</li>
<li>Where is it crowded the most in down-town?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
The internet is the second reliable source to find places to go to as you can always find people’s feedback and reviews… First, always search for a schedule of events and festivals that are occurring during the days of your stay at the chosen destination.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also, visit the local tourism office (usually in the airport or at main train stations). They know about everything going on in town. They can point you to free activities, special events happening during your stay, and everything in between. They would usually give you discounts or coupons as well.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
Additionally, find out what Google lists as top 10 attractions, restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs at the targeted destination and make a list of each. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
These websites can be used for brainstorming and planning:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.viator.com/">www.viator.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/">www.getyourguide.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.expedia.com/">www.expedia.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.visitacity.com/">www.visitacity.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/">www.tripadvisor.com</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Look for deals:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Sites like <a href="http://www.groupon.com/" target="_blank">Groupon</a>, <a href="http://www.livingsocial.com/" target="_blank">LivingSocial</a> & <a href="http://www.yipit.com/" target="_blank">Yipit</a> provide you with great discounts on many touristic attractions and tours.</li>
<li>Some cities offer city passes or cards where you can do all the major attractions in that city for a very discounted rates. I used the <a href="http://www.smartdestinations.com/goexp/destinations.ep" target="_blank">Go City Card</a> in New York City and Los Angeles and the <a href="http://www.passeportmtl.com/" target="_blank">Montreal Passport</a> in Montreal. So make sure to check if these exist in the city you are visiting.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
You can also use social media (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc…) to check out the lists made by searching online through: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Watching videos of prior year festivals that are interesting to attend at your time of visit.</li>
<li>Watching videos of parties in the chosen night spots.</li>
<li>Reading people’s comments and reviews of chosen restaurants and attractions.</li>
<li>Checking out blogs, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/travel" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/" target="_blank">TripAdviser</a> and <a href="http://www.foursquare.com/" target="_blank">Forsquare</a>.</li>
</ul>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h2>
<b>BONUS TIPS</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpPM5d1vGsXTfCZifZWeYIcZGO6t6YCLiDIltmZ9ap56cJ0DycXe1OnxhMeniDTUsQCu_EdG0IYSvB_evX7ShpioqffTLfzqIoAxOio2ampIhQfQHvmZnOpDJzmfdB-ztav9V-j-1o2c/s1600/12190990_10156319269085372_5844467753115448401_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpPM5d1vGsXTfCZifZWeYIcZGO6t6YCLiDIltmZ9ap56cJ0DycXe1OnxhMeniDTUsQCu_EdG0IYSvB_evX7ShpioqffTLfzqIoAxOio2ampIhQfQHvmZnOpDJzmfdB-ztav9V-j-1o2c/s320/12190990_10156319269085372_5844467753115448401_n.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
Always have a scan of your passport, visas and important documents in your email and Dropbox folder in case you lose them or they get stolen.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Don’t exchange money at the airport or hotels, ever! They usually have a much higher exchange rate and/or commission. </div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
To manage who paid what when you’re travelling in a group, download the <a href="https://www.tricount.com/en/" target="_blank">Tricount</a> app for your phone.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Always get behind business travelers when in security lines. They move fast. Try to keep up. Never get behind families. They take forever. It’s not their fault; they just have a lot of stuff.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Research the SIM cards available in each country beforehand. Many times you can order them online directly to your hotel.</div>
</li>
<ul>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
In Istanbul for example, you can order an <a href="http://www.alldaywifi.com/" target="_blank">AllDayWifi </a>router to your hotel for unlimited data. Read about my experience with it <a href="http://www.mindsoupblog.com/2016/12/overview-of-my-last-trip-to-istanbul.html" target="_blank">here</a> and use my code <b>mindsoup </b>for 10% off your order in 2017.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Take pictures of your luggage and clothes. If your bag gets lost, this will help identify it more easily and speed up the process of having your travel insurance reimburse you.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Take earplugs. Snorers and noise are everywhere and you need your sleep.</div>
</li>
<li><div style="display: inline !important;">
Tell your bank you’re travelling so your card doesn’t get rejected.</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b>Where's your next trip to?</b></div>
<div>
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div>
If you want to download these tips into a pdf to keep with you, check it in the presentation in my Slideshare account below.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/5KShA3Y4j3Dj3Y" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #ccc; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"> </iframe> </div>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> None of the above mentioned websites, apps or services are sponsors of this post. They were mentioned because I genuinely use them and recommend them.</i><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-35530617452270273042016-12-24T17:20:00.000+02:002016-12-24T17:22:48.653+02:00Overview of my last trip to Istanbul: Regional Social ImpactIt has been a while since I last blogged on this platform and I do miss blogging about what's going on in my life. Truth be told, for the last couple of years, I have been extremely busy, not only when it comes to my professional career as a communications consultant, but also working on social impact issues with several local and international organizations such as <a href="http://www.facebook.com/JCILebanon" target="_blank">Junior Chamber International</a> (JCI) which is a 101-year-old UN-partner organization that aims to make positive impact through youth empowerment as well as the World Economic Forum's <a href="https://www.globalshapers.org/" target="_blank">Global Shapers</a> program which empowers successful individuals in 436 different hubs to positively impact their communities. Hopefully I will be writing more about these organizations in the future.<br />
<br />
In this post, I am going to be talking about the two activities that I took part of this month in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is one of my favorite cities. Having been traveled to dozens of cities in the last couple of years, Istanbul has my heart due to its welcoming people, locals and expat population alike.<br />
<br />
I was invited to be a mentor and a judge during the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Social-Impact-Summit-644448892398496/" target="_blank">Social Impact Summit</a> that took place on December 9 & 10 in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/habita.coworking/" target="_blank">Habita</a> co-working space in Istanbul. It was organized by a newly established NGO called <a href="http://istanbulandi.com/" target="_blank">Istanbul&I</a>, a volunteer-based organization with over than 150 members from more than 45 countries, mainly expats, working on social impact. Hundreds of participants attended to learn more about social impact through entrepreneurship. It was a super dynamic and inspirational event that left me at awe at the power of youth to change the world to the better. More than dozen ideas were pitched and the judges team had a hard time choosing the winners.<br />
<br />
Here are some photos from this event:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nKeksIG16FT9O8edSeoPGC1rXbhUa_mj0eomIUNzfuM3SMA3lxtVnZeGXmt2YDBtYTHzeMiNME7NiMrHHb2DJawLvq7QcyXsdCF3QSUb6b0Nw36IiCKbFfTCs58qFxQznIvqyy7bjKk/s1600/Social+Impact+Summit+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nKeksIG16FT9O8edSeoPGC1rXbhUa_mj0eomIUNzfuM3SMA3lxtVnZeGXmt2YDBtYTHzeMiNME7NiMrHHb2DJawLvq7QcyXsdCF3QSUb6b0Nw36IiCKbFfTCs58qFxQznIvqyy7bjKk/s1600/Social+Impact+Summit+%25283%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
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With some of the attendees of the summit (I'm in the back :p)</div>
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaVVTVajLv9_m4e7WNP8uKwlMhPwO16B8znEyjCO9ZR5_Zx7_zBRCqM9gW_lMw5M7TuAbaogY6lEPi3fFozioobfrTLsGtJ6Kt6Y1UY1ZiK3pbBcPlJ631jBQSLt_gVxwvZCiOCs8AXs/s1600/Social+Impact+Summit+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRaVVTVajLv9_m4e7WNP8uKwlMhPwO16B8znEyjCO9ZR5_Zx7_zBRCqM9gW_lMw5M7TuAbaogY6lEPi3fFozioobfrTLsGtJ6Kt6Y1UY1ZiK3pbBcPlJ631jBQSLt_gVxwvZCiOCs8AXs/s640/Social+Impact+Summit+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Judges Panel</div>
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Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs</div>
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Selfie with the judges</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJd_h2xGBAX2bQXXVuY0W6WVN6XD-UbaEttw_J9p9Tx3V-BTabQWTjLMvzx4nmG9t_kmPhtM3O-NeNUQT0tW1yrSOj4ARU-QCav3s30Luktw7jCOa701Hm2wgeYRAhAg8izWzxMRfPY4/s1600/Social+Impact+Summit+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJd_h2xGBAX2bQXXVuY0W6WVN6XD-UbaEttw_J9p9Tx3V-BTabQWTjLMvzx4nmG9t_kmPhtM3O-NeNUQT0tW1yrSOj4ARU-QCav3s30Luktw7jCOa701Hm2wgeYRAhAg8izWzxMRfPY4/s400/Social+Impact+Summit+%25285%2529.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_4mWtxoUKycuR8h8PghDY8PGB7XrdKeYYFJR2fcvV-ZEIv1L7-f4JLHaMuoJTF6UEHmk8yC7Mn28KcVMaz4MSWsKQWhsDWXVh5LdakA_D9olBCoOH4Qg8FfGxiCtFK-RN4tw45YQZ5k/s1600/Social+Impact+Summit+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_4mWtxoUKycuR8h8PghDY8PGB7XrdKeYYFJR2fcvV-ZEIv1L7-f4JLHaMuoJTF6UEHmk8yC7Mn28KcVMaz4MSWsKQWhsDWXVh5LdakA_D9olBCoOH4Qg8FfGxiCtFK-RN4tw45YQZ5k/s400/Social+Impact+Summit+%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While presenting & my summit badge against the Habita Wall </div>
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Part of the audiences who attended the event</div>
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The second event that I took part of on this trip was the Third Edition of the Averroes Academy on Advancing Business Friendly Reforms, Entrepreneurship and Empowering Strong Competitive Private Sector in MENA Countries organized by the <a href="http://arab-csr.org/" target="_blank">Arab Center for Scientific Research and Humane Studies</a>. Around 20 participants from the Arab World, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran took part in this program to learn how to write and implement policy papers that can improve business social impact in their own countries. This was only the first part of the academy. By the end of the program in mid-2017, participants would have submitted actual policy papers to cause impact to their communities. I will hopefully talk about my policy paper idea once I start working on it.<br />
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During this academy, I was asked to conduct a hand-on workshop about creating a marketing strategy for social impact papers. My introduction for this workshop showcased some of the world's top marketing campaigns that caused social impact. You can view the compilation these case studies in the presentation below.<br />
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Here are some photos from the Averroes Academy in Istanbul:<br />
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During my marketing strategy workshop</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTNQ1pswRov89KLABb50yOjqP82NKYsNLJpjbbdhEMaeHjYBQPEUSeomDOnjpT3D2SRMhmSOdnekF7-PYv86r1XPnV0ZdubZKQ2WRWU9g22fpDX3rAG_AJEQCTfA73FbdgluK7l8xE-s/s1600/Averroes+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTNQ1pswRov89KLABb50yOjqP82NKYsNLJpjbbdhEMaeHjYBQPEUSeomDOnjpT3D2SRMhmSOdnekF7-PYv86r1XPnV0ZdubZKQ2WRWU9g22fpDX3rAG_AJEQCTfA73FbdgluK7l8xE-s/s640/Averroes+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Introduction to Social Impact Marketing Campaigns</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWAkkqCtbu7iaxGycG0xkXx9xaQf2f-jrkj_cX8ho4w1G_ITIRHYRXEj-KQkeBToRFP_aCjZiiXzmd7wmDLiCS2nRFYOHP3cmnhNnTmVc1U9OtGjxZ7Q90bmHzo9ZkoDeMpz_bVKHVN8/s1600/Averroes+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWAkkqCtbu7iaxGycG0xkXx9xaQf2f-jrkj_cX8ho4w1G_ITIRHYRXEj-KQkeBToRFP_aCjZiiXzmd7wmDLiCS2nRFYOHP3cmnhNnTmVc1U9OtGjxZ7Q90bmHzo9ZkoDeMpz_bVKHVN8/s640/Averroes+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The participants of the Third Averroes Academy</div>
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During a meeting with the the German Organization Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF)<br />
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Had the pleasure of meeting famous Turkish journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/AkyolMustafa" target="_blank">Mustafa Akyol</a> and getting a signed copy of his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Islam-without-Extremes-Muslim-Liberty/dp/0393347249" target="_blank">Islam Without Extremes</a>.<br />
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A quick side-note: the previous winner of the Averroes Academy is Lebanese professor Dr. Patrick Mardini who just launched the campaign for his public policy paper about Electricity in Lebanon. You can watch the video that summarizes his topic below.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLIMSLB%2Fvideos%2F1304705952934001%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
