Below are some questions related to the social media marketing scene in Lebanon, we ask to Mr. Abdul Rahman Alieh founder and director at SocialWeTalk, one of Lebanon’s fastest growing social media agencies.

Q. What Are Some Challenges Facing Social Media Agencies in Lebanon?

A. Last time I checked, there were over 70 social media agencies in Lebanon. This competition keeps everyone on their toes. There’s no margin of error. In order to survive, startups need to play aggressively and punch above their weight to gain recognition. But I’ve come to believe that as long as you’re offering something different, competition doesn’t matter as much. Offer something that your competitors are not.

So instead of scouring your competitors’ websites and social media pages to figure out what they’re doing, pay attention to what they’re NOT saying or doing instead, or at least communicate what you have in a different way.

Q. What’s one way digital marketing agencies can stand out from the crowd?

A. A lot of traditional agencies don’t rely on data- they’re so focused on creative. In this day and time, this doesn’t work anymore. The future is here and it’s all about marrying data with creativity. This means that agencies will have to make sure their designers can dissect data in creative ways.

It’s the age of the customer. We have to look at what customers will be doing, and then translate that into brands and value propositions.

Q. How are clients’ expectations evolving?

A. It’s up to us as startups to disrupt the market, to nip at the heels of the big boys and drive change and innovation. Ad briefs are no more shared by email using carefully manicured Word documents; they’re now shared on the phone and on WhatsApp. This dynamism creates an opportunity for nimble startups.

Sometimes you just have to be unreasonable to exceed customers expectations. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

Q. How can startups define their culture?

A. One of the most important factors that define any startup’s culture is the synergy of its team- a group of individuals with similar capabilities and identical focus.

What I learned is that entrepreneurs should not hire people and persuade them to believe in their dream; entrepreneurs need to hire people who share their dream. When this happens, they win, their clients win and the team wins- because happy, motivated people do great work.

Q. How can a small team win clients’ trust?

A. This takes time, effort and stress. To win customers’ trust and loyalty, we had to work aggressively to implement THE SYSTEM- as we like to call it- a customer-centric philosophy which aim is to streamline requests from customers to designers and social media managers and back- all while maintaining the best possible service. Customers are the real force behind a startup’s success. Their word-of-mouth power and their presence on social media can give startups like ours an edge against all the traditional businesses.

Q. What is currently the main concern for your customers?

A. Some SMEs don’t have a clue, some don’t care, and those who do care are trying to manage their social media presence either in-house or via freelancers. While some freelancers may be experts, most of whom I encountered are either fresh grads or college drop-outs looking for a part-time job. Plus, many small businesses in Lebanon aren’t really fussed about social media marketing beyond using Facebook as a customer service tool. But are they familiar with Facebook’s latest features or the ever-evolving nature of its algorithm?

Traditionally Facebook’s algorithm prioritized “time spent” on posts above all other factors. Now, it prioritizes active interactions like commenting and sharing over likes and click-throughs -passive interactions. It also prioritizes video –especially live video, gives bonus points to brands focusing on community building through groups, and punishes posts with click-baits…

Q. What’s one challenge Lebanese startups –especially those involved in advertising– are facing every day?

A. If you ask anyone on the street about the economic situation in Lebanon, they tend to give the same answer- it’s dead. Local brands are now negotiating more aggressively. As a young startup, you find yourself in a constant pricing battle with freelancers and other agencies. The trick is to position yourself based on your key differentiation factor (in our case, customer intimacy)- this sounds easier that than done. After all, you can provide the best offering, the cheapest offering, or the most comprehensive offering, but you can’t provide all three.

Once you land a client, you should constantly demonstrate your value, otherwise, your client will think of jumping ship. Agencies should spend time investing in their relationships with customers. i.e. offer more proactive customer service, be available around the clock, engage and keep in touch, and keep it personal- the latter may be the most challenging endeavor.

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