Video Marketing in Iran

Introduction

Marketing is about connecting with your audience in the right place, at the right time. That means you will have to meet them where they are already spending a lot of their time, which is online. Therefore, businesses use digital assets to connect and influence their current and prospective customers. Similar to global fashion, digital marketing is one of the most rapidly growing and popular marketing approaches in Iran and it’s making its way to become the market standard. This Iran digital marketing report provides information and forecasts about the digital marketing industry in Iran. The present report provides all the crucial facts & figures about digital marketing in Iran in 2018. Also included are the latest news about the subject, along with social media marketing and another related subjects. Find our other reports and publications on: www.sisarv.com/publication

Disclaimer The information provided in this report is collected from valid sources. The information provided is without guarantee on part of the creator and Sisarv marcom agency. The creator and the publisher deny any liability in connection with the use of this information. Summary about Iran

Iran is the second-largest country in the middle-east with over 81 million inhabitants; Iran is the world’s18th most populous country. Tehran is the country’s capital and largest city, as well as its leading economic, cultural and financial center. Iran is officially an Islamic republic government. Iran’s economy is a mixture of central planning, state owner- ship of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures, while being the source of 10 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 15 percent of the world’s gas reserves; Iran is considered an “energy superpower,” and the economy is dominated by oil and gas production.

Reference: www.worldometers.info Reference: web.archive.org The country was the world's eighteenth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) and twenty-seventh by nominal gross domestic product in 2014. Iran is a member of Next Eleven because of its high development potential.

Reference: countryeconomy.com Iran’s direct foreign investment from 1970 to 2016:

Annual direct foreign investment in USD million: Iran

Reference: www.ceicdata.com Competitive Advantages

Iran made the development of non-oil exports a priority. The country has the advantage of a broad domestic industrial base witch a highly tech-savvy, educated and motivated workforce, affordable labor and energy resources. Iran‘s geographical location makes the country an important economic hub in the region, providing it with access to 300 million people in neighboring countries. Iran has the consumer potential of Turkey, the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia, the natural gas reserves of Russia, and the mineral reserves of Australia. Iran‘s area roughly equals that of the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany combined. Iran has a diverse climate which makes it suitable for a wide range of agricul- tural products.

Reference: Iran Investment Monthly In 2017, Iran’s unemployment rate was estimated to 11.4 percent of the total labor force.

Reference:www.statista.com Internet Usage in Iran

• 1.9 billion internet users (in • 56,700,000 internet users • 146 million internet us- Asia) , 46.7% penetration 68.5% ers in the Middle East, rate of the population 58.7% penetration rate about 10% more than the middle-east and 20% more than Asia

Reference: internetworldstats.com Online

Reference: Tasnimnews.com Internet Penetration Rate in Iran by Age

74.7% of people 27.3% of people between 20-29 years between 50-89 years use Internet. use Internet.

Reference: Measuring Information Society of Iran (mis.ito.gov.ir) Share of Web Traffic by Device in Iran

Reference: Hootsuite Activity of Internet users in Iran

Reference: Measuring Information Society of Iran (mis.ito.gov.ir) Iran’s internet penetration rate trend from 2000 to 2017

Reference: internetworldstats.com Population with Internet Access

• 10 million people have internet access via fixed-broadband and 40 million people via mobile-broadband

• 95 percent of villages with more than 20 families had access to high internet speeds in 2017

• Digital marketing agencies in Iran cannot access global CPC panels for online advertising but there are several quality domestic CPC panels instead

• Some social networks and messaging apps have been banned by Iran’s government, such as Facebook and Twitter

Reference: Mehrnews.com Reference: isna.ir • In Iran, digital marketing agencies can’t use the Instagram sponsoring feature so on this platform the workaround is to pay general content pages with high numbers of followers and engagement for posting branded content, instead of using the Instagram sponsoring feature, which proves to be an effective alternative in Iran.

• Iranians used to communicate with Viber for messaging and online calls, but after the government-imposed restrictions on the app, people switched to using Telegram After a huge update, Telegram added some useful features such as channels and groups (people can post their content to be viewed in channels and groups and everyone can join channels to see its content), helping the platform becoming a social network of its own, next to being a messaging app platform. Telegram is currently the most popular social network platform in Iran with over 40 million active users. It is worth mentioning that just like on Instagram, we paid general channels with high subscribers to post our branded content on Telegram, for reaching a certain portion of our marketing goals. • LinkedIn is a rapidly growing social network in Iran. There are great opportunities and its professional, educated atmosphere is a great environment to be used for marketing goals, which is why marketing agencies in Iran always consider LinkedIn as part of their business strategy, which also includes getting in touch with other industry professionals or leads in a target segment. Bandwidth Regulations in Iran

• Since October the 20th, all mobile phones require to be registered with Iran’s telecommunications user database and phones not registered will be considered as “contraband” and unusable in the country.