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Also, during this trip, I witnessed two explosions that took place in Istanbul near the area that I was staying in. AlJadeed TV asked me to report on the incident, you can watch my live phone interview with them <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu_ViRkah9c" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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On another note, Istanbul is one of my frequently-visited cities due to several projects and family business. And it can actually be quiet expensive and confusing to stay connected if you don't have a postpaid phone line there. Their prepaid SIM card policy requires you to use a different phone device every time you visit (in three month intervals) or to go to a police station to register your device with a substantial tax fee, in addition to the cost of the 4G service on your prepaid plan.<br />
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For my past couple of trips, I have been using a wifi router service called <a href="http://www.alldaywifi.com/" target="_blank">AllDayWifi </a>that made my life so much easier in Istanbul, especially that I need to be connected all the time for the benefit of my clients in Lebanon. I also need to be connected because my proffered method of transportation is Uber in Istanbul. Their service consists of delivering a 4.5G wireless router to your hotel, hostel or Airbnb location and you can use high speed real unlimited data on the go throughout Turkey for a very affordable price. They even send you a power bank to keep the router pumped up with juice throughout the day so you are always connected. Once your trip ends, all you need is to drop it off at the reception of your hotel at check-out and they will take care of picking it up the next day. I am very satisfied with this service and I wish there are similar startups that provide this service worldwide for this affordable fee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3xEZ3sAYZCJJ7GmKfwnArCBY4ZT2uL9zKmiUGMRPVaNLZ51SNeWk6E1aFrrRk_dvAT54FBtNDXBfcIAfOkokKMs1DeYjxknowvjr_kiHWTCwixSZc6avYIYqSBgDHzT9FRS_tj2_5CA/s1600/Alldaywifi+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3xEZ3sAYZCJJ7GmKfwnArCBY4ZT2uL9zKmiUGMRPVaNLZ51SNeWk6E1aFrrRk_dvAT54FBtNDXBfcIAfOkokKMs1DeYjxknowvjr_kiHWTCwixSZc6avYIYqSBgDHzT9FRS_tj2_5CA/s400/Alldaywifi+%25282%2529.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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I would recommend that my readers try this service. Make sure to book it a few days in advance so that they can deliver it to your residence before you arrive. And as a bonus, I have requested a discount code for my readers from them. So if you go to <a href="http://www.alldaywifi.com/">www.alldaywifi.com</a> and order your router for your trip to Turkey and use the <b>Coupon Code: MINDSOUP</b>, you will get a 10% discount on your total bill till the end of 2017. Let me know if you try it and what you think about their service.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQJQ7IaYhMBJHD5sBWbnlD-l_HYjW4O7gNEOCATA0XTXmxompATBZMQiAIlT4zt9oqv5ox075wy5tSDBmCG17iIjcyi3E84D59JSQRpd-gGaVTx7BkIRNXLKAY3xQYpdXOt31JFFoKPM/s1600/Alldaywifi+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQJQ7IaYhMBJHD5sBWbnlD-l_HYjW4O7gNEOCATA0XTXmxompATBZMQiAIlT4zt9oqv5ox075wy5tSDBmCG17iIjcyi3E84D59JSQRpd-gGaVTx7BkIRNXLKAY3xQYpdXOt31JFFoKPM/s320/Alldaywifi+%25281%2529.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
The kit includes the 4.5G router, a charger & cable, powerbank (not shown), user guide, metro map of Istanbul, a sealable drop-off bag and a protective case.<br />
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Finally, here are some photos of my favorite things in Istanbul.</div>
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Taking a nap while getting to my destination in a massive and well equipped Uber XL. <i>(not sponsored)</i></div>
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Turkish Kunefe and tea at Hafiz Mustafa <i>(also not sponsored)</i></div>
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View from the top of the Galata Tower<br />
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Mouthwatering display of sweets<br />
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Shopping in Istaklal, the street that doesn't sleep in Taksim</div>
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A crunchy cheese-filled simit to give you some energy while you conduct your business<br />
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View of the Bosphorus from my hotel room</div>
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Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-37102208353762003602016-03-04T13:51:00.000+02:002016-03-04T13:51:27.617+02:00Introduction to Social Media Strategy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OAbBfTONXupz7PYegBQyePEAWHPS4nKBSeU9o6bAJPpS7AzcnmxNyIWobpxZroDJWF_sn_jwEM9BnUfODdXbTMxh11RcuKVI85quFZsYWbV8tsrgkMv027uX7GFLk6veLEn0hUywqjQ/s1600/12816854_597785273707967_2109799087_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OAbBfTONXupz7PYegBQyePEAWHPS4nKBSeU9o6bAJPpS7AzcnmxNyIWobpxZroDJWF_sn_jwEM9BnUfODdXbTMxh11RcuKVI85quFZsYWbV8tsrgkMv027uX7GFLk6veLEn0hUywqjQ/s320/12816854_597785273707967_2109799087_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=265924233509983&fref=ts" target="_blank">JCI Beirut</a> hosted me on Wednesday March 2, 2016 to conduct a hands-on training about Social Media Strategy at Berytech Beirut Digital District. In this workshop, where more than 50 people from different backgrounds (students, fresh graduates and professionals) attended, I explained how to create a social media strategy for business. The points discussed included examples of brands that do not have a proper strategy, defining social media goals, the sales cycle, asset mapping, defining the audience and creating personas, choosing channels, voice & tone, posting frequency & time, crisis management, and understanding Facebook's algorithm. The session was followed by a Q&A session. I was really overwhelmed by the positive feedback from the attendees after the session especially that several ha said that they learned so many new things that they have not learned when they took expensive workshops or companies.<br />
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It had been almost two years since I had given a public social media workshop in Beirut. I haven't realized that the demand on my workshop was so high until we noticed that the event on ihjoz was fully booked in one day and then double booked in 4 hours! I promise to conduct more public workshops about different social media topics soon!<br />
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You can check my slides from the workshop below. If you have any questions or need advice, feel free to email me on mhijazi@onlinecollaborative.org.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/AsfMwD8CkXswi8" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #ccc; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"> </iframe></div>
Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-733141687942962492015-05-12T13:51:00.001+03:002015-05-12T13:51:28.576+03:00Social Media Case Studies From The Middle East: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGI8s8KkwAxdIvkQnWuMw92LCOpvrxndgon8PUwBggGubxWoDzOKzOcKP82moPQvxMQ5GZoafH0D00Oz0hnirEY1hGRpVgBJ-sbnBRIlwHe1Q1mH-6f8Hwuma51ll8_CBpoGXNYbCT5U/s1600/11019548_10155619758610372_2163645410245169389_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGI8s8KkwAxdIvkQnWuMw92LCOpvrxndgon8PUwBggGubxWoDzOKzOcKP82moPQvxMQ5GZoafH0D00Oz0hnirEY1hGRpVgBJ-sbnBRIlwHe1Q1mH-6f8Hwuma51ll8_CBpoGXNYbCT5U/s320/11019548_10155619758610372_2163645410245169389_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was invited to speak at the <a href="http://www.promediakw.com/2014/socialmedia/" target="_blank">4th Arabian Social Media Forum</a> in Kuwait last week. I spoke about some case studies that reflected the state of social media in the Middle East. In my presentation, I discussed successful campaigns from Lebanon, UAE, KSA, Jordan and Egypt.<br />
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I have also included examples of bad conduct from brands and celebrities on social media, in addition to examples of really bad (ugly) examples of social media customer service from Lebanon and Kuwait.</div>
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<b>Some key takeaways from the presentation:</b><br />
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<li>A simple campaign can go viral for a long time if implemented properly. (#<a href="http://www.instagram.com/mydubai" target="_blank">MyDubai</a>)</li>
<li>Negative content spreads much faster than positive content. Campaigns that use negative content in a smart way can take advantage of this with a smaller advertising budget. (Ugliest Couch campaign)</li>
<li>You must know and study your demographic before you launch an online campaign. (Samsung Levant's Secret Valentine)</li>
<li>With a small budget, small businesses can hugely increase their sales when they set their goals properly, give its users a decent incentive and have a proper strategy. (Couqley)</li>
<li>You can always come up with a creative campaign even if there are so many imposed restrictions by the government or culture in the targeted country. (Olay's Eyes of Arabia).</li>
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Check my presentation with embedded Youtube videos below! What are your favorite campaigns from the Middle East? Share with me your thoughts in the comments section.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/EzZjKu9TMChEvO" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"> </iframe> </div>
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Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-65089882194862023012015-04-01T14:14:00.004+03:002015-04-02T13:33:31.405+03:00Brands Got You Fooled<div style="text-align: justify;">
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This was the first post we came across by<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaliksLeb"> Malik's Lebanon</a>. It's a cute idea, but we're a bit worried that One Directioners (is that the official name of the fandom?) might take it seriously and possibly murder Malik's workers when they find out it's a joke. </div>
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Abril foul indeed, good one<a href="https://www.facebook.com/nogarlicnoonions"> NGNO</a>! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOpeDOoXQXnwBiDpplDEr3sLifnJCkmacDnkcBEQKAWs129zfXf7QQfDgnMQZ6Lcdz9Xb8lZLB1tOkTE_hLvEZcwJ3l70hoDchzoRRnEKZeP80BLRd8-N8VGIpjb9I1Zx-t9rq5HimZc4/s1600/unnamed+(3).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOpeDOoXQXnwBiDpplDEr3sLifnJCkmacDnkcBEQKAWs129zfXf7QQfDgnMQZ6Lcdz9Xb8lZLB1tOkTE_hLvEZcwJ3l70hoDchzoRRnEKZeP80BLRd8-N8VGIpjb9I1Zx-t9rq5HimZc4/s1600/unnamed+(3).png" height="640" width="542" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/XXLEnergyLB">XXL Energy</a> released an original new flavor inspired by Lebanon. haha</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f-1BEnsMN1J9e81I_jJl4yxNVa1S37EQ7NqiRTk6qIdFVPvDyeVXXyU81FngXx8XiotfRVBvyyxDLBeaZ29z8BSLzncmNklSSzb1hG9OHfzbXB5lXV1PTARiUzHyewZhLMuBZe0YxnGc/s1600/unnamed+(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f-1BEnsMN1J9e81I_jJl4yxNVa1S37EQ7NqiRTk6qIdFVPvDyeVXXyU81FngXx8XiotfRVBvyyxDLBeaZ29z8BSLzncmNklSSzb1hG9OHfzbXB5lXV1PTARiUzHyewZhLMuBZe0YxnGc/s1600/unnamed+(2).png" height="564" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeirutPlusTV">Beirut+ TV</a>, how we wish all of what you said was true! Watch the episode<a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=361713530694122"> here.</a> </div>
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Selfie sticks gone too far spotted on <a href="http://www.mashable.com/">Mashable</a>.<br />
<b>Update: </b>Apparently this is not a joke? We weep for the future of our planet.<br />
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A very apparent fake product release was announced by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ILoveBarryM">Barry M</a>, the Nip Dip would hypothetically allow you to apply glitter to your nipples.Not sure how we feel about this one...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJllbwz4TGe0m0Ml7v3JrCgInBgXFwDl4UA5nW18vKmedHS3j2J_5pzXcYDYsW7lSly5gHTIy_JgwAlKtdl5XnI1rs1-V-xPEaKPKTBN_olASqf59Y9Miu9uGAUc2y5QzTPBa0pQ-1sBkQ/s1600/radcliffe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJllbwz4TGe0m0Ml7v3JrCgInBgXFwDl4UA5nW18vKmedHS3j2J_5pzXcYDYsW7lSly5gHTIy_JgwAlKtdl5XnI1rs1-V-xPEaKPKTBN_olASqf59Y9Miu9uGAUc2y5QzTPBa0pQ-1sBkQ/s1600/radcliffe.JPG" height="300" width="640" /></a></div>
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We love it when law enforcement agencies have a sense of humor, good one <a href="https://twitter.com/GMPRadcliffe">GMP Radcliffe</a> </div>
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One of our favorites (if not absolute favorite) was obviously brought to us by Google. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8v6OVDmQTMaXo5dNjCMfmP0hKngpCqnAdZntU3BYBbd_VGUMPsSqpPmHQQxEe_NmLb_lP6LQ5IYjLUQXeOuMgRF6gWyIB2ybCjVx3LbFhrF9bb2Bs6REUPZa7NDt72b0oJx1KOQrp4uv/s1600/Googlepacman_3252204b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8v6OVDmQTMaXo5dNjCMfmP0hKngpCqnAdZntU3BYBbd_VGUMPsSqpPmHQQxEe_NmLb_lP6LQ5IYjLUQXeOuMgRF6gWyIB2ybCjVx3LbFhrF9bb2Bs6REUPZa7NDt72b0oJx1KOQrp4uv/s1600/Googlepacman_3252204b.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></div>
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We spent a good chunk of our day playing PacMan on <a href="http://www.maps.google.com/">GoogleMaps</a>, hope we don't get fired!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1pFhD6wErQgqqkMdeQhfffx0N96Li5c4DxAwQ_hsYqxcFTgBPDB3JiX1y_OqEnfWWHi4UlVZ09zSK48WycwPwSwJFNOJA3mblhJmiORdrxC1oNaaybPFQ0thHIZIMpTXSexydzbAexNl/s1600/20150401_072831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1pFhD6wErQgqqkMdeQhfffx0N96Li5c4DxAwQ_hsYqxcFTgBPDB3JiX1y_OqEnfWWHi4UlVZ09zSK48WycwPwSwJFNOJA3mblhJmiORdrxC1oNaaybPFQ0thHIZIMpTXSexydzbAexNl/s1600/20150401_072831.jpg" height="364" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sakkera.com/">Sakker El Balad</a> gave out fines to a big chunk of population. The fact that the new driving law was supposed to be implemented today makes things funnier. In terms of creativity though, as <a href="http://beirutntsc.blogspot.com/2015/04/sakker-el-dekkene-nandos-and-ministry.html">NSTC pointed out</a>, this had been done before by Nando's (and also Red Bull).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnruC3UiSO93rD4EyEezJClHhvF9sOdtmVkTyQoYQ5Ff_Ws7ZPSp1Ox2sAthh1xHIiOVXlhRmwESQ_xgoUWkTlK5Z0tDCOFgpKIi139fTGlpqVgqRxqg1W0sFk4L17Vj7ipyFC6m1wdamB/s1600/groupon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnruC3UiSO93rD4EyEezJClHhvF9sOdtmVkTyQoYQ5Ff_Ws7ZPSp1Ox2sAthh1xHIiOVXlhRmwESQ_xgoUWkTlK5Z0tDCOFgpKIi139fTGlpqVgqRxqg1W0sFk4L17Vj7ipyFC6m1wdamB/s1600/groupon.JPG" height="408" width="640" /></a><br />
