Flip Media CEO Yousef Tuqan Tuqan appeared on Dubaieye 103.8's Business Breakfast to discuss the current state of the digital media industry in the Middle East, and dishes out ten tips on how to drive traffic to their websites. Just in case you missed it, here's the tips:
10. Advertise offline: no matter how much hype and excitement there might be about online media, it's still less than 1% of your overall spend, so use everything else you have to support it. When we launched Movies in Motion in December, it was given minimal support in terms of online advertising, but MBC2's heavy TVC rotation drove tens of thousands of users to the site.
9. Give the web the respect it deserves: the Internet is becoming your most important first impression, and this is most important in places like Dubai, where brands are being built overnight.
8. Think beyond the first visit: once your website is built and your Marketing Manager gets back to his normal job, how will you continue to maintain it? How will you continue to add compelling and innovative content? Remember, a website is not just for Christmas ;-)
7. Help your customers access your website on their terms: more and more people are accessing websites via iPhones, Blackberries, RSS feeds, etc. Create a mobile version of your website.
6. Use unconventional channels: some of the larger websites like Digg and Facebook might not seem like the obvious choice of how to market your website, but they can generate enormous amounts of traffic and attention overnight.
5. Put yourself in places with lots of traffic: use leading websites, portals and regional platforms. Look beyond banners to sponsorships, tie-ups and special executions. Local portals especially are keen to work with online advertisers to find compelling and interesting ways to promote yourselves online.
4. Make your website do something no other sales channel can do: Emirates.com is a very good example of this where they continue to offer bonus Skywards Miles or special offers that can't be found on the high street. Put up compelling offers for your users, and then keep remding them that they are there.
3. Think of your website all the time: with every marketing initiative you do, ask yourself "how can the web make this better." Nakheel's a great example of this, whereby an online initiative led their Ramadan advertising campaign, and led to some amazing results.
2. Use Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing: use both SEO and SEM to get to the top of your lists. Use SEO for long-term development, and SEM for overnight success.
1. Work with the pros: Call me! We've been here a while and we can help you make sense of what's happening in this industry. We can show you the possibilities, but also tell you what not to do.