• In a move to expand access to the Internet, the Iran Com- munication Regulatory Authority introduced a mandatory landline Internet Fair Usage Policy. Through the newly introduced system Fair Internet Usage, each landline ISP is required to announce a bandwidth cap for different Internet speeds. A bandwidth cap is a limit imposed on the transfer of data over a network.

Reference: Mehrnews.com Reference: isna.ir Reference: Mehrnews.com Reference: communication regulatory authority of Iran Most popular internet activities

Global Percentage of internet users with activity

Domestic Percentage of internet users with activity

Reference: www.infoplease.com Digital marketing & advertising

Digital marketing presents a tremendous opportunity to engage with consumers. Companies are also reshaping their marketing departments, going from traditional marketing to digital marketing. If your company is still relying on out-dated classical marketing that might have been effective in the past, it is time to accelerate change now. Why digital marketing over non-digital marketing ?

• Cost Efficiency • Target marketing • Interactivity and feedback • Measurability • Brand Recognition • Real Time Marketing Results

Reference: Wsionline.ee , smallbusiness.chron.com Global ad expenditure by segment in million USD (US $ millions,Globally)

by 198 billion USD spent , 2017 was the first year where digital ad spending took over television ad spending

Reference: global media report 2016 by McKinsey Global digital advertising share over years (percent)

Reference: global media report 2016 by McKinsey Ad Expenditure in Iran

Reference: Techrasa.com Market Shares

• The e-commerce industry is responsible for about $2 trillion in annual sales. • Worldwide B2C e-commerce sales reached $1.7 trillion in 2015, and it is estimated to reach $2.35 trillion by 2018. • Digital marketing held 5.2% of shares of the Gross Domestic Product in Iran over the past year.

This means the digital marketing revenue in Iran was 23.2 billion Dollars in 2017

Reference: hostingfacts.com Reference: isna.ir, irna.ir Advertising Methods

Social media marketing and messaging apps What makes social media and messaging apps important in digital marketing

• Increased exposure • Broader fanbase acquisition • Better Marketplace insight • Increased Brand awareness

Reference: digitalseoguide.com Whom you will target

• Percentage of Iranians that are users of at least one social media or messaging app

I n J a n 2 0 1 6 , 3 7 % In Feb 2017, 60% In Oct 2017, 62%

• Globally, the average time that people spend on social media or messaging apps are 116 minutes per day

• In Iran, the average time spend for Iranians is 120 minute everyday, slightly more than the global average

Reference: ispa.ir (based on survey) Reference: socialmediatoday.com , ispa.ir (based on survey) Social Media Penetration by Region

Global Average: 37%

The social media penetration rate in Iran was 21% in early 2017, But through a 35% annual growth in Iran the rate is now near 30% in the country. *Telegram is considered a social media platform rather than a plain messaging app in Iran, but this does not apply to its official status as a messaging app.

Reference: hootsuite, statista.com Social Networking World Map

Credits: Vincenzo Cosenza Vincos.it License: CC - BY - NC Source: Alexy / SimilarWeb

Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

Mostly used social media platforms in Iran: Instagram & LinkedIn V Kontakte Qzone Odnoklassniki Instagram

• Instagram has a total of approximately 800 Million users • 80% of those follow 1 or more brands on Instagram • 75% of Instagram users react to a CTA (calls-to-action), such as visiting a website, after looking at an Instagram advertising post • Instagram is the king of social media with 4.21% engagement

Instagram has more than 20 million users in Iran with a penetration rate over 25%, which is 10 percent more than the global penetration rate

Reference: hootsuite.com, Instagram.com Reference: nazarbazaar.ir How often Iranians check their Instagram accounts

81% Everyday 77% 78%

5% 2 to 3 8% days once 6.5%

2% Once a week 1.5% 1.8%

0.3% Once every 1% two weeks 0.6% Woman

1% Man Once a month 1.5% Average 1.2%

0.6% less than 1.3% a month 1%

Reference: nazarbazaar.ir (based on survey) Five most-followed Instagram accounts globally(31/08/2018)