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Awesome new deal on <a href="http://www.groupon.com/">Groupon</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrkxKFolmmKLVOGzv7jxiUtFboKrCvmLGbumUvkUH_xt76NpyToXEACA582fy0VxdzuFYVRMySfA2trNhFnXgmk44HlJLnJUmwBqF4qwRWOhE5nDbwIF3lg6cdi5ieNzxil7SkTtqJvda/s1600/redbull.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrkxKFolmmKLVOGzv7jxiUtFboKrCvmLGbumUvkUH_xt76NpyToXEACA582fy0VxdzuFYVRMySfA2trNhFnXgmk44HlJLnJUmwBqF4qwRWOhE5nDbwIF3lg6cdi5ieNzxil7SkTtqJvda/s1600/redbull.JPG" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a href="https://instagram.com/redbullleb/">Red Bull Leb</a> joined the April Fool's party too... with a laundry detergent? Ok..<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat_O7OLrxjy2C6EBwk7q6EO2QsQYFXwLIkeCG1lcIkp_hkuQb2ra_UiazAXmW4_LaeuqSamsX2FMPnkSEZsx_5SD2U1HPDk6a5aFUGP023u24fk5NwWNICAzCQUjw8fbG4Hd6cZ3ptHGa/s1600/trident.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat_O7OLrxjy2C6EBwk7q6EO2QsQYFXwLIkeCG1lcIkp_hkuQb2ra_UiazAXmW4_LaeuqSamsX2FMPnkSEZsx_5SD2U1HPDk6a5aFUGP023u24fk5NwWNICAzCQUjw8fbG4Hd6cZ3ptHGa/s1600/trident.JPG" height="506" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Now this is a<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TridentME?fref=ts"> Trident</a> flavor that we wouldn't say no too. We do love us some Oreos!<br />
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<b>UPDATE:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHy-OOQb4epNeUj-Nw9WguY8v4vd_fr7cM-UB2JCWU1oGw0Xkqjk1kmntyFqkjOehvHUkulOcQI7tlp_HEJvyRZWhZNlbTQuMys9Ogvn4ykwWGvjFCVRUpgiWUBdBIKscePJF4si0JIBV/s1600/deekduke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHy-OOQb4epNeUj-Nw9WguY8v4vd_fr7cM-UB2JCWU1oGw0Xkqjk1kmntyFqkjOehvHUkulOcQI7tlp_HEJvyRZWhZNlbTQuMys9Ogvn4ykwWGvjFCVRUpgiWUBdBIKscePJF4si0JIBV/s1600/deekduke.JPG" height="640" width="522" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
Deek Duke pulled some pranks on their customers, watch the videos <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152626631226626">here</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152626502641626">here</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152626228546626">here.</a> Pretty funny! You can also find more videos on their<a href="https://www.facebook.com/deekdukerestaurant"> Facebook page</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/deekduke/">Instagram</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>What were your favorite pranks?</b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-38195419962859883402015-01-08T13:59:00.001+02:002017-01-21T00:04:53.349+02:00Lebanese entrepreneurship scene: is it all just one big scam?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Xhh_8NcCadOVukp-NHNul8nsC2A8dYKwXXQFTPBpFPmRKpXSuedUN1JSiY6WNR8Jc0OUOY-nb8ky6tdaexdG9U6rqJ5MyyS6F3B69r3qjziKp3YpkGTb6H_HxKZL7x6u2fZBcuuyAJQ/s1600/914417_1516940071900253_1476885436_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Xhh_8NcCadOVukp-NHNul8nsC2A8dYKwXXQFTPBpFPmRKpXSuedUN1JSiY6WNR8Jc0OUOY-nb8ky6tdaexdG9U6rqJ5MyyS6F3B69r3qjziKp3YpkGTb6H_HxKZL7x6u2fZBcuuyAJQ/s1600/914417_1516940071900253_1476885436_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
I was invited last month to speak about the state of entrepreneurship in Lebanon at the Lebanon SME Congress by eBusinessLebanon. Below is my presentation from the conference.<br />
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Is entrepreneurship in Lebanon really what it is hyped up to be? Don't believe all the fluff, this is what start-ups, accelerators and crowd-funding really like in Lebanon!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="420" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/43245954" style="border-width: 1px; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="510"> </iframe></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<div style="text-align: left;">
A clever presentTion by mohamad hijazi of cloud961 at lebanon sme congress yes SOME entrepreneurs have a big mouth and are simply ignorant</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
— Maan Barazy (@maanbarazy) <a href="https://twitter.com/maanbarazy/status/545553784857169920">December 18, 2014</a></div>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-19339971059395700812014-11-17T16:36:00.000+02:002014-11-17T16:36:32.786+02:00Has Technology Altered Human Psychology and Behavior? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XpZ3eYeW54k13YcrFkEAwa5d8RxySswgcCvsPwnF_I6HYQhT2lD3awZR6107Anl9pMLcbXsCzclIhTPxojBsQAo-v2giOmSa50fpuN4lFrUEfUA9kDszoYHDDb5QynyJ9IMG9cAZCs0/s1600/Cover+Psyc.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XpZ3eYeW54k13YcrFkEAwa5d8RxySswgcCvsPwnF_I6HYQhT2lD3awZR6107Anl9pMLcbXsCzclIhTPxojBsQAo-v2giOmSa50fpuN4lFrUEfUA9kDszoYHDDb5QynyJ9IMG9cAZCs0/s1600/Cover+Psyc.png" height="400" width="312" /></a></div>
It has become undoubtful that technology is changing our lives drastically, mostly to the better. This change, however, did not only affect us physically, but also psychologically and behaviorally. Social media in particular has changed the way we view and manage communication and interpersonal relationships.<br />
<br />
The virtual is slowly but surely becoming the reality. Social media has certainly given us better and more efficient communication tools, but has also altered our personalities. In our cover feature for this issue, psychologist Lea Hannouch discusses how the Internet makes users more confident and efficient with their virtual lives, but also more aggressive and impulsive. <br />
<br />
The quick pace of tech has also caused a psychological shock that has led to several disorders such as the Phantom Ringing Syndrome, Nomophobia, Cybersickness, The Google Effect, Cyberchondria, Sleep Texting, among others. Additionally, our health has taken a hit due to the increased stress and fear levels, addiction to screens, attention deficit, and even depression.<br />
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And as if that was not enough, our concept of relationships has been altered, too. Becoming “friends” with hundreds or thousands of people is now as simple as hitting a button. Just managing these relationships can be a nightmare. Relationships have become globalized, and catching up with what your friends and acquaintances are up to can take up all your time. Even romance and sex are now regarded differently. Through “sexting” and video-chatting, long-distance relationships are easier than ever. <br />
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More and more, social media has also changed the way we go out, with the constant urge to check-into places in location-based apps to show our friends where we are or brag about where we hang out. The need to Instagram our meals to express how “cool” and healthy we are while having a “Quinoa tabbouleh” seems to have become a vital activity.<br />
<br />
Times have certainly changed. This issue is dedicated to the impact of this change on our mental and psychological well-being, in an attempt to spread awareness about the sometimes unnoticeable transformations that we are undergoing as individuals and as a society due to the rapid technological advancements. <br />
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<b><i>A version of this article appeared as my editorial for the Cloud961 Magazine Psychology Issue (Issue 13). You can download it <a href="http://bit.ly/Cloud961-13" target="_blank">here</a> (pdf).</i></b>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-81413067943839479862014-11-03T16:48:00.004+02:002014-11-03T16:48:52.086+02:00Linkedin For Entrepreneurs Seminar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP2AQR8oSXf4xYGDSDvQ_07gZkC8XMjzcndZYhP_oMHnaPDpG2PfNq7-5R94Fm14FzupTsY_PkwohUJNrOjQJfat-eCumWDO8X5L1hZ6QF2o6s2mFrHIx_Hh76zWv2bZPOpILHTbSjLA/s1600/10418999_10154739493195372_4372413523724854516_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP2AQR8oSXf4xYGDSDvQ_07gZkC8XMjzcndZYhP_oMHnaPDpG2PfNq7-5R94Fm14FzupTsY_PkwohUJNrOjQJfat-eCumWDO8X5L1hZ6QF2o6s2mFrHIx_Hh76zWv2bZPOpILHTbSjLA/s1600/10418999_10154739493195372_4372413523724854516_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Linkedin is the premiere social network for business, yet most people do not know how to use it effectively. Cloud961 Magazine's Editor in Chief, Mohammad Hijazi, will be giving a seminar for entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs about using Linkedin to promote their start-ups, find investors, partners and employees and build a solid connection base.<br />
<br />
This seminar is part of Global Entrepreneurship week that is taking place on November 17-23 and is <b>FREE OF CHARGE</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>Date:</b> November 20, 2014<br />
<b>Time:</b> 6:00pm - 8:00pm<br />
<b>Location:</b> Coworking +961, Sursock Palace (<a href="https://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&pc=FACEBK&mid=8100&rtp=adr.~pos.33.893665815623_35.517082882867_Coworking+%2B961_Lady+Cochrane+-+Sursock+Palace%2C+Achrafieh%2C+Beirut%2C+Lebanon&cp=33.893665815623~35.517082882867&lvl=16&sty=r&rtop=0~0~0~&mode=D&FORM=FBKPL1&mkt=en-US" target="_blank">View Map</a>)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ihjoz.com/events/561-linkedin-for-entrepreneurs-seminar" target="_blank">Get your ticket on ihjoz now before they run out again!</a><br />
<br />
<b><u>About Mohammad Hijazi</u></b><br />
Mohammad Hijazi runs the Online Collaborative, a non-profit initiative that aims to promote awareness about technology and social media, and is the organizing entity of The Social Media Awards which took place last year in Beirut and launching in several Arab countries this year. In addition, he is the Editor in Chief of Cloud961, a print and online magazine that is dedicated to the online community in Lebanon and discusses digital and social media topics from the region.<br />
<br />
Mohammad also works as a marketing consultant and digital media strategist with some of the Middle East’s top agencies and institutions. He is a blogger at Mind Soup, and an instructor on computer literacy, social media techniques, and social networking for senior citizens as well as corporate digital marketing courses. Mohammad graduated from the American University of Beirut (AUB) with degrees in biology and marketing communications.<br />
<br />
<b><u>About Cloud961</u></b><br />
Cloud961 is a Lebanese monthly magazine covering the world of social media and blogging as well as the socio-digital industry. It is the first interactive publication in the MENA region reaching out to the digital community and at the same time developed by the leaders and stakeholders of that community (C level and below).<br />
<br />
The magazine is available free-of-charge in digital format through its online platform (www.cloud961.com) as well as in a state-of-the-art print edition distributed to subscribers and exclusively at all Maliks branches in Lebanon.Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-54932623045959627472014-09-22T14:34:00.000+03:002014-09-22T14:34:10.706+03:00GAME COOKS: Born Out Of a Shared Passion For GamingFounded in 2012, Game Cooks is a collective of artists, designers and developers with a shared passion for gaming. Based in Lebanon and catering to the world, the team creates fun and feel-good type games, with a twist, which people from the region can relate to and players from all over the world can enjoy. Game Cooks focuses on producing international games for iOS and Android. So far, Game Cooks has launched 7 mobile games, available for iOS and Android, the latest being Cubama, a 3D reflex game, which requires concentration and speed. Here is an interview with Lara Noujaim, Game Cook's marketing manager.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbprC27TV6I0WD-6ZxpEZVgN3e7kvyyusFoA83u5pa47CsjSCMegjaMtexCJIdHhZxpmcGHWb18YEj5JEyTzN_WRyr2HRu7ZgCfNLqEPF3lsCSoCfp_LHGM96W89nq_9gJGCKMdavl64g/s1600/IMG_4223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbprC27TV6I0WD-6ZxpEZVgN3e7kvyyusFoA83u5pa47CsjSCMegjaMtexCJIdHhZxpmcGHWb18YEj5JEyTzN_WRyr2HRu7ZgCfNLqEPF3lsCSoCfp_LHGM96W89nq_9gJGCKMdavl64g/s1600/IMG_4223.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>How did the idea for Game Cooks begin and how was it funded?</b><br />
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Game Cooks was born out of a shared passion for gaming and how games are created! It all started with an idea for a game—and that idea turned into Birdy Nam Nam. Birdy Nam Nam proved to be a great success; having amassed over a quarter million downloads from its first week alone! This was enough motivation for the team to realize that gaming is what they should be doing. Game Cooks was officially founded in January 2012. <br />
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<br />
<b>What are Game Cook’s most popular games?</b><br />
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One of our most popular games to date is Run For Peace—it was our first game following Game Cooks’ official launch. The idea for this game came around the time of the Arab Spring, at a time where cries for peace and change were being heard throughout the region (and are still being heard today). Run For Peace was a way for us to be part of that movement and make our voices heard in the most peaceful of ways—through playing games! The game’s popularity level was based on the sentiment and reactions it evoked early on, making it a favorite among the many who play it, particularly in the region and this translated into high downloads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCzHaeGfRE9XthuNuZq5WWT7mE8sRY9rxmS6id0XZDn2m5K5nP87hMyR_PYrDa_nQEKrFc5cNaeNFkL8zCBiGaQRT4rvBH4NsM4cXxjinA2tWO_JehNn8mGXRQRHWQlJkRVGPA8YYco4/s1600/Captain+Oil+Screenshot.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCzHaeGfRE9XthuNuZq5WWT7mE8sRY9rxmS6id0XZDn2m5K5nP87hMyR_PYrDa_nQEKrFc5cNaeNFkL8zCBiGaQRT4rvBH4NsM4cXxjinA2tWO_JehNn8mGXRQRHWQlJkRVGPA8YYco4/s1600/Captain+Oil+Screenshot.jpeg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>Who is Game Cook’s target audience? </b><br />
