The Director of the US-Qatar Business Council, Mohammed Barakat, spoke at the C3 Summit in New York City on October 19, 2015. The panel, entitled “Media: The Evolution from Traditional to Social and the Continued Global Impact” focused on the increasing number of Internet users in the Middle East and its impact on the region and the globe.
There are now more than 135 million internet users in the Arab region of which over 71 million active users utilize social networking technologies. Arab youth is at the heart of the evolution of the Middle East media market, which is poised to be one of the world’s fastest growing, with rapid digitization, growth in population size and consumer spending far above the global average.
The panel focused on the cultural changes in consumer behavior driving this evolution, resulting in new and significant opportunities in the sector. This panel addressed how social media and mobile technology continue to dramatically influence information gathering and sharing across the region, and where source credibility, relevancy, and bandwidth of online followers are key influencers.
The Discussion also highlighted emerging trends with Smartphone penetration, the need for companies and services to be mobile ready, wearable devices, cyber security, and how Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, Facebook and new players like Path, Vine, Tumblr, Foursquare, Snapchat and other social media innovators are connecting with consumers creating loyal communities on emerging platforms that ensure success and access for your brand and company.