Instagram, more than 246 million followers

Selena Gomez, more than 140 million followers

Cristiano Ronaldo, more than 139 million followers

Ariana Grande, more than 125 million followers

Beyoncé ,more than 117 million followers Five most-followed Instagram accounts in Iran (31/08/2018)

Mahnaz_afshar more than 7.5 million followers

rambodjavan1 more than 7.1 million followers

behnoosh_bakhtiari more than 6.5 million followers

saharghoreyshiofficialpage more than 6 million followers

elnazshakerdoost more than 6.1 million followers Instagram’s features

• Story Highlights In the story highlights section, you can create highlights out of groups of stories you’ve shared. Highlights will stay on the user profile until manually deleted.

• Story Archives Now all of your stories will automatically be archived after 24 hours. Archived stories will be private, so only you can see them, though you can use the stories to later create public highlights.

• Join Live Requests Now people can request to join your live video. Instagram’s features

• New Direct Features “Remix” photos: You can now reply to your friend’s image, add it as a sticker to your own picture and edit it. Control replay options for messages: You can choose to only allow chat participants to view an image once, or “allow replays” for repeated viewing.

• Regram Button: (testing) User-generated content is an essential part of online and social media marketing, and sharing UGC is a central part of that. Instagram is finally testing a feature: the “regram” button This will let you share content from other users, which will significantly expand your reach as followers are sharing your content and introducing it to their own content. Instagram’s features

• Instagram Topic Channels At the end of last month, Instagram announced their new Topic Channels in the “Explore” section. These “channels” can appear at the top of the section and will show users different categories of posts they can click on for viewing. These recommendations will be based on the user’s on-platform behavior, and they offer a great new way to potentially connect with more members of your target audience who haven’t heard of you yet.

• Video Chat in Direct Messaging Video chat is now available in direct messaging, and you can video chat with just one person or a group of up to four people, with each person appearing on the video chat screen as they join in. Instagram’s features

• Question Stickers for Instagram Stories This is another great interactive sticker in the same spirit of poll and emoji slider stickers, which can generate engagement and yield social proof at the same time.

• IGTV IGTV is a new stand-alone app that can be accessed on its own or from within Instagram. It allows content creators to upload videos of up to an hour and share them on the platform. linkedIn

• LinkedIn now has over 500 million members • 80% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn • LinkedIn is the number 1 channel, B2B marketers use to distribute content (94% of marketers use LinkedIn) • 65% of B2B companies have acquired a customer through LinkedIn

Reference:foundationinc.co LinkedIn in Iran LinkedIn in Iran

LinkedIn users in Iran are growing every day. Many employees, business owners, university students and freelancers use LinkedIn for professional networking. Also, there are lots of job opportunities and vacancies available on LinkedIn for Iranians in the country and abroad who are looking for a new job. Like other social media platforms, LinkedIn is one of the main digital marketing platforms in Iran. Many Iranian companies and brands are active on LinkedIn with the purpose of showcasing their services, creating brand awareness and engaging the audience. How often Iranians check their LinkedIn accounts

32% Everyday 20% 24%

32% 2 to 3 29% days once 30%

10% Once a week 21% 18%

10% Once every 3% two weeks 4% Woman

5% Man Once a month 14% Average 11%

16% less than 9% a month 11%

Reference:nazarbazaar.ir (based on survey) Messaging App Penetration by Region

Telegram has over 45 million users in Iran. The app’s user penetration rate incorporates 55% of the population

Worldwide: 26.8%

Reference: emarketer.com, yjc.ir World Map of Messaging Apps

Telegram is the most popular messaging app in Iran

WhatsApp Messenger Viber Line

Telegram Kakao Talk Zalo WeChat

Reference:digiato.com • 555,000 channels that publish content in Farsi

• 1.1 billion content posts are published in persian groups and channels

reference: ispa.ir (based on survey) How often Iranians check their Telegram accounts

92% Everyday 86% 90%

6% 2 to 3 4% days once 5%

2% Once a week 2% 2%

1% Once every 1% two weeks 1% Woman

1% Man Once a month 1% Average 1%

1% less than 1% a month 1%

Reference: nazarbazaar.ir (based on survey) 10 most-followed Telegram channels in Iran (31/08/2018)

1 6

2 7

3 8

4 9

5 10 New Telegram features

• Multiple accounts In the Android app You can add up to three accounts with different phone numbers to your Telegram app, and then quickly switch between them from the side menu

• Albums whenever you send multiple photos or videos they are grouped into albums. Each album can include up to 10 photos or videos, arranged in the chat as elegantly proportioned thumbnails. They will also result in one notification instead of ten on the recipient’s side.