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Our target audience is casual gamers in general. We have yet to build a game that is truly targeted towards a niche market. When we first started, we developed games that were geared to Middle Eastern gamers. But as our games gained global popularity, we shifted our focus to developing games for the international market, making sure to include an Arabic twist that people from the region can relate to and the international market can appreciate. This can come in the form of Middle Eastern elements within the game all the way to creating games inspired by Middle Eastern scenarios. <br />
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<br />
<b>Which is more popular in terms of downloads and user activity, iOS or Android games?</b><br />
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The answer here depends on what type of data you are looking at:<br />
Platform with the most number of apps: both iTunes and Google Play have a similarly high number of apps.<br />
Platform with the highest quality of apps: studies suggest that the iOS App Store has higher-quality apps than the Android store. This makes sense when you consider that the app review process is much stricter for iOS than on the Google Play store.<br />
Platform with the most downloads: the platform with the most downloads is Android and coming close in second place is Apple’s App Store.<br />
Platform making the most money from its users: even though iOS users are downloading fewer apps overall, they are still spending more money on their apps than Android users.<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxeXJ4NOMMjORy6aunfqIGbbuhexxoCtnF1YZGppNyxxvUw38c-vu-IF-NxzfY0ujocFic5afi_Q5n9axbqAeim32P6PWX9vNvY_oUkpqisDD63u8W6-pvMD6ExZpAnSjFW4idEFQui0/s1600/Image1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxeXJ4NOMMjORy6aunfqIGbbuhexxoCtnF1YZGppNyxxvUw38c-vu-IF-NxzfY0ujocFic5afi_Q5n9axbqAeim32P6PWX9vNvY_oUkpqisDD63u8W6-pvMD6ExZpAnSjFW4idEFQui0/s1600/Image1.png" height="320" width="180" /></a><b>Why have you not produced any games for Windows Phone yet or Windows 8 touch devices that are starting to gain market share?</b><br />
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There is no doubt that Windows Phones are starting to gain traction and we do have plans in the very near future to migrate our games to the Windows App Store. So stay tuned for that update!<br />
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<br />
<b>What would you say is the proudest moment for the company?</b><br />
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Our proud moments come after launching a new game and reading/hearing people’s reactions to it. Each one of our games takes us between 3 to 6 months to complete, depending on the game, and so when we see that people’s opinions and sentiments toward our games mirror our own, it is a great feeling! <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>What are the challenges that Game Cooks is facing and how can/did you overcome them?</b><br />
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One of the main challenges, as any game development company can attest, is game visibility. There are many factors that come into play to get visibility for your mobile game. The first and most important factor is game quality. Other factors include game engagement and addictiveness i.e. will people come back to play the game often or will they just try it out once or twice and then not play it again? Also, marketing and PR efforts are critical in helping spread the word. All these factors, combined with a sprinkle of good luck, can help a game gain the visibility it needs to achieve success.<br />
<br />
We know that in Lebanon—and other parts of the Middle East—most people have not started using credit cards yet, and this problem has caused startups to find other ways to monetize. Do you focus on customers for your games or do you have other means of monetizing?<br />
Our main mean of monetization is through purchasing customers—people who either download a game for money or pay to get additional benefits inside the game in the form of in-app purchases—. While our core audience is in the Middle East, it is not our only source of downloads, as our games are available internationally. In the Middle East, while credit card usage is still relatively lower than in other places, the region is showing signs of growth.<br />
<br />
As a start-up, have you started making profit yet (or did you break even)? If so, how much time did it take you? If not, when do you expect to start doing so?<br />
Each game we have created has known a different level of success than the previous ones. So, when it comes to breaking even, it is on a per-game basis where we look at how much a game took to produce and how much revenue it generated. While some of the games we have launched were very successful, other smaller games that appealed to a specific type of gamers did not provide us with as many downloads as our other more successful games.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xxsZOJ9P8t2PXbeGwQLyOSR8xztWguv3AkvEWijtJ6bT0Hj5SKCmsnKsYGcXlDqvRYQkTuBvi_vHPpglGYBR3Usm-tNqz8NUv-cWVDzUI-L5Djb12Q7A4TLDJK2nk6v_BxOJUwrmZ04/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-07+at+4.16.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xxsZOJ9P8t2PXbeGwQLyOSR8xztWguv3AkvEWijtJ6bT0Hj5SKCmsnKsYGcXlDqvRYQkTuBvi_vHPpglGYBR3Usm-tNqz8NUv-cWVDzUI-L5Djb12Q7A4TLDJK2nk6v_BxOJUwrmZ04/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-07+at+4.16.56+PM.png" height="242" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Who does your team consist of? Who would you say is the most important ‘link’ in the team?</b><br />
<br />
The members of our team are: Arz Nader, Creative Director; Himzu Bavic, Art Director; Marwan Zgheib, Game Designer; Ali Hammoud, 3D Artist; Joe Hannouch, Senior Technical Artist; Joseph Kadi, Senior Game Developer; Toni Jreij, Game Developer; Elie Yammine, Game Design Editor; Alex Thomas, 3D Designer; Lara Noujaim, in charge of marketing.<br />
<br />
Each member of our team has an equally important role to play in the game creation process, be it from design to development, testing and marketing. <br />
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<br />
<b>Please take us through the process of creating a game: from the idea-inception till publishing the app to the store and creating updates.</b><br />
<br />
It is a lengthy process, but to sum it up it includes the following:<br />
<br />
• Team-wide brainstorming to decide on a new game; <br />
• Concept definition: creating visuals to define and develop the game concept;<br />
• Proof of Concept: early-stage prototype of the game with basic game elements;<br />
• Game graphic creation: elements/UI/Character/Obstacle/Levels;<br />
• Game programming;<br />
• Level creation: defining the levels/stages inside the Game Cooks;<br />
• Game audio: music and sound effects;<br />
• Game testing: intensive game testing;<br />
• Game submission: submit a new mobile game to the app store and wait for approval;<br />
• Beta launch: launching the game only in Lebanon for testing and feedback collection purposes;<br />
• International launch;<br />
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Depending on the game and traction it receives, upon international launch we would be already working on new ideas for a game update!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_V_CEqdYsBI5wZfOKcqAoD40jhrLtNqeP4E-s2vxUdEN8SgFRYTArlRPwz65_1auD6VeTW7Qe7uUKwTo8PzyK8Oti4oWtVvxbTERmQxMSp0ezeoaJhCL8nSehzZWNL8G_Pmt8akJ6EI/s1600/Run+For+Peace2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_V_CEqdYsBI5wZfOKcqAoD40jhrLtNqeP4E-s2vxUdEN8SgFRYTArlRPwz65_1auD6VeTW7Qe7uUKwTo8PzyK8Oti4oWtVvxbTERmQxMSp0ezeoaJhCL8nSehzZWNL8G_Pmt8akJ6EI/s1600/Run+For+Peace2.png" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>How “social” are Game Cooks’ games? Do you find an importance in creating a game with a social aspect?</b><br />
<br />
When creating a game, we make sure to include social aspects to them, particularly our most recent ones. This includes the ability to invite your friends, share your score on Facebook or even compare your progress to that of your friends’ as you are playing the game! Social games provide the perfect place for competitive play between friends who brag about their performance on their timeline, which brings in more friends to the game and helps with the viral effect. These social features also result in players spending more time playing a game.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Other than Game Cooks’ games, what would you say are your favorite mobile games on the app stores? </b><br />
<br />
Currently, we enjoy playing Boom Beach, TwoDots, Plants vs. Zombies and Leo’s Fortune among others.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Y1OQ3eXRo75H_AyjZRUDV9g1Nkqcs8zP4yUbaI8UFLjIlU7viGXd2Uxksqcd3sWm3TzafhcJof_TdZoQ6TrPs4i1AJrWdydvcpJmoga1Tw8SdR4dTYAkXmcfpjH-J2LxC7dJyQfx20s/s1600/Scrab+It.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Y1OQ3eXRo75H_AyjZRUDV9g1Nkqcs8zP4yUbaI8UFLjIlU7viGXd2Uxksqcd3sWm3TzafhcJof_TdZoQ6TrPs4i1AJrWdydvcpJmoga1Tw8SdR4dTYAkXmcfpjH-J2LxC7dJyQfx20s/s1600/Scrab+It.jpeg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Is the gaming industry competitive? </b><br />
<br />
The mobile gaming industry is a very competitive one with more and more mobile gaming companies entering the market; it is becoming harder to compete for the top spots in the app store that are mostly occupied by titles from well-recognized mobile gaming companies.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How has the Lebanese political and security situation affected your work? Would you think of moving your company to Dubai, where the digital industry is thriving more? Basically, what is keeping you here when there is much more potential abroad?</b><br />
<br />
We have no intention of leaving Lebanon to move somewhere else. We are very attached to our country and we wish to support the development of a mobile gaming community right here!<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>What’s next for the company?</b><br />
<br />
To keep doing what we love to do and to keep getting better and better at it!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpQNd4RM3iqMJ1uyE_fr2wXdE5ghkdKUKUvEwbHDIF55_QeLJtxa_cvCk3JkywdhYu_bgwu3SEsjcWIWLumOtJrW3PDDxAbV0_25fY1_UwgEBBI8q4OJxsn8qxuZHv2eK6ZVagBfmmQQ/s1600/D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpQNd4RM3iqMJ1uyE_fr2wXdE5ghkdKUKUvEwbHDIF55_QeLJtxa_cvCk3JkywdhYu_bgwu3SEsjcWIWLumOtJrW3PDDxAbV0_25fY1_UwgEBBI8q4OJxsn8qxuZHv2eK6ZVagBfmmQQ/s1600/D.png" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>What would you say is the secret to Game Cooks’ success? </b><br />
<br />
The secret to Game Cooks’ success is without a doubt our team, made up of very talented people who are also very passionate about what they do!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>5 DO’s and 5 DON’Ts for up-and-coming entrepreneurs in the digital field</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>DO’s:</u></b><br />
• Trust your instincts;<br />
• Know your target audience;<br />
• Be prepared to adapt;<br />
• Work with people you trust;<br />
• Enjoy the ride.<br />
<br />
<b><u>DON’Ts:</u></b><br />
• Even if you have a great product, do not expect it to self-succeed;<br />
• Do not take things for granted;<br />
• Do not forget to network;<br />
• Do not be afraid to make mistakes;<br />
• Do not follow popular fads.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">A version of this article appeared in the Mobile App & Games issue of Cloud961. You can <a href="http://cloud961.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/mobileappsgames1.pdf" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; color: #984b00; display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; outline: none; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;" target="_blank">download it here</a> (9.18 MB)</span></i></span></div>
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Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-23949945907787586672014-09-05T13:25:00.000+03:002014-09-05T13:25:52.265+03:00Anghami: Providing Much More Than A Radio Can Do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC5tG6nPDaqGc9cM181htaHt8DVMeIKjMS3-GdWkh7GzNOQczSqtum8bcsiBHLAAqUMa32G-i-VXYwVQNdPho3T6-p5X2HoPBiaclnHr_md_AUDd2aCcMuJ-cGtxTLOpo9XY54CBsxEk/s1600/Anghami.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC5tG6nPDaqGc9cM181htaHt8DVMeIKjMS3-GdWkh7GzNOQczSqtum8bcsiBHLAAqUMa32G-i-VXYwVQNdPho3T6-p5X2HoPBiaclnHr_md_AUDd2aCcMuJ-cGtxTLOpo9XY54CBsxEk/s1600/Anghami.png" height="373" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With an extensive background in computer science and information technology as
well as the entertainment, music and mobile industries, Elie Habib and Eddy Maroun
crossed paths and founded Anghami, a platform providing access to over five
million international and Arabic songs through a convenient, user-friendly
application allowing users to stream all the music they want on their mobile.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anghami has agreements with over
4,000 record labels, thus granting users access to the widest variety of
content in the region. The mobile application is available for download on
different smartphones, including iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry,
and Nokia devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The company offers a free,
ad-supported version of the app, which allows usage only with an Internet
connection. Anghami+, the premium ad-free application, allows users to stream
an unlimited number of songs and to access playlists when offline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anghami has partnered up with MBC and
added songs from popular shows like Arab Idol, The Voice, Your Face Sounds
Familiar and Coke Studio to its musical library. Anghami continues to expand
its network of paid subscribers through partnerships with telecom operators,
which provide the Anghami application as a service to mobile phone subscribers
in certain countries. Elie and Eddy were selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs in
October 2013 in Palo Alto. By August 2014, Anghami had more than 6 million
users. We have interviewed the co-founders for an insider’s look at social
media in relation to the local/regional musical industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How did
the idea of Anghami come forth? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In 2011, while traveling, Eddy
Maroun and I, Elie Habib, noticed services allowing users to listen to any song
they want. Unlike iTunes, such services—called streaming services—opened up a big
catalog, enabling searching for almost any song your heart [and ears] desired.
