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Social Media in UAE: Popular Trends and Strategies for 2025
Social media in UAE is thriving, with one of the most digitally connected populations in the world. The country's strategic location in the Middle East and a youthful and tech-savvy demographic have propelled social media to the forefront of communication, commerce and brand engagement. The UAE’s rapidly evolving social media landscape presents unique opportunities for businesses seeking to connect with consumers in a highly engaged market.
With 100% internet penetration as of 2023 and the highest social media penetration rate of 115% globally as of 2024, the UAE boasts a highly engaged social media audience. However, succeeding in this vibrant market requires a keen understanding of local trends, cultural nuances and evolving technologies.
In this blog, we’ll explore the key statistics, popular trends and strategies for 2025 to help you build an impactful social media strategy for the UAE. We’ll also explore the key social media platforms in the country.
Social media usage statistics in UAE
From viral moments to engaging conversations, social media in the UAE is undergoing unprecedented transformation. Here's a quick dive into social media usage statistics in the UAE:
1. UAE tops global social media penetration
The number of social media users in the UAE grew significantly from 9.84 million in 2021 to 10.68 million in 2022. This upward trend highlights the country’s digitally savvy population and its rapid adoption of social media platforms.
2. WhatsApp and Facebook dominate UAE’s social media landscape
WhatsApp is the most used social media in UAE, with 85.8% of the population aged 16 to 64 using it, followed by Facebook at 80.3%. This highlights that people are spending a lot of their time on these social media platforms, making it a crucial marketing channel for businesses and brands.
3. Social media advertising spending is on the rise
According to Statista, ad spending on social media advertising in the UAE is projected to reach US$447.60m in 2025. With a projected 11% CAGR and $663 million in market value by 2029, the region offers opportunities for brands to innovate, invest and connect with the audience through targeted advertising campaigns.
4. TikTok has gained massive traction
Among the platforms in the United Arab Emirates, TikTok had the highest number of creator accounts with more than ten million followers, recording nine such creators as of September 2022. Also, as of July 2024, the UAE recorded over 120% of TikTok reach among individuals aged 18+.
TikTok’s unprecedented reach and high engagement rates make it a critical platform for targeting a younger audience.
5. Influencer marketing drives purchasing decisions
As of 2023, around one-third of internet users in the UAE follow influencer accounts, with influencers having 5K-10K followers showing the highest engagement rates. Also, 50.5% of internet users in the UAE use social networks for online brand research.
Clearly, social media is the go-to place for brand research in the UAE, making it a must for businesses to have a strong presence on these platforms.
Key social media platforms and their role
In the UAE, social media platforms have become vital tools for businesses to connect with consumers and drive growth. Each platform offers unique opportunities for engagement. Here are the key social media platforms and how they are useful for businesses:
Instagram is one of the most popular platforms in the UAE with more than 5 million users, making it equally popular with brands as well. Instagram offers multiple features that support customer engagement and ecommerce like Stories and Shopping respectively, which can convert audiences into potential customers. In fact, out of the social media platforms through which social commerce can be conducted, Instagram was the UAE’s favorite.
Recommended read: How to Use Instagram for Business in 8 Ways [+ Expert Tips]
Facebook is a gold mine for targeted advertising within specific demographics. As of January 2024, advertising on Meta entities including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger helped brands reach over 29% of males aged between 25 and 34 in the UAE - one of the most high-spending demographics in this region.
With a focus on community-building through groups and pages, it allows brands in the UAE to foster personal connections with their audience. Additionally, Facebook is ideal for event promotion and live streaming, enhancing brand engagement and interaction.
Recommended read: Top 12 Facebook Metrics to Track for Business Growth
TikTok
As of January 2025, the United Arab Emirates had the second highest TikTok reach, with over 118.5% of their population aged 18 and older using the popular social video app. This explains why TikTok is the go-to social media platform for brands aiming to attract the UAE’s young audience. Brands can create short-form, viral videos to boost e-commerce and brand engagement, making interactions more dynamic. Creative campaigns on TikTok are a powerful way to boost brand awareness, tapping into trends and fostering a strong connection with users.
Download: The Ultimate Guide to TikTok Marketing
LinkedIn is the leading platform for B2B networking and professional branding in the world, and this remains true in the UAE as well. The number of LinkedIn users in the United Arab Emirates was forecast to continuously increase and is estimated to reach 5.52 million users and therefore a new peak in 2028. While LinkedIn primarily serves as a talent acquisition platform, brands are also using it for brand awareness and social selling to connect directly with leaders and decision-makers.
YouTube
In July 2024, the United Arab Emirates was the country with the highest YouTube penetration worldwide, as 94% of the country's digital population was active on the platform. YouTube offers a variety of ways for brands to connect with their audience, whether that’s through pre-roll ads, YouTube GDN, influencer content, user-generated content, brand videos, educational videos, ... the list goes on.
Understanding what your audience is most interested in, creating compelling content, and building the right strategy can unlock incredible opportunities.
💡 Pro Tip: No matter how many social media channels your brand is on, the key to success is consistency. Posting regularly, with the right mix of content types, and adapting to trends and customer behavior is what keeps your audience engaged. A well-organized content calendar that outlines captions, hashtags, formats, and posting schedules across platforms ensures you never miss an opportunity to connect with your audience.
Sprinklr’s social media calendar tool makes it effortless to stay consistent, as you can:
✅ Gain a unified view of all your posts across channels in one place.
✅ Easily organize your content with advanced filtering and tagging.
✅ Manage global campaigns seamlessly with time zone adjustments.
Consistency has never been easier to achieve — try Sprinklr Social’s social media calendar and keep your brand on track.