• Saved Messages You can now bookmark important messages by quickly forwarding them to Saved Messages – your personal cloud storage for any messages or media you may want to send or forward there. Each saved message has a “go to” button that takes you to the right place in the chat where it was originally posted. New Telegram features

• Live Locations you can broadcast your current location to any chat in real time.

• Quick Replies Telegram now supports quick replies on both mobile platforms. To use them, just swipe left on any message in a chat.

• Proxy Server Telegram allows you to use a proxy server which can help you protect your data or use the app in countries where Telegram is banned. Iranian-Made messaging Apps

With over 40 million subscribers in Iran, Telegram is on top of the messaging applications in Iran, although it has been banned in the country since April 30. Hundreds of people and companies in Iran have been using the app for their marketing and sales solutions.

The replacement of Telegram as the most popular messaging app in Iran has turned into a challenge on domestic level. The alternatives to Telegram are a range of Iran-made messaging applications introduced during recent months. Soroush, Gap, iGap, BisPhone Plus and Wispi are applications which have been developed by Iranian experts and approved by Iran’s Government. Other Advertising Methods

• Display advertising

• Google advertising

• Email marketing Display Advertising

When advertising your business, there are three important factors to consider: visual appeal to gain attention, location to maximise exposure, and relevance to improve response. This is why display advertising has become a popular practice in digital marketing today. With its visual and targeting capabilities, display ads offer many benefits to a business, from visibility to brand awareness.

Display ads are the paid advertisements that appear to users on website pages in the form of graphics.

Benefits of Display Ads • Visual Appeal • Supportive of Brand Awareness • Effective Targeting • Visibility Increase • Data Provision • Retargeting Support The most visited iranian websites (31/08/2018)

Websites Iran Alexa rank World Alexa rank

Aparat.com 2 121 Digikala.com 3 261 Varzesh3.com 4 272 Shaparak.ir 8 500 Divar.ir 8 508 Telewebion.com 9 521 Namnak.com 11 571 Namasha.com 12 622 Beytoote.com 13 667 Bankmellat.ir 15 930 Top10- Most visited foreign websites in Iran (31/08/2018)

Websites Iran Alexa rank World Alexa rank

Google.com 1 1

Instagram.com 5 14 Wikipedia.org 6 5 Yahoo.com 7 7 Telegram.com 13 259 t.me 22 450 stackoverflow.com 27 64 linkedin.com 31 30 telegram.me 39 1528 youtube.com 41 2 Google Advertising

• Google owns 71% of the search market share

• 89% of the traffic generated by search ads is not replaced by organic clicks when ads are paused

• For high commercial intent search queries, the top three ad spots take about 40% of the clicks on the page 98% of searchers choose a business that is on the first search results page

• Businesses make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on AdWords

Reference: mainstreetroi.com Email Marketing

• The average CTR for email marketing across industries is 3.2%

• CTRs are 47% higher for B2B email campaigns than B2C email campaigns

• 59% of B2B marketers say email is their most effective channel in terms of revenue generation

• The average open rate for businesses in the Daily Deals industry is 15% - the cross-industry average is 20%.

Reference: wordstream.com Digital Marketing Trends what needs to be considered for businesses (third section)

• Influencer Marketing

• Video marketing

• Infographics

• Motion graphics Influencer Marketing A New Digital Marketing Tool in Iran

Targeting and reaching consumers has become increasingly difficult for marketers. There is no end to the proliferation of content, information and entertainment vying for our attention. So, how does a brand most effectively apply its advertising dollars in a way that tran- scends obstacles and consumer skepticism? The answer is trusted influencers. In 2017, Influencer Marketing will play a newly central role in the marketing mix. With the right execution, it will become one of the most effective and measurable digital tactics with the ability to deliver brand awareness, increase sales and direct sales attribution. Influencer Marketing in Iran