Back home, we did not even have iTunes available. Call it a major opportunity.
Eddy is originally a musician-turned-lawyer-turned-businessman, while I am a
software engineer that had co-created several companies earlier on. The idea of
creating something this challenging was unbelievably attractive to me. We were
working in two different companies back then. I was intrigued by mobile apps,
as I had no experience in this new field. Eddy really wanted to be able to
listen to anything he wanted while skiing. We eventually made that happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNh1kyjDk8SlGYe1tU16DltF6aUsOr7vv9lHK__BDWRjWQjZWYGRQsEl1YoG4z89MsWGhPIhdhrjwHhbpLxOlYLmczKPwdAokBjminM6D0EiFw-_p5-fF40l_hig2Altw32hs9H6Wa3k/s1600/IMG_0557.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNh1kyjDk8SlGYe1tU16DltF6aUsOr7vv9lHK__BDWRjWQjZWYGRQsEl1YoG4z89MsWGhPIhdhrjwHhbpLxOlYLmczKPwdAokBjminM6D0EiFw-_p5-fF40l_hig2Altw32hs9H6Wa3k/s1600/IMG_0557.PNG" height="320" width="180" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
made you invest in the music field in the Arab world?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We believed in the idea and in the opportunity present at the time: no
proper music service was available in the Middle East and North Africa region.
We saw a huge uptake of smartphones and realized that this would be the focus
of the new services. We were part of the previous phase of mobile music—ringtones,
which was considered a useless trend by many. However, we knew how big it
turned out to be. We were adamant in incorporating this trend into the region.
In hindsight, we did not know how hard it would be and underestimated a lot
while planning the project. However, we were definitely taken aback when we
reached our first 2 million users in just 6 months!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Who are
Anghami’s direct and indirect competitors?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Let us just say that piracy is our biggest competitor. Full stop. If you
insist, I can add to that YouTube—which is the most prominent form of “legal
pirating” in the music industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pirating
music is not necessarily “illegal” in Lebanon and the Arab world. Why would
people choose Anghami over piracy when they can manage their music library
better outside the app?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Music piracy <i>is</i> illegal—in
Lebanon and the Arab World. However, penalizing piracy is very lenient, indeed.
Nevertheless, piracy involves exposure risk to viruses and other malware,
constant searching for the latest music, validating quality, metadata and others,
as well as proper compression techniques to take the music with you on your
mobile. How many of the 130 million estimated smartphone users in the MENA
region do that regularly? And how would that compare to Anghami which provides
an up-to-date, 6-million track database in a user-friendly interface with
thousands of curated playlists, all in excellent Dolby sound? We would like to
believe that the comparison is flawed, and our growth is a pretty good
validation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Anghami
is monetized by ads. From what I have seen, it is by far the application with
most ad space—images and voice—which pushes users to upgrade. It also has the
most basic features as premium paid features—such as using the application
while not being connected to the Internet—. It is because of this, I think,
that many users are being deterred from using it. Do you not think it is a
little bit too much?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Well, this is true for the free version—you
might get one 15-second audio ad on Anghami every 4 to 5 songs, in comparison to
8 to 10 30-second ads every 15 minutes on the radio. It would be naive to
assume that one can get all the music they want and get it for free, but that
is what we are providing, in exchange for sponsorships and advertising. We are
still tweaking ads and running a variety of experiments per market. We have not
settled on the exact details. We are, however, getting a huge traction in this
segment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">From our point of view, we provide
much more than a radio can do; interruptions are less than those on the radio,
and music is handpicked. It is true that some people might consider advertising
a deterrent; this is not our intention, but after all, the premium reason for
start-up failure is lack of revenue. If you would like to download all you want
and never hear an ad, this would cost you less than 1 latte grande and would
last 1 month. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How was
Anghami initially funded? Has it become profitable yet?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The first funders of the project
were Eddy and me. At the time, it was quite crazy, as we did not know how we would
fund the rest of the project. However, since we had a good background and had a
record of implementing projects successfully, investors trusted our plan.
Middle East Venture Capital invested the first USD 1m, eventually adding
another USD 250k. A year later, an Arab telecom group invested USD 1.5m. While
the growth of Anghami has been above our expectations; we expect to become profitable
by early 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsD_7X34HggOLfscIQ4O9TtkKKSoWSf_OqhvOeSl8L7y9fCODwAyxsPqSan1GoHIER0W74k_vrz4hPjMJ7vK2vj2weK_2U8T62Z0Vx_qosDQlb_dbVCd2oM7fSx-AXoq8ueH3KrkRvnCY/s1600/IMG_0559.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsD_7X34HggOLfscIQ4O9TtkKKSoWSf_OqhvOeSl8L7y9fCODwAyxsPqSan1GoHIER0W74k_vrz4hPjMJ7vK2vj2weK_2U8T62Z0Vx_qosDQlb_dbVCd2oM7fSx-AXoq8ueH3KrkRvnCY/s1600/IMG_0559.PNG" height="320" width="180" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tell us about
your team. How did it start and how did it expand? And who do you think is the
most valuable part of it? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The first Anghami MVP (Minimal Viable Product) was coded by me and
another engineer around October 2011. Anghami as a company was founded in
February 2012. We were 3 at the time. By the end of the year, Anghami launched
in December 2012 with 6 employees. A year later, we were 18. We are now 28. The team is absolutely fantastic, passionate
and obsessive. We would like to say that we try to recruit only very passionate
people. We have backend engineers, mobile engineers, UX engineers, DevOps
engineers, designers, marketers, business development and a very capable
content team. Shameless plug: I am always recruiting. Since our business is
really complicated, one part of the team could have never succeeded without the
rest. Hence, as an example even though our engineering team is very talented,
they would not have had any data to showcase without the content team. That is why
we truly believe that we are all part of an atomic element referred to as start-up,
with one target: growth to remain the
music leaders in the MENA region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is
the most active demographic that is using your app? Why do you think it is the
most active? (Country, age group, gender, etc).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Youth in general (13-20 years old)
is very active on Anghami, and youth in Gulf markets is even more engaged. We
have seen cases of 24-hour listening in this demography. It is our belief that
luck is born when preparation meets opportunity—and we really worked our way
through this by targeting Anghami to this demography. We did not hit all the
right notes from the start, nor are we totally satisfied with what we are now,
but we are moving forward by keeping the most active fans in touch with their favorite
artists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a
digital start-up in Lebanon, what hurdles did you face at the beginning and what
are the ones you face now? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">When we started, the biggest hurdle
was getting someone to take us seriously! We had an idea that needed millions
of investment and no-revenue validation. Venture Capital Investment had just
started, and we had no interest in joining an accelerator at the time. It did
take close to 9 months to get funding, and trust. Now: USD 1,100 for generator
and USD 1,500 in Internet monthly bills: Would that sum it up? On a more serious
note, we worked hard in the spirit of having a start-up with one hub: Lebanon—working
together with all the team in order to move forward. We regularly meet in our [now
very small] lobby to discuss features, roadmap, revenue and future plans.
However, we now find it harder than ever before to find fresh graduates that
want to remain in Lebanon despite what is happening here, and while we totally
understand this as founders and parents, we will have to open remote offices in
cities that are pro-digital, low cost and millennial-centric. This seems to be
very far from Lebanon, and is now the hardest hurdle we face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Would
you consider moving your company to Dubai, especially that the situation is
unstable in Lebanon? Why or why not?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">We recently opened an office in
Dubai (see footnote in </span><a href="http://www.anghami.com/legal/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">http://www.anghami.com/legal/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">), and
while we believe Dubai is a great hub for advertising/marketing, and we have
large partners there such as MBC, DMS Choueiri, Universal Music Group, Sony
Music and others, the “kitchen” is still in Lebanon, as our team is currently entirely
made up of people from Lebanon. Human resources are a goldmine to us, and while
it has not been an easy trip to gather people with wide knowledge and
experience to make Anghami, we are pretty sure that this would have been way
harder and more expensive in Dubai. Most start-ups in Dubai end up recruiting
from the Asian subcontinent, while we have pretty good universities and human
capital in Beirut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How did
you secure deals with the biggest names in Western music?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Anghami started around a time when
no significant legal music service was available. However, in the rest of the
world, several music streaming services were available. Major music labels were
aware of the potential of streaming and the disruptive effect it could cause.
The signals that download services were slowing down was already clear. And
because of the massive piracy in the region, cheaper streaming services had
potential to explore. It took us close to 9 months to get the international
majors and most of the local services to sign up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What
would you say is your proudest moment in the life of Anghami thus far?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The first time I saw an Anghami ad
on TV was definitely a moment I still vividly remember. I listened to the ad
but could not take my eyes off my laptop. Numbers were climbing up through the
roof and whatever estimations we had were blown by a huge factor. We were
validating demand for our service and I could not be happier every day when I now
know that our app has attracted over 6 million people, and counting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What advice
would you give digital entrepreneurs who are just starting their journeys in
Lebanon? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Remember that the first reason of a start-up failure is lack of revenue.
Your project will work only if it’s based on proper business engineering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">A version of this article appeared in the Mobile App & Games issue of Cloud961. You can <a href="http://cloud961.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/mobileappsgames1.pdf" target="_blank">download it here</a> (9.18 MB)</span></i></span></div>
Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-32496336672896161712014-09-04T13:56:00.000+03:002014-09-04T13:56:15.744+03:00Omar Christidis: The Middle East certainly has the resources and talents to be able to compete on a global scale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCRhuc78_YPi0JgVj_1Ou6XUtrK-qSUJEY39Y2hkIcydlwGZmsOtntC7Gbs70RA2UERtmxU1WwDQyzfWPfB3xW-ULr7NXYiY9vVvg7GAFVM2-Cia7Xn-duKqT5qGRC7Zch1BqPTcs09E/s1600/ArabNet-CEO2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCRhuc78_YPi0JgVj_1Ou6XUtrK-qSUJEY39Y2hkIcydlwGZmsOtntC7Gbs70RA2UERtmxU1WwDQyzfWPfB3xW-ULr7NXYiY9vVvg7GAFVM2-Cia7Xn-duKqT5qGRC7Zch1BqPTcs09E/s1600/ArabNet-CEO2.png" height="320" width="250" /></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Omar Christidis is the Founder and CEO of ArabNet, the leading
events and media company focused on the Arab web and mobile industry. ArabNet
organizes the leading conferences for the digital sector in the MENA region,
including the ArabNet Digital Summit, the premier international gathering for
Arab digital professionals and entrepreneurs. The Summit was held for the
fourth time in Dubai in June 2013 and brought together more than 800 attendees
from 35 countries and received more than 9,100 tweets and 42,800 hits on the
live-steam.</span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">In 2012, Omar was selected by GulfNews Magazine as one of its “30
under 30" list. He is a graduate of Yale University and the Co-Founder of
the Yale Arab Alumni Association. </span><br />
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">At the last ArabNet Beirut, the issue of language
of the conference was raised. Why do you think it is better for the conference
to be conducted in English in both Dubai and Beirut?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">ArabNet Beirut and the Digital Summit are held in English because
of the significant number of speakers and attendees coming in from abroad. This
allows both the speakers and attendees to converse with each other smoothly.
