Think Like an Egyptian!
How the Power of the Internet moved an entire population.
We would like to start this insight with another country which recently experienced a revolution – Egypt. Has the world of online marketing been affected by recent events in the land of the Nile? Is there an International market in Egypt? Will the travel industry pick up? How do Egyptians feel about social media? These are all questions our Egyptian team will answer.
When the Internet was first introduced in Egypt back in 2000, the Egyptians were rather sceptical and could not imagine that this would ever be a platform to do serious business and they limited their Internet usage to just social networking. It was too overwhelming for people the idea that they could suddenly connect to the entire world from their own home and the concept of purchasing products online just did not work for them.
Although the growth of e-commerce in other parts of the world has not gone unnoticed, there still has been a huge reluctance and lack of trust amongst Egyptians in releasing their own personal details.
This rather reserved attitude eventually changed when early this year the Internet, as their only channel of communication with the rest of the world, became one of the main influences driving the revolution. If the Internet could lead an entire population to freedom –what else was possible? People suddenly recognised its true power.
Within just a couple of months the Internet grew so much in importance that today it is considered the main source of information by the Egyptians, with the main most favoured communications platform being Facebook.
People started using it not only for daily updates on the developments of their country, but also opened up to it as a business platform and as an opportunity to organise events.
However, compared to the UK and the USA e-commerce in Egypt can still be considered a 'new born child'. It will take some time for old scars to heal and the economy is back on its feet again.
Egyptian businesses will have to be educated on the opportunities that e-commerce affords. Terms like 'SEO' are still new to them and they need to be approached with sensitivity and provided with a lot of information. It is no secret that the country has a lot to give – especially within the tourism industry.
But in order to enter an 'e-business relationship' with Egyptian businesses, you absolutely need to speak their language. You need to empathise with their past and their current situation in order to grow with them.
It is also important to have a look at their socio-demographic structures. Unlike most Western societies, it is not easy for Egyptians to obtain a bank account or credit cards. With the minimum required savings of $500, this is still a privilege to the rich.
However, the forecasts for the future and especially the younger generations are set for growth. With the revolution people have learned that they can affect their own economy for the better and confidence is growing – and with growing confidence there will be a growing awareness of new ways to do business. It all comes down to proper and open communication.
With Google being the strongest search engine in Egypt, the Egyptians are watching the developments of the Internet closely and are constantly opening their minds for new opportunities.
Greig Holbrook is Director of Oban Multilingual, the International SEO specialist. If you are interested in more information about effective International SEO for your business, please feel free to contact us anytime or visit our website on www.obanmultilingual.com.
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- Tags: Egypt, International SEO
