4Ω part I

In Arabia it’s often mentioned that users are Forum oriented. And that Arabic readers tend to engage in online Forums or Bulletin Boards activities rather than other types of online activities.

So then came Online Advertising to the Arabia and everyone started searching for media spaces to monopolize on or just to serve some ads on. The shocking story was awaiting; Not enough Arabic websites. Better put, not enough Arabic content. The further Media buyers looked at it, they found only Forums.

Then came Maktoob to the rescue, bought a number of Forums and the Forum advertising went mainstream in Arabia.

Forums in the Arabia = Many to Many Mass Social Media

What amazes me is that once everyone heard companies should have some party to control/monitor twitter and facebook accounts just because they saw that happening elsewhere everyone started shouting for the same. Wait, why didn’t you engage in the Forums? Wasn’t there where your consumers were?

GCC’s online culture is a many to many when it comes to communication. Content dictatorship is not something they want to have in their daily online interactions. Blogs are hardly the way to go with content. Unless you’re a well known and established name odds are you’ll be lucky to have readers that follow you. So if you’re not “a somebody” users would prefer you reading their posts too. So drill down to that Forum topic and post along. It’s a many to many conversation and not someone’s discussion, it’s everyone’s!

And the obvious, anonymity. No real name needed. It’s funny how the Facebook users in GCC use odd Avatars and even hide their Real names. It’s Facebook and it’s a closed network, so if you don’t know someone you wouldn’t add or connect to them. But, the same anonymous culture is brought to every system they shift. So what does that tell you? That we in GCC are retarded? That’s the easy answer every agency carries around and spits every where. Culture is the answer.

Forums. So because every website used to be made by Forum applications just like how most of the websites use Blogs as their content management systems(CMS) one report stated that around 80% of Saudi Internet users visit Forums the most. Hah? So in that case are 90% of the websites in the Arabia Blogs?

Another misconception

Forums have a great number of Pageview and that’s because every topic is talked about and discussed by many. It’s awkward when you see banner ads between every “reply”. Ads served on Forums might exceed the number of Ads on some of the top portals in the region, but what is the return really? Less than a basic e-mail shot! (e-mail me for my data comparison). Forums n’ communities are all about interaction and engagement, the same reason why Traditional web banners in Facebook are not the best for Action-based campaigns.

Example, the widely topic back in May in one of the Forums was the high prices of cars at GCC dealers and everyone was signing a petition in a topic in Cars Forum. People were running a campaign themselves, trying to tell everyone not to buy Toyotas or Nissans and wait until they reduce prices. Between each two posts you’d find a Toyota Banner. So much for targeting? Not really, based on keywords n’ topic, they’re in the right place, but? This is not where you dictate content, it’s a Forum where everyone needs to talk! Instead engagement and replies were needed.

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