English today is the global language of business. As this is a business-focused
conference. It makes sense for us to keep that platform open for people from outside
the Middle East, so that we raise interest in our market.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In your experience, what are the challenges
facing digital entrepreneurs in the Middle East? How do these challenges differ
between Beirut and Dubai?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is a number of challenges facing digital entrepreneurs
today. The first would be launching, and by launching I mean taking the leap of
faith from their jobs that they are in to launching their own company, a team
and get a product out there. The key challenge around this is that people have
a lot of financial responsibilities which makes it harder for them to be able
to leave their job and start something. It is also difficult for people to find
a co-founder who has a complimentary skill set, believes, and is willing to
take the risk with them. Beyond that, if they are able to come up with a
product, and raise money, I think the second biggest thing is around scaling
and finding customers, and brining in revenue. Today we have seen companies go
out and build a product and get financing, but what’s left to be determined is:
can those companies scale across multiple and different markets. That’s a key
challenge in the Middle East because of the cultural differences and the
borders between different markets. Being able to actually do high-level
partnerships and sales to big corporations especially as so much decision
making is concentrated within the hands of very senior people, the CEO or a
small group of decision makers within most of these corporations and it is
difficult to access them as a young entrepreneur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think what’s more important is the difference in the type of
entrepreneurs we’re seeing between Beirut and Dubai. In Dubai, we tend to see
entrepreneurs that are a little bit older, have more experience, and tend to be
mid-career professionals who are leaving an established career to start a
company. Oftentimes, that company is in a similar space to where they were
working, so they’ve already built experience and relationships. I think this
gives them a leg-up in terms of their opportunities and possibility for
success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In your opinion, what are the newest digital
trends and what can we be expecting in the near future?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">ArabNet Digital Summit will focus on the latest trends in
digital business and entrepreneurship. We have multiple tracks within the
event, one of which is focused on business. We’ll discuss global e-commerce and
commerce across borders. We’ll also be touching on the latest trends in payment
like Bitcons, which is taking the payment landscape by storm.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In terms of digital media and marketing, which is a major topic
of the event, we’ll be discussing the transformations that are taking place in
online video. Major players are getting involved in this place, like MBC which
is pushing its Shahed platform. ICFlix, launched in Dubai, along the Netflix
model. As well as Yahoo who recently started making a big push in video, and
signed a contract with U-turn in Saudi Arabia. We’ll be discussing the rise of
the multichannel network in the Middle East, which is becoming a global trend.
Disney acquired Maker Studios, one of the largest YouTube multichannel networks
for 500 million dollars. We’re seeing the successes in the multichannel
networks across the region like Qsoft videos which does the Bassem Youssef show
in Egypt. Kharabeesh in Jordan and a number of channels like U-turn, Telfaz 11,
and others in Saudi Arabia. The future of the agency is a topic we’re interested
in. The lines between creative advertising agencies, media agencies, and
publishers continue to blur, which will transform the landscape of agencies in
the Middle East. We’ll be exploring that with some of the CEO’s and regional
Md’s of these businesses.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">From a technology perspective, we’re really excited to talk
about 3D printers, wearable technology, and smart hardware. Things that are the
revolution in hardware technology, partly that been inspired by cheaper
technology. Today we can buy 3D printers for a couple of hundred dollars. Cheap
computers like Raspberry Pi which will cost 30 dollars. Kick-starting and
crowd-funding more broadly which has opened up an avenue for funding smart and
new hardware innovation.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4H9dMwiv8nU7lhNAADID3b49rKvAOzta9jk_TTohv7FC7-ub054YsdbF8Mh5xgAcycny9WDCucHhx8GeZisHg6f8KRkPSPajISou46ccduogxi0E4t_5L1tvvOXW5Eg1H_Pqu1vqcOE/s1600/arabnet.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4H9dMwiv8nU7lhNAADID3b49rKvAOzta9jk_TTohv7FC7-ub054YsdbF8Mh5xgAcycny9WDCucHhx8GeZisHg6f8KRkPSPajISou46ccduogxi0E4t_5L1tvvOXW5Eg1H_Pqu1vqcOE/s1600/arabnet.gif" height="462" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do you think that the Middle East will catch up
to the Western digital wave any time soon? What is needed to catch up?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The dynamics of the global economy are shifting and certainly
shifting east. I think that Dubai is making a bid to become not only the
capital for business in the Arab World, but also the capital for business in
emerging markets. I believe that the Middle East certainly has the resources
and talents to be able to compete on a global scale. I think we’re starting to
see this anyway. As we’ve mentioned in terms of hardware we’re already seeing
Arab companies compete on an innovative level globally. Especially when it
comes to new platforms like mobile and social, the Arab World is not behind in
terms of usage of these platforms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">What are your personal favorite established
start-up’s and start-up ideas that you have come across during ArabNet events
so far?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are tons of amazing ideas. One startup that I think has a
really great opportunity is Anghami. Globally, people are interested in
investing in the business model of streaming music and so they are very much on
a global trend. They signed deals with some of the biggest content owners in
the Middle East. They have strategic partnerships with Choueiri Group, MBC, and
others. They are well funded with good investors, and have a strong team of
founders. They’ve also built a strong team within the company, and I think that
all of those things set them up to have high a potential for success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beyond that, I think some of the most interesting entrepreneurs
most likely to succeed in the Arab World are the Youtube entrepreneurs in Saudi
Arabia. Most people don’t usually think about the Youtube channels in Saudi
Arabia as entrepreneurs, but I think they are the most successful ones. They
have built massive followings. Each of their episodes has views in millions.
They are working with brands directly and building revenues, they have
credibility. They’re being approached by regional and global players in term of
partnerships. We’re going to see a lot of disruptions in the media industry
caused by these Youtube entrepreneurs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The last one is a space that I am really interested in, which is
around children. Whether it’s from the side of content, edutainment, apps and
games that help teach kids. This is a space that a lot of parents would be
willing to pay for. Content around this is underserved in the Arab market. We
don’t have any clear winners in this space, and no one has grown a scale
properly in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">What makes the UAE the regional digital hub right
now? Should Lebanese—and Arab—entrepreneurs pack up their bags and move to
Dubai?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The key thing the UAE has going for it is infrastructure. They’ve
got amazing connectivity, accessibility, reliable and reasonably priced
internet. A stable market, so people can plan their work which is an advantage
for doing business in Dubai. This is certainly an advantage, as other Arab
countries are unstable today. The lead that Dubai has on other Arab markets was
less five years ago than today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The other thing that Dubai has, as it has built itself into a
regional business hub, is that today a lot of the big global and regional
corporations have their headquarters there. That makes access to
decision-makers and budgets much easier in Dubai.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">No, I don’t think that entrepreneurs should pack up their stuff
and go, because talent is at a premium in Dubai. By hiring people, you’re going
to be competing with some of the biggest companies that are able to pay bigger
salaries. You will be unable to compete for talents in that market. In
addition, life in Dubai is significantly more expensive, so trying to bootstrap
your startup in an expensive city like Dubai is much more challenging. While
the UAE market is maturing rapidly, I think there are more support
organizations in Lebanon that are active in working with entrepreneurs. Maybe
as the country is smaller, there are more support communities that exist here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which industry in the Middle East is benefiting the most from the
digital advances? How do you see the digital/social impact in the next ten
years on the commerce, healthcare and political sectors?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe that
all industries today are facing rapid digital transformations. Digital has
become a key item on the CEO agenda across sectors. E-commerce is booming,
stores of all the major retailers that are moving into this space. We have
super markets that are transitioning into e-commerce, so you will be able to
order your groceries online. There are tons of products out there in the
market. I think the successful companies are those that will help us find the
best and the right product for our interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In term of healthcare, we’ll be wearing devices that will let us
know in advance if we are going to have a stroke, and monitor our insulin
levels. I was sitting with an investor who invests in healthcare, he said,
“Today the internet has replaced general practitioners as a doctor; people go
into the doctor’s clinic having thoroughly researched their own diseases and illness.”
So, I think there’s going be a shift of power to the customer in the healthcare
space and they’re going to be able to access their data in a better way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Politics, we’re going to see more and more of a dialogue between
citizens and governments. We’re seeing the trend of open data that is allowing
developers to leverage government data and create apps that improve the life of
citizens (apps that allow citizens to take photos of traffic violations or
pot-holes on the roads and report them to authorities and municipalities.) It
will allow government to share data with home owners and real estate developers
around their energy use and how to optimize the consumption. I believe we will
see as well a lot of transparency in term of governments. There is an
opportunity for these governments to be more transparent when we see what
western markets are doing; we see that the UK government already puts online
the ministerial minutes for meeting that are taking place, expenditures that
are above 25K pounds are all documented online so citizens are able to see what
their governments are doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">How is the digital sector different in Saudi
Arabia? Do you notice any major difference elsewhere in the Middle East as
well?</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think Saudi Arabia is one of the most under-appreciated markets
and the key reason is that most people outside the kingdom see it as a consumer
market only. They underestimate the amount of innovation and production that’s
happening in that market. Particularly in Saudi Arabia, innovation takes place
at the edge of limitation. We’ve seen the Youtube channels that have emerged
and become extremely successful come out of the lack of relevant local content available
on local channels. We’ve also seen Saudi women who have challenges in term of
mobility and employment create stores for themselves on Instagram, to be able
to sell products that they make at their own homes. The entrepreneurs in Saudi
Arabia have an advantage, because they know the market better than anyone else.
They are able to create apps, content and games that are really successful in
the Saudi market. People like Ibtikar Technologies who’ve created Ibalout which
is a very big game in Saudi Arabia, that we don’t play at all in the Levant
area, and that is doing six figure revenues. I think we will see a lot of great
successful startups coming out of Saudi Arabia, serving both the Saudi market
and the overall regional market.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A version of this article appeared in the 11th issue of Cloud961 Magazine. </span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://bit.ly/cloud961-11" style="display: inline; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Click here to download it for free</a> (16.6 MB)</span></i></span></div>
Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-49586398162339704842014-08-20T13:45:00.001+03:002014-08-20T16:30:56.298+03:00Al Jadeed Stealing Bloggers Content<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ9weo5V6Yelh2w1DTDRtjzR7zTcYXWkRHo6-_AUNkWFJ1F-yvqFnBrQrHyjcdlDfUwum5Z_2NsA_JhvXS9EGqhCxNtDYIwSpZSVCdjEg2L8npBHzUSTcOS-IiBHEug6Rmgtk3bVifh0/s1600/BvWBRTqIAAEkkY0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ9weo5V6Yelh2w1DTDRtjzR7zTcYXWkRHo6-_AUNkWFJ1F-yvqFnBrQrHyjcdlDfUwum5Z_2NsA_JhvXS9EGqhCxNtDYIwSpZSVCdjEg2L8npBHzUSTcOS-IiBHEug6Rmgtk3bVifh0/s1600/BvWBRTqIAAEkkY0.jpg" height="320" width="267" /></a></div>
For a while now, Al Jadeed (one of Lebanon's controversial television stations) have been copying Lebanese bloggers' content and pasting it as is on their website without asking for permission.<br />
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Some can argue that Al Jadeed is helping out the bloggers by giving them more exposure but this is not the case here. The second a website or a blog has advertising banners on it, it becomes a commercial website that aims to make money through impressions and clicks on those ads. Additionally, since AlJadeed.tv is a website for a commercial TV station that promotes its shows, there is not doubt that it is a commercial website. </div>
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When such a website copies bloggers' content, it aims to increase traffic to their pages and hence increase profits from ads. Bloggers have a hard time creating original content and copying their content without consent is unethical to begin with. Would Al Jadeed be happy if another television aired one of their popular shows without their consent and added their own advertising to it? I don't think so. They would be in court the next day!</div>
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But this is not just a matter of ethics. Even if Al Jadeed is attributing the posts to their original bloggers, there is a matter of copyright. Most blogs that they are copying from are under a Creative Commons (CC) license. While an open license would allow Al Jadeed to use the bloggers content freely (with or without attribution depending on the license), most bloggers opt for a non-commercial CC license to protect themselves from people like Al Jadeed who want to make easy money off other people's hard work. Al Jadeed violated the law in many instances including stealing content from fashion blogs <a href="http://lejournaldeleen.blogspot.com/2014/08/bluetiful.html" target="_blank">Le Journal De Leen</a> and <a href="http://nouchaline.blogspot.com/2014/04/travel-diary-london-baby.html" target="_blank">Nouchaline</a> (including a copyrighted article from <a href="http://www.aljadeed.tv/MenuAr/news/DetailNews/DetailNews.html?id=134045" target="_blank">Cloud961 Magazine</a>).</div>
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With this in mind, bloggers who have been violated can rightfully sue the TV station under the Creative Commons non-commercial license or copyright law (depending on what they are using for their blog). </div>
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In case this happens to you, I urge you to contact Al Jadeed to take your post down and refrain from doing so in the future to protect your content. 500 views (on average) on their website is not worth getting your name associated with such a trashy television station. In addition, if you feel that this violation is worth a lawsuit, feel free to drop me a message and I can link you to a certified Creative Commons lawyer who is an expert in such crimes. </div>
