We’ve had the pleasure of meeting Osama Romoh (@osamaromoh), who is a prominent Jordanian Blogger at osamaa.com with over 1,800+ Followers on twitter and with more than 13,900K likes on his facebook page. Osama now works in Dubai with Dubizzle where he is the Digital Marketing manager, we thought we’d share his wisdom with the world when it comes to Digital marketing so we sent him a couple of questions and he gracefully replied. Below are the Q&A’s:
Q1) What made you get in to blogging?
I’m that kinda person who loves to try everything related to the digital world so I started blogging “Sodfeh” (by coincidence) and with no intention to become a “Blogger”.. Then I started to get many visitors to my blog, people loved it so I decided to continue.
Q2) Obviously you have attained a high level of success with your blog, how did you manage to achieve that?
On my blog, I started writing sarcastic articles about sensitive issues in Jordan and the Arab world.. I felt that I was able to make a change in the world so I worked on it. I appeared on the biggest media and news channels just to shout out my word. It worked and I did it. I was awarded “The Best Arabic Blog 2010” by DW.
Q3) How do you view blogging and the Digital field in the MENA region?
It’s improving and expanding insanely. Internet users have lately become Digital Marketers, they share, like, recommend and publish things online.. Thanks to Social Media channels that offer free space to write and publish.
Q4) Why do you think that Jordan is producing a lot of talent and startups in the online world?
It’s not something new or surprizing. A lot of successful people in many fields across the world are Jordanian and Palestinian. I would not be surprised if people in Jordan invented a telepathy transportation system.
Q5) You are currently the Digital Marketing Manager for Dubizzle, from your experience what advice would you give for marketers in the region?
I would tell them: Just don’t spend too much time planning and writing documents.. Start the actual work, go online and start promoting it! Yes we’re in a race, if you can’t do it quick, go work in a Falafel restaurant.
Q6) What are the challenges or the issues marketers would have to think about when planning for digital marketing?
Think about how big brands and websites reached advanced level of online marketing, never think that a Facebook page alone will get you a million unique visitors. Think out the box. There are no secrets but there is an intelligent strategy that fits your business.
Q7) How do you see social media in the region and do you think that marketers should be utilizing it?
Social Media has been rocking the MENA for couple of years now but it won’t have the same effect in the coming 2-3 years. In my own persona opinion, a lot of internet users have become sick and bored of Social Media, For normal users, it’s about privacy and time consuming with no production. For geeks, its about how Social Media acquired the virtual world and smashed a lot of really good websites on the web. Marketers should still utilize it as 1 part of their strategy.
Q8) From what I hear you are also an expert on Search Engine Marketing and Optimization, what advice do you have for marketers in the region that might need some help with that?
I would say: For god sake, SEM is a piece of cake, don’t freak out and outsource it! Anyone can deal with a VERY-easy-to-use online platform.. Don’t you know English? Just read the menus!
Q9) What are some of the mistakes that you feel people from the region are currently doing in this field?
They spend too much money on a idea that exists and consumed.. Why don’t you just come up with a new idea that no one else did before? Learn from Intonow.com .. You may get funds!
Q10) What do you think will be the next big thing in terms of online marketing that marketers in the region might still not be aware of?
A lot of marketers are ignoring SEO and they go for Social Media as it’s the current big thing. I would say that Search Engines are a MUST in our online spent time. Don’t be surprized if I say that SEO will be the next big thing again!
A big thank you to Osama for sharing his thoughts with us, and we would like to wish him the best of luck. Do you have any thoughts or comments on the Osama’s answers let us know.
;). Kudos. you still managed to add our Industry(SEO)! Yes SEO is always the big thing! like what Lee Odden is saying that if it, something can be searched on, then it can be optimized.