by
Roba Al-Assi , Brand and Communications Director , Bayt.com
Forums are still the most engaging web platform in the MENA. If you visit Alexa and look at top 20 websites for most countries in the MENA, you'll find that many of them are forums.
The issue with forums though is that it is very hard to market through them.
I agree with Mohamad Al Shafie. Blogs are not - and should not - be dropped from an online marketing plan. A blog is a low cost marketing channel and an excellent venue to network with your target audience, talk about your products, and engage with the online community. A blog can also enhance a company's image and visibility, and if done right in terms of SEO practices, a blog could significantly increase the traffic to your website.
Blogs are very critical in web marketing. It's important for:
1- Creating and publishing fresh content
2- Improving SEO
3- Give users more reasons to visit your website
4- Increase Brand Awareness and loyalty