Top social media trends in UAE
Businesses and consumers in the UAE are adapting to new trends that shape the way brands engage, communicate and create experiences online. Here are three key trends to watch in 2025:
1. Short-form video content on the rise
Short-form content, especially on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, is becoming increasingly popular. These quick, engaging clips allow brands to capture user attention in a matter of seconds.
Carrefour UAE, for example, has capitalized on Instagram Reels to promote their latest offers, share quick recipe videos plus health and lifestyle tips. It’s a fun way for customers to see how they can use Carrefour products in real life, within a 15-30-second video.
2. Increased focus on Arabic content
While English is primarily used in social media posts, creating content in Arabic is vital for reaching a more localized audience and creating culturally relevant and impactful campaigns. English continues to be the most preferred language in the UAE, followed by Arabic, French and other languages reflecting the UAE's multicultural environment.
A great example of a brand using bilingual content is ARN News Centre. Its Instagram posts often feature both Arabic and English, ensuring it caters to the diverse audience in the UAE. This bilingual approach helps them connect with a wider audience.
3. Influencer marketing continues to thrive
Influencer marketing remains one of the most impactful social media strategies in the UAE, especially in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries. Businesses are focusing more on micro-influencers to foster authentic engagement with niche audiences.
The Body Shop in the UAE frequently collaborates with local beauty influencers to promote their products. These influencers create authentic content around sustainable beauty, positioning the brand as eco-conscious, a key selling point for UAE consumers.
Social media strategies for the UAE market
To craft an effective social media strategy, it’s crucial to understand the cultural nuances and regional preferences. Here are 5 social media strategies for the UAE that can help your brand stand out:
1. Understand local culture and preferences
The UAE is a blend of traditional Arab culture with modern, global influences. Your brand’s content should balance respect for local traditions with the appeal of contemporary trends. For instance, Ramadan is a critical time for brands to engage in meaningful, culturally relevant social media campaigns.
Brands leverage this opportunity to create content that builds connections with their audience. Etihad Airways often highlights local events and cultural celebrations.
💡 Pro Tip: Want to understand what kind of events, celebrations and traditions that your audience is participating in, and your competitors are capitalizing on? Sprinklr’s Audience Insights feature can help you unpack historical data to find out what your customers care about. With it, you can:
- Gather actionable insights from engagement metrics (likes, follower counts and shares), audience profiles and social signals to know your audience deeply
- Discover the trending content and topics that click with your target audience to engage with them on themes that are similar
- Create custom audience segments based on posted content, social engagement metrics, social profiles and more
Create content that connects with your audience with Sprinklr now! 👇
2. Prioritize mobile optimization
As smartphone ownership reaches near-total levels in the UAE, mobile internet usage is projected to hit 96.2% by 2024. Considering this high mobile usage in the UAE, it is important to ensure that all content, including websites and ads, is optimized for mobile viewing.
For example, Dubai Mall uses mobile-optimized content to reach shoppers on the go and offers a mobile app for seamless, user-friendly engagement.
3. Invest in influencer collaborations
Influencers in the UAE have a significant impact on consumer purchasing behavior, particularly in luxury goods, fashion and travel. Work with local influencers who align with your brand values to build trust and connect with the UAE’s diverse population.
For example, a beauty and lifestyle influencer, Salama Mohamed collaborates with renowned brands in the UAE to promote beauty products that cater to both local and international tastes. Her diverse following allows brands to effectively target the UAE's local and expatriate populations.
4. Ensure compliance with local laws
In the UAE, ensuring compliance with local laws is crucial for businesses using social media for marketing and advertising. Avoid controversial topics and ensure that all advertising is transparent, ethical and culturally appropriate.
For example, businesses must comply with Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2012 on cybercrimes, which prohibits posting content that is offensive, defamatory or harms public morals.
5. Use technology for personalization
Leverage the latest technologies to deliver highly personalized content and ads that resonate with individual preferences. For example, AI can be used to craft personalized content. Chatbots on platforms like WhatsApp can help businesses provide real-time customer support. Integrating AR can help create immersive and interactive experiences for users, enhancing brand engagement.
Companies like IKEA utilize AR to offer virtual shopping experiences, letting customers visualize products in their own spaces before making a purchase.
Elevate your social media strategy with Sprinklr
Social media in the UAE offers immense opportunities for brands to engage with a tech-savvy and diverse audience. However, to succeed in the UAE’s social media space, brands need to mix global strategies with an understanding of local culture and preferences. By embracing new tech, creating content that resonates with the audience and staying mindful of cultural nuances, businesses can build strong connections that help their social media strategy thrive in the UAE market.
Looking to unlock the full potential of social media in the UAE? Consider a platform like Sprinklr Social that helps you manage, optimize and measure your campaigns effectively.
Watch Sprinklr in action! Book a demo and discover how to reach the right audience on social media!
Frequently Asked Questions
During Ramadan and other cultural events, social media usage patterns shift significantly. There is increased activity during evenings and a focus on themes of community, family and faith.
Platforms like Sprinklr Social, along with scheduling tools, analytics dashboards and social listening platforms, are essential for effective social media management in the UAE.
The multicultural nature of the UAE's population necessitates creating content that caters to various cultural backgrounds and languages, ensuring inclusivity.
Influencers hold substantial sway in the UAE, enjoying a high level of trust and influence. Compared to other markets, influencers in the country are more culturally attuned and have a greater impact on luxury sectors and product discovery.
Innovative brands are using AR and VR to create immersive experiences, enhancing customer engagement and brand recall.
UAE privacy concerns and data protection laws require brands to prioritize data security and user consent. Businesses must be compliant with local privacy laws such as the UAE Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) that set out clear obligations for businesses and other entities that handle personal data.