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Al Jadeed needs to realize that a lazy social media strategy isn't getting it anywhere. To be professional, they need to invest in creating original content instead of copying other people's hard work. An apology should be issued to the bloggers who were violated. In case they would still want to continue with using other people's work, a written consent is required for copyrighted blogs and blogs that operate under a non-commercial CC license. </div>
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To set-up a Creative Commons license for your blog, visit <a href="https://creativecommons.org/choose/" target="_blank">their website</a> and follow the steps.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE:</b> </span>The person responsible for Al Jadeed Blog replied and said that he will continue with this behavior.</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/mhijazi">@mhijazi</a> انا يلي بعرفه انه انا يلي مسؤول عن هل موضوع ومستمر فيه حتى المدون يلي بيرفض بحترم رفضه وبوقف وفيك تسأل <a href="https://twitter.com/GeekSargon">@GeekSargon</a> انه وقفت انشرله</div>
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— Salim Allawzi (@AllawziSalim) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllawziSalim/statuses/502066496369999872">August 20, 2014</a></div>
</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-60031131540049318042014-08-05T15:41:00.001+03:002014-08-05T15:46:24.001+03:00Deema Saidi: From Beirut to Dubai, in Style<h3>
“There is no room for mistakes, the competition is severe. The right image has to go with the right text.”</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjH0-jAJ2WbBPR5XaHH_UGA2jTzXQFo2cpFYjqr7enmbujgE8n478wa5o6O5WPGtC6TmoyLcsaKIXr1tQpSyioWN5kdCDpXwsZJWAazvLNmKr0FRCCxl-8vIPi4wfOU3Vak88H-1SoRc/s1600/vv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjH0-jAJ2WbBPR5XaHH_UGA2jTzXQFo2cpFYjqr7enmbujgE8n478wa5o6O5WPGtC6TmoyLcsaKIXr1tQpSyioWN5kdCDpXwsZJWAazvLNmKr0FRCCxl-8vIPi4wfOU3Vak88H-1SoRc/s1600/vv.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a>Deema Saidi studied Marketing at the Lebanese American University (LAU). With a committed passion for the arts and everything glamorous, she had the chance to work for prestigious, well-established companies such as Elie Saab, Oscar De La Renta, Missoni, Diane von Furstenberg, Y3, and Furla. Armed with experience in social media for fashion and hospitality, she now resides in the UAE where she works as a luxury and PR marketer.<br />
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In this interview, I discuss with Deema the state of online fashion marketing in the Middle East.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0BbwHUNyMBTS5h70ypZDHYhI0Wbgvw6xzbAqU1_FnPrN1rqR2j87kE4cb6sIO6fM-npjFK4tMYg6bBkWBRaRrzmitylNA3kTUAncxpVJ10VkgkvuVch8LtrLwRV8Z_f8mQ9KVZkLbtY/s1600/dimaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0BbwHUNyMBTS5h70ypZDHYhI0Wbgvw6xzbAqU1_FnPrN1rqR2j87kE4cb6sIO6fM-npjFK4tMYg6bBkWBRaRrzmitylNA3kTUAncxpVJ10VkgkvuVch8LtrLwRV8Z_f8mQ9KVZkLbtY/s1600/dimaaa.jpg" height="320" width="190" /></a><b>What is the biggest challenge, in your opinion, when managing fashion social media accounts?</b><br />
Fashion social media accounts have a lot of challenges, just like any other product or service you have to make sure that you are consistent with the voice, the brand image and the quality. As you may know, fashion is a form of aesthetics and maintaining the image of a brand and especially if it is a luxury product or a multi brand luxury store.<br />
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<b>What are the best fashion brands in Lebanon and in the Middle East, in your opinion?</b><br />
Krikor Jabotian, Bashar Assaf, Hussein Bazaza, Dima Kassis, Zayan and Madiyah Al Sharqi.<br />
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<b>Which fashion blogs in Lebanon and the Middle East do you read the most?</b><br />
The Fierce Diaries, The fashion Hub, Five Five Fabulous and The Style Drifter.<br />
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<b>Why did you stop blogging after moving from Beirut to Dubai?</b><br />
I did not entirely stop blogging; I still do it every once in a while and I am very active on all social media platforms. I mostly did not have a lot of free time on my hands. My new job in a luxury fashion PR and Marketing was taking all my time. The fashion industry in Dubai is quite different than the one in Beirut as well as there are bigger budgets involved whilst bigger commitment and expectations from the brands. On a personal level, I do not believe in fashion blogging as much as I used to. People are bored of reading; they want to look at a lot of beautiful things in the minimum amount of time possible. If I want to be an influencer, I would rather be it on Instagram.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdXaOZYZlfQpyYZwh5eO7e0ueJicMOmPBnORxnPDBrrUgH8zNY3QN41mYB01UHM8hauHbosNOTLyYZ1Ktl9eeUvorHgE7IAc3Duy5fygI8F-FTmwqL9X-yZqMoqREqb4y3XCWhtFrOdc/s1600/dimamk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdXaOZYZlfQpyYZwh5eO7e0ueJicMOmPBnORxnPDBrrUgH8zNY3QN41mYB01UHM8hauHbosNOTLyYZ1Ktl9eeUvorHgE7IAc3Duy5fygI8F-FTmwqL9X-yZqMoqREqb4y3XCWhtFrOdc/s1600/dimamk.jpg" height="320" width="186" /></a><br />
<b>Who do you think the target audience for fashion brands in Lebanon and the ME is online?</b><br />
It really depends on the brand and its price point, target audience is everyone. If I follow both LVMH and H&M on social media, that doesn’t mean that I am customer, I could be a potential one, but nothing is definite. Everyone wants to look pretty. However, everyone has their own preference and different levels of purchasing powers. It is hard to specify the behaviors of retail consumers.<br />
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<b>What does it take for Middle East fashion e-commerce sites to succeed? Which ones are your favorite?</b><br />
Creativity, variety, originality, quality, and professionalism. If you cannot deliver products on time, then why even bother. I am big fan of Boutique 1 as well as Sauce and West La who both have recently launched in the region.<br />
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Deema’s Tips and Tricks that every fashion community manager should take into consideration</h2>
<ol>
<li>There is no room for mistakes, the competition is severe. The right image has to go with the right text.</li>
<li>If a follower messages you, answer them ASAP. Have a proper answer sheet and be consistent when responding to everyone. Remain professional.</li>
<li>Fashion is a lifestyle. People like to see things that they can relate to. Have more lifestyle images when setting your social media plan.</li>
<li>Don't get your followers confused; always remain consistent and follow the brand guidelines.</li>
<li>Always take geography into consideration: Who are you addressing these posts to? Who are your followers? Will they find this offensive?</li>
<li>Working in the Gulf has taught me a lot when it comes to censorship; some people might be offended by a photo or even a text. Plan this ahead with your brand's headquarters before getting in trouble.</li>
</ol>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">A version of this article appeared in the Fashion issue of Cloud961 magazine. <a href="http://bit.ly/cloud961-11" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; outline: none; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.3s;" target="_blank">Click here to download it for free</a><span style="background-color: #fafafa; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: justify;">(16.6 MB)</span></span></i><br />
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Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-13857338338114718252014-07-19T18:13:00.003+03:002014-07-19T18:29:51.282+03:00Fashion Meets Social Media<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5QbABR9zl5C4vXrkhdzi_nh3sfGB6CWidySgNN7q_FgURBArpgebXTEBxM0tTamm6PrP7581QDFNQLA7I3o_sMiOhSv7_sEj5vT3d3cVttI6V_xJbf7Br7jGg4uFnM3n057UFbRTgiw/s1600/Roula+Nahas+Cloud961.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5QbABR9zl5C4vXrkhdzi_nh3sfGB6CWidySgNN7q_FgURBArpgebXTEBxM0tTamm6PrP7581QDFNQLA7I3o_sMiOhSv7_sEj5vT3d3cVttI6V_xJbf7Br7jGg4uFnM3n057UFbRTgiw/s1600/Roula+Nahas+Cloud961.png" height="400" width="312" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ts6ahC5r7-CfrVtQ1zqMQEL9SqO0VZNTohyphenhyphenstiBFY2vEa3Uhth3VbqvR21uwR4pzLhqbRyGmt8qKp9qBPc2TX5p2VEikJ3-MJRBA9QR_yyZGNcbPYWlepOpakKRmEbEOmMUtdRzSfo8/s1600/Cloud+Fashion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><br /></a><br />
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The two most discussed topics on social media have to be food and fashion. In October, Cloud961 dedicated a <a href="http://j.mp/Cloud961-5" target="_blank">whole issue</a> to food on social media platforms, and it was about time that we discussed fashion. In Lebanon’s blogging scene, fashion and lifestyle blogs are the most evolved, most active and most numerous in comparison to other types. Fashion bloggers have different styles as well, some covering professional fashion shows and designers, others creating their own styles with weekly photo-shoots and styling tutorials. A few have even created their own YouTube channels, which constitute the earliest form of consistent v-logging in the country.</div>
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To keep up with this thriving fashion community, fashion brands and designers had to go online to benefit from the social spotlight. When we were brainstorming for a cover idea, I asked my team about ideas for the first cover shoot. While some suggested local and upcoming fashion designers, the vast majority agreed on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/roulanahas" target="_blank">Roula Nahas</a> as she represents the crème de la crème of online fashion marketers in the Middle East. Her vision for Bestseller’s brands (mainly JACK & JONES and VERO MODA) led her to start social media marketing for the brands even before the mother company had begun considering this type of marketing. Her dedication to online marketing had won her the Best Fashion Brand on Social Media for <a href="http://www.twitter.com/veromodame" target="_blank">VERO MODA</a> at the 2013 Beirut <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SocialMediaAwardsMENA" target="_blank">Social Media Awards</a> (SMAs). For the cover shoot, we have teamed up with photographer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/patricksawayaphotography" target="_blank">Patrick Sawaya</a> and fashion designer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karoline-Lang/262358147143095" target="_blank">Karoline Lang</a> which resulted in a mesmerizing feature.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ts6ahC5r7-CfrVtQ1zqMQEL9SqO0VZNTohyphenhyphenstiBFY2vEa3Uhth3VbqvR21uwR4pzLhqbRyGmt8qKp9qBPc2TX5p2VEikJ3-MJRBA9QR_yyZGNcbPYWlepOpakKRmEbEOmMUtdRzSfo8/s1600/Cloud+Fashion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ts6ahC5r7-CfrVtQ1zqMQEL9SqO0VZNTohyphenhyphenstiBFY2vEa3Uhth3VbqvR21uwR4pzLhqbRyGmt8qKp9qBPc2TX5p2VEikJ3-MJRBA9QR_yyZGNcbPYWlepOpakKRmEbEOmMUtdRzSfo8/s1600/Cloud+Fashion.png" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
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In addition, we have an exclusive interview with the winner of Best Fashion Blog at the 2013 SMAs, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/plushdubai" target="_blank">Deema Saidi</a>, who has since moved to Dubai and left blogging. In the interview, she explains the reason behind that and gives community managers some tips on managing fashion brands online. We also had a one-on-one interview with SMA finalist <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lanasahely" target="_blank">Lana Sahely</a> whose blog “<a href="http://www.larmoiredelana.com/" target="_blank">L’Armoire de Lana</a>” has become a benchmark for fashion bloggers in the Middle East.</div>
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The fashion field also stretches over to start-ups such as <a href="http://www.raghunter.com/" target="_blank">Raghunter</a>, the first-of-its-kind fashion search engine in Lebanon, and to up-and- coming designers that are featured in this issue, in addition to a deep analysis of the presence of some Lebanese make-up artists on social media.</div>
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This issue is our biggest yet, and we wish we could have made it even bigger as there are many more brands, designers and bloggers we could have featured. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as the team has enjoyed working on it.</div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/cloud961-11" target="_blank">Click here to download this issue for free</a> (16.6 MB)</div>
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<i>You can follow me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mhijazi" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/mhijazi89" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for more updates!</i></div>
Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-38921041632220569292014-06-13T15:33:00.000+03:002014-06-13T15:45:07.231+03:00Interviewed by ECONEWS: Social Media and its Rightful Place<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMuJl5oIJS7A8zA_AmXsHvzUONMHY-h5MaMOqkrKGys47KMtu52AJrqwVyvQRKI0zfkGcyQuHRSkjLUBSQwbgtwDkF18SOrJsOH4hvPauJtTh6SKXpMMDdwoDbEUkryhwELIuEvFwlpg/s1600/econews.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMuJl5oIJS7A8zA_AmXsHvzUONMHY-h5MaMOqkrKGys47KMtu52AJrqwVyvQRKI0zfkGcyQuHRSkjLUBSQwbgtwDkF18SOrJsOH4hvPauJtTh6SKXpMMDdwoDbEUkryhwELIuEvFwlpg/s1600/econews.png" height="640" width="451" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Read the full magazine <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/229514810/Econews-33-June-2014" target="_blank">here</a>.</td></tr>
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<em>I was recently interviewed by Youmna Naufal for <a data-mce-href="http://www.ccib.org.lb/en/?p=publications&cid=2" href="http://www.ccib.org.lb/en/?p=publications&cid=2" rel="nofollow" style="color: #006699; outline: medium;">ECONEWS</a> magazine by The Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture. A version of the interview below appeared in print in the June 2014 edition.</em></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Named the Social Media Consultant of Lebanon, Mohammad Hijazi is a young man who, like many, has mastered the art of social media. In his words, social media is no longer just a tool to communicate or connect with people that we know. Its opportunities have become much wider. People can now get acquainted with professionals in their fields, get exposure for their work, get funding for their start-ups, find jobs and even meet new people with similar interests or hobbies. In Lebanon, there is a thriving community of well-educated and interesting members who are worth connecting with on a professional or personal basis. However, he believes only a portion of the Lebanese are aware and knowledgeable enough about proper ways of using social media to enhance their lives.</span></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Hijazi runs the Online Collaborative, an NGO that aims to promote awareness about technology and social media, and is the organizing entity of the Beirut Social Media Awards set to launch in several GCC countries this year. In addition, he is the Editor in Chief of Cloud961, a print and online magazine dedicated to the online community that addresses digital and social media topics from the MENA region. Connect with him on LinkedIn and talk to him on his Twitter handle @<a href="http://www%2Ctwitter.com/mhijazi" target="_blank">mhijazi</a></span></blockquote>
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<strong>1) Why should the Lebanese care about social media? In what way is it helpful? Are most Lebanese aware or knowledgeable enough about social media?</strong><br />
Social media is no longer just a tool to communicate or connect with people that we know. Its opportunities have become much wider than that. People can now get acquainted to professionals in their fields, get exposure for their work, get funding for their start-ups, find jobs and even meet new people with similar interests or hobbies. In Lebanon, there is a thriving community of well-educated and interesting members who are worth connecting with on professional or personal basis. However, I believe only the elite of the Lebanese are aware and knowledgeable enough about proper ways of using social media to enhance their lives. I am not saying that only the elite are on social media; on the contrary, the majority are. But they do not know how to use it or are not interested in using it beyond chatting and sharing photos.<br />
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<strong>2) What do people need to know about social media in Lebanon? Are there courses to take? Who is offering them? What do they teach?</strong><br />
Social media is constantly changing day to day. Every week, a new social network is born and people need to keep up. Social media courses are popping up everywhere. Everyone who wants to make a quick buck now offers a social media course, but most of these are not useful as the trainers are not experienced and only offer basics that can be self-acquired. People need to do their research about the trainer and his work in social media before enrolling in classes and spending their money.<br />
