DUBAI: Around 30 per cent of businesses in Saudi Arabia are worried about the need to transform into a digital operation in the age of Coronavirus.
GoDaddy, a website hosting company and domain registrar, is now reaching out to them, and other companies across the MENA region, to offer support and assistance as they attempt to successfully navigate the current challenges by moving online.
GoDaddy recently joined forces with Turkish actor Barış Arduç to launch its first regional digital marketing campaign, which is aimed at inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners across the region in these tough times.
The importance of developing a strong digital operation has never been greater, and GoDaddy is providing an easy and affordable way for small businesses to create professional websites and start promoting business online.
With the global lockdown still in place, and likely to continue for a while, GoDaddy has developed an online resource centre – https://ae.godaddy.com/open-we-stand/ – where small businesses can find tools and special offers to help them through this period. The platform has attracted big numbers in terms of traffic since its launch.
With GoDaddy offering domain names, website building tools, hosting, Managed WordPress, website security, online marketing, email and Microsoft Office 365, smaller-sized businesses across the MENA region now have the resources at their disposal which will enable them to grow online.
In KSA, despite the reservations of some, the market for businesses to tap into is huge. We Are Social data highlights one third of the day (six hours and 44 minutes) is spent online, with 23 million active social media users, meaning there is undoubtedly a big opportunity for companies to drive awareness and build engagement during the current lockdown.
These are unprecedented times and all businesses, regardless of sector, are being forced to think of creative and innovative ways to make money. Establishing a strong online presence is crucial, and across the MENA region there has been an increase in social media advertising, while companies are expected to step up what they do digitally in order to meet specific customer needs throughout Ramadan.
GoDaddy has been approached by start-ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses across the region as they look to build, develop and maintain their online operations.
Selina Bieber, GoDaddy’s Senior Regional Director for Turkey, MENA and South Africa, recently led a digital training session, in partnership with Dubai Startup Hub, which was designed to support those working on building and enhancing their online presence, while providing all of the tools they need to overcome current obstacles, such as COVID-19.
As well as Dubai Startup Hub, GoDaddy has also forged fruitful partnerships locally with LaunchDXB and the Women’s Xchange, along with Egypt-based Injaz.
