ABU DHABI // Business owners are paying up to Dh15,000 per month for “cinematic” makeovers of their social media accounts as they seek more effective way to advertise.
Experts said that entrepreneurs were turning to features such as virtual reality movies to be posted on their accounts, paying between Dh5,000 and Dh15,000 per month for the services.
This year, Etihad Airways released a virtual reality film featuring actress Nicole Kidman, and the Qasr Al Hosn Festival posted on YouTube a 360-degree video of its own in March.
Social media has not only become a norm and provided a launch platform for many entrepreneurs, it will continue to evolve, said Hussein Abdallah, head of social media at Alsayegh Media.
“Imagine instead of a Facebook profile you’ll have an avatar. This is entertainment where you immerse yourself in a virtual world instead of just watching,” he said.
Using social media is likely to reach more people, and business owners can measure its view rates. It is also more cost-effective that traditional advertising, he said.
Mohamed Al Awani, founder of Farghaly fruits, said his sales increased by 30 per cent after he advertised on Instagram.
“Many people were not aware of Farghaly until we appeared on social media,” he said.
Mr Al Awani, who has branches in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, decided to search for someone to manage his social media account professionally.
He believed it would help the firm double its revenues in the first year and triple them by the third.
Production House, a media company in Abu Dhabi, decided to apply its cinematic and visual effects to clients’ social media profiles to attract viewers to a logo or commercial from the first glance.
It has created live programmes that can be broadcast on Facebook and YouTube, where viewers can call live or have questions answered online.
“This adds to the credibility of the service or product,” said Ashraf Badrieh, managing director.
“A honey company could have a live show of crew members as they collect the honey and host doctors to speak about the uses and benefits of honey.”
An animated character is created for each client to appear on adverts and posters.
“We combine comedy and visual effects to the campaign – because this is what attracts people – with scientific facts, so the client is doing his share of social service to the community as well,” said Mr Badrieh.
One of the company’s clients, Tabarak Medical Polyclinic, which opened in Shahama in 1986, said it was aiming for nationwide recognition by investing in professional social media marketing.
“The centre is well known in Shahama and Rahba. However, outside this area, no one knows about it,” said Belal Aboueida, management accountant at Tabarak.
He started using social media instead of traditional adverts in February last year, and Tabarak recorded a 20 per cent increase in visitors since then. The firm decided to seek professional services for social media management to expand further.
hdajani@thenational.ae