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For senior citizens (above 50 years of age) who are interested in learning about social media, I recommend Social Media for Beginners which is given at AUB (and open for everyone above 50) as part of the University for Seniors. They offer courses such as social media, iPads and smartphones for the older generation who would like to become tech-literate.<br />
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<strong>3) How are businesses and companies benefiting from social media? what are the tools they are using for marketing? what works in Lebanon and what doesn't? Can you provide examples of companies and how they use social media?</strong><br />
Businesses are perhaps the most who benefit from social media as they are using it to market their products and services. As compared to traditional advertising, social media advertising costs 5-10% as much but yields more than a 1000% result and most businesses are starting to realize this and shifting their advertising to online marketing.<br />
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The most effective social media for business in Lebanon right now is Facebook, with Instagram picking up at second place and Twitter in third. Facebook advertising is the key to get exposure for any product or service that is catered to the masses, while Linkedin works more for professionals or B2B advertising. Once Instagram advertising is launched in the Middle East, I believe it might surpass advertising budgets for Facebook since Instagram is now more appealing that other social networks due to its visual interface.<br />
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Many companies in Lebanon have tried using Twitter for marketing, but very few succeeded. It is currently being used as a customer service and crisis management medium rather than advertising purposes. Many jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon but this platform proved to have so little interest from the general public (as it has become a niche social network for women, fashion and food) that many brands have abandoned it.<br />
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As for examples, I wouldn't want to give free advertising to businesses but I would like to point out an NGO that is doing a great job on social media. Donner Sang Compter (DSC) is an NGO that relies on social media to connect blood donors to blood banks, hospitals or even people in desperate need for blood. Most of their communication is done of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and this has been extremely effective for them.<br />
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<strong>4) Politicians and entertainers also use social media. How does it benefit them? Who are the most popular ones in Lebanon? Can you name the top 10 most famous social media personalities?</strong><br />
Social media has changed the way politicians and entertainers communicate with their audience/fans. Before, traditional media only allowed a one-way communication where the celebrity would say what he/she wants with little or no feedback from the audience. Social media has changed this into a two-way communication where these celebrities engage directly (with no middle-man) with their audience. This gives the celebrity a human feel and gets them closer to their audience.<br />
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It is hard to say who are the most popular figures online because each source have different criteria of measurement. I will be relying on SocialBakers.com for the latest Facebook figures of LOCAL FANS for several categories.</div>
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<strong>For brands:</strong></div>
<ol style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1em 0px; padding-left: 3em;">
<li>Sayfco </li>
<li>Master Chips</li>
<li>Samsung Lebanon</li>
<li>Samsung Mobile Levant</li>
<li>Trident</li>
<li>Trident</li>
<li>Touch Lebanon</li>
<li>Oreo</li>
<li>Samsung Levant</li>
<li>Nescafe</li>
</ol>
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<strong>Media pages:</strong></div>
<ol style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1em 0px; padding-left: 3em;">
<li>MTV Lebanon</li>
<li>LBCI</li>
<li>Aljadeed Online</li>
<li>Virgin Radio Lebanon</li>
<li>Al Jaras Magazine</li>
<li>Tayyar.org</li>
<li>Lebanon 24</li>
<li>OTV</li>
<li>Al Mayadeen TV</li>
<li>Mix FM Lebanon</li>
</ol>
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<strong>Celebrities:</strong></div>
<ol style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1em 0px; padding-left: 3em;">
<li>Cyrine Abdelnour</li>
<li>Nancy Ajram</li>
<li>George Khabbaz</li>
<li>Najwa Karam</li>
<li>Elissa</li>
<li>Haifa Wehbe </li>
<li>Wael Jassar</li>
<li>George Wassouf</li>
<li>Tamer Hosny</li>
<li>Myriam Fares</li>
</ol>
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<strong>Society pages:</strong></div>
<ol style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 1em 0px; padding-left: 3em;">
<li>Sleiman Frangieh</li>
<li>President Michel Sleiman</li>
<li>Lebanese Forces</li>
<li>Saad Hariri</li>
<li>Ammar Al Hakim</li>
<li>KidzMondo</li>
<li>Michel Aoun (unofficial page)</li>
<li>Global Study UK</li>
<li>Donner Sang Compter</li>
<li>Ziyad Baroud<span data-mce-style="overflow:hidden;line-height:0px" data-mce-type="bookmark" id="mce_33_start" style="line-height: 0px; overflow: hidden;"><span data-mce-style="overflow:hidden;line-height:0px" data-mce-type="bookmark" id="mce_34_start" style="overflow: hidden;"></span></span></li>
</ol>
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As I mentioned though, these ranking do not necessary mean that these pages are more active or have a better social media presence, but rather a bigger number of local fans on Facebook.<br />
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<strong>5) As a social media consultant, you've created the Online Collaborative. What purpose does it have? Can you provide background on how the idea came about?</strong><br />
My primary day jobs include being a social media consultant for brands and companies and Editor in Chief of a print and online magazine about social media and tech called Cloud 961. However, this does not relate to the Online Collaborative. It is a non-profit zero-salary initiative that aims to promote the proper usage of social media to the Lebanese public (students, children and senior citizens) through workshops, events and conferences. We also aim to be a platform for bloggers and members of the online community to unite and discuss their problems (such as online bullying and lawsuits from brands).<br />
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In 2010, we founded the Online Collaborative when we saw that there is no entity that groups social media enthusiasts and experienced individuals in the digital media world. It aimed to help promote proper digital citizenship through making the most of social media in the best ways possible. Spanning over 120 members, OC has already organized many successful events and training workshops in Lebanon such as the Social Media Changing Lives conference at AUB in 2011 and 2014, and Blogging Lebanon Conference in 2010. It also actively seeks to provide support to various local and regional events in providing online coverage and community crowd-sourcing.<br />
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<strong>6) You've also held the Social Media Awards and several conferences attended by many to explain the importance of connecting. What have been the highlights of these events? What can the audience take away?</strong><br />
The Social Media Awards is also a non-profit initiative by the Online Collaborative that aims to allows the Lebanese online community to nominate, vote for and award their favorite accounts in the Lebanese social media scene in an attempt to shine a spotlight on the bloggers, journalists, content creators, community managers, public personas, users of social media and celebrities that are doing a great job on social media in hopes that they become role models for others in the community. The audience of the SMAs and other conferences were able to identify the best practices of social media usage and ways they can improve their lives using online media.<br />
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<strong>7) When readers from abroad read this article, what will they find out about social media in Lebanon that they did not know? How can they connect with the Lebanese? Are the Lebanese abroad and the ones here connecting a lot?</strong><br />
I'm not sure if readers realize that Lebanon has a thriving and very active online community that have become trend-setters for the Lebanese and Middle East. Many of the members are constantly approached by brands for their opinions on products and services for example.<br />
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Additionally, individuals and brands get criticized and bashed all the time. It is easier to criticize because most people don’t realize that at the other side of the screen, there is a living breathing human being that will be affected by their words. If it were an offline conversation, most people will tend to consider the consequences of their words more and try to be diplomatic in order not to hurt the individual they are criticizing. Possibly the most negative aspect of social media is that it eliminates the human aspect from communication and that’s what the online community needs to be aware of.<br />
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As for the expats, I have noticed that a lot of them like to engage with the residents because it brings them closer to their motherland and keeps them connected and aware about what is going on in Lebanon. A premium example about this is perhaps the most active Lebanese political blog (Beirut Spring) is run by a Lebanese expat (Mustapha Hamaoui) who have lived in Ghana for years!</div>
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Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1303428561800353387.post-54025151355694795812014-06-11T13:46:00.000+03:002014-06-11T13:46:52.478+03:00Ipsos releases results of who the Arabs are cheering for this World Cup 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuRrhLa2pVoMlMmzKp9Jpv6r0SQ3xxA8g9DO1phjnNjpQdekmXedFW4LgoXzub-TDiNKHDH2BpmzJctoT6yRVwrZzxZbnGoftSX89-8qP4dIZGOovFKUsf40HXuICF7D8cXepYZCuucc/s1600/Lebanon+IFS.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuRrhLa2pVoMlMmzKp9Jpv6r0SQ3xxA8g9DO1phjnNjpQdekmXedFW4LgoXzub-TDiNKHDH2BpmzJctoT6yRVwrZzxZbnGoftSX89-8qP4dIZGOovFKUsf40HXuICF7D8cXepYZCuucc/s1600/Lebanon+IFS.PNG" /></a></div>
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Ipsos MediaCT has released the results of the ‘Ipsos Football Score’ (IFS), which is a two-month long national representative survey<i>*</i> conducted across 11 MENA countries. The independent survey seeks to gauge the sentiment of Arab football lovers and their favorite teams, assessing who they think will win the title in the World Cup 2014.<br />
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The ‘Ipsos Football Score’ was designed by Ipsos MediaCT to categorically rank the various football teams based on specific variables such as favorability, likeability, loyalty, popularity, uniqueness (tactics and abilities), as well as their chances of winning the title. The independent study then assessed the importance and significance of each of these variables, and a comprehensive score was derived from these results. The study covered Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar and Jordan.<br />
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In general based on the results, the Brazilian football team received the highest score in most of the 11 Arab countries surveyed.<br />
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<b>Here are the results per country:</b><br />
- <b>Egypt</b> chooses Argentina<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Portugal (45.1%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Italy (45.3%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: England (41.8%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Argentina (45.1%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Argentina (52.5%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Argentina (44.1%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Saudi Arabia</b> chooses Argentina<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Argentina (61.8%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Argentina (65.4%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: England (61.5%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Argentina (70.2%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Portugal (63.9%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Argentina (64.1%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Kuwait</b> chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Brazil (76.2%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Germany (84.7%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Italy (81.7%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Brazil (89.9%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Spain (84.8%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (80.9%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Lebanon</b> chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Brazil (76.1%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Brazil (84.7%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Brazil (80.6%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Brazil (91.1%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Brazil (82.9%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (82.6%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Morocco</b> chooses Spain<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Spain (71.2%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Spain (71.7%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Spain (71.7%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Brazil (76.4%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Spain (75.9%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Spain (72.9%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Qatar </b>chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Brazil (71.2%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Germany (76.6%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Argentina (72.4%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Italy (84.2%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: France (81.7%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (77.5%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Tunisia </b>chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Brazil (88.7%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Brazil (84.0%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Brazil (82.0%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Brazil (79.0%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Argentina (85.5%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (83.9%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>United Arab Emirates</b> chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Brazil (72.3%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Brazil (75.3%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Portugal (71.9%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Italy (82.4%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Germany (79.5%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (73.7%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Jordan </b>chooses Brazil<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Germany (79.5%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Italy (86.1%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Germany (84.3%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Brazil (92.6%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Spain (86.2%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Brazil (84.3%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Iraq </b>chooses the Netherlands<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: England (90.0%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: England (87.6%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Netherlands (80.7%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Netherlands (91.2%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Brazil (84.7%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Netherlands (84.4%)</b></li>
</ul>
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- <b>Bahrain </b>chooses Spain<br />
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<ul>
<li>Chances of winning the title: Argentina (76.4%)</li>
<li>Favorite team: Spain (80.9%)</li>
<li>Loyalty towards the team: Portugal (90.0%)</li>
<li>Popularity of the team: Spain (81.9%)</li>
<li>Uniqueness of the team: Portugal (80.0%)</li>
<li><b>Total Ipsos Football Score: Spain (79.2%)</b></li>
</ul>
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For more information, visit the ‘Ipsos MENA’ page on Facebook.<br />
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<i>*The information included in the survey is based on independent research conducted by Ipsos and is in no way sponsored or associated with FIFA™.</i>Mohammad Hijazihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810285365595204184noreply@blogger.com2