TikTok, whose users exceed a billion around the world, revealed its intention to establish more partnerships at the local and global levels, and work in Saudi Arabia in several sectors, with the aim of supporting companies to reach their audience and help them achieve their marketing goals.

 

Aref Yehya, head of the retail and e-commerce department at TikTok MENA, told Asharq Al-Awsat that digital transformations in the Kingdom have become a major driver for the sector, and have facilitated all operations that enable electronic platforms to carry out all of their work.

 

Yehya stated that the Saudi government supported retail through digital platforms, explaining that TikTok was in line with these trends that pave the way for new types of content and trade, commonly known as “community trading”.

 

He stressed that the Kingdom constituted an important market in the region, revealing the determination of the international platform to establish more partnerships locally and globally, and to work in Saudi Arabia in several sectors, with the aim to support companies to reach their audience and help them achieve their goals.

 

According to Yehya, entertainment is the main reason why people build communities and turn to TikTok, while brands benefit from creative tools and a system dedicated to content creators. He added that the platform provided entertainment, which led to an increase in sales.

 

The head of the retail trade and e-commerce department continued that the platform offered digital creators in the Kingdom with more targeted and dynamic opportunities to build moments of discovery, awareness and commercial activity. This special kind of word-of-mouth marketing fueled by content makers on TikTok allowed global brands to achieve overwhelming success.

 

According to Aref, “in the Middle East and North Africa region alone, the value of the retail trade market is currently estimated at nearly $1 trillion.”

 

Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation has provided solutions that benefit international brands and users of digital platforms.

 

The Saudi Digital Government Authority has recently launched the Digital Transformation Management “Qiyas 2023”, with the aim of raising the level of government agencies’ commitment to orders and decisions related to this field, improving the quality of digital services provided to beneficiaries, and contributing to the Kingdom’s progress in international indicators related to the development of the digital government.