Influencer marketing in Iran is a digital marketing trend that is taking shape since two years in the country. This also counts for the trend on a global scale, which means that it is one of the first very novel marketing techniques where Iran is in sync with global standards. In many ways, the emerging market of Iran can be compared to that of a developed country, in which influencer marketing has been added to a sizeable sector of skills where Iran is very competitive in. Influencers and their impact on various audiences are not a new concept though, as they have also existed before the digital age and social media. In the past years, celebrities such as actors and athletes have frequently been hired for promoting a product or service. There are some key differences between actors, athletes and other popular people as influencers on social media platforms. Actors for instance seem to cause more sales among customers and persuade them into buying a certain product or service. Iran’s main influencers are mostly either entertainers, photographers or are specialised in fitness or cosmetics. Irani- an influencers first and furthermost make use of Instagram as a means of reaching their audience, followed by Telegram and Aparat, which can be regarded as the Iranian version of YouTube. On-demand entertainment posts seem to be the big- gest reason for Iranian target audiences to visit platforms such as Instagram, as it has mostly influencers in the entertainment category, who are also referred to as so-called “viners”. The reason is that entertainment influencers on Instagram usually have much more followers than influencers in other categories, which is why this trend has been caused in first place as the amount of Iran-based viners on Instagram exceeds a staggering one-million mark. Viners usually publish humorous posts to make the audience laugh, they write, publish or re-publish quotes, sarcastic memes, life- hacks and similar posts. Since there is a lot of responses to this jack-of-all-trades kind of content and audience-gainer that can communicate with a highly diverse and wide audience on Instagram compared to more specialized subjects such as fitness, nutrition or photography, viners usually are the best bet for creating brand awareness for products or services. On the other hand, specialized influencers such as fitness trainers are more appro- priate for helping people in a decision-making process in particularly, for example what nutrition plan they should follow, what kind of sports they should pursue or also what kind of cosmetics they should buy. Video Marketing

Brands need a video marketing strategy. This approach isn’t new, but highly valuable to a business. What has changed is how important video has become on every platform and channel. It’s no longer just one piece of your overall plan. Video marketing needs to play a central role in your outreach and campaign efforts. What makes video so effective in digital marketing

Videos are everywhere on the internet. People stick to their screens, watching, broadcasting and sharing videos. So what exactly makes this medium so enticing? And why do videos work so well as part of an overall marketing strategy? Let’s take a look at some recent studies, and what industry leaders are saying about the value of video content. Video Marketing is Engaging

• The average internet user spends 88% more time on a site with video

Case and point, people love watching videos. It’s a simple fact. The experience that video marketing provides, combining visual content with audio content, is more engaging than any other medium.

• Video Marketing is Informative It’s no wonder why more and more people are taking advantage of its ability to communicate a message clearly and efficiently. Almost any product or service can be explained effectively in just a few minutes, using a video.

• video content was the most memorable type of content (43%) in comparison to text (18%) and images (36%) Video is Persuasive

Using a well-crafted video to help sell your product is like having the world’s best salesmen working for you.

• After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online

• After watching a video, 65% of executives visit the marketer’s website and 39% give the vendor a call

Video Marketing is in high demand Though it is in high demand, brace yourself, because it’s still on the rise. • 74% of all internet traffic was video in 2017

For those behind the curve, if there was ever a time to start implementing video into your marketing strategy, it’s now. Live Videos

Live videos are a way to connect with your audience on a more intimate level because it allows them to interact with your business in real-time. This creates a seamless trust and loyalty between brands and consumers.

• Eighty percent of people would rather watch a live stream from a brand they follow than read their blog. • Viewers spend a substantial amount of online time watching live streaming in contrast to standard video content.

On mobile devices, people spend an average of 2.8 minutes watching standard videos, yet they spend 5 minutes watching live streams.

Reference: zerogravitymarketing.com Video Marketing in Iran

Like most global digital trends, video marketing is one of the best kinds of online mate- rial in Iran that provide the value relevance and flexibility consumers need. This highly valuable approach made brands and companies start making various kinds of video content in order to create brand awareness, promote a new product, meet the social responsibilities, etc. Despite the restrictions on Iran national television (IRIB), and also the limited accessibility of Youtube and other global video broadcasting services, video marketing preserved its value and popularity as a content through social media and messaging apps. Thousands of videos are circulating every day on Telegram, Instagram and on Iranian video sharing services. Sometimes, a video reaches to more than 1 million views in less than a day in Iran. Though there are good video sharing services available such as Aparat and Namasha, Instagram and Telegram play the most crucial role in video marketing in Iran. Due to the popularity of video content in Iran, there are several online shows available on Aparat and Instagram that share different kinds of videos everyday. Iranians use the video sharing and streaming services like Aparat and Telewebion to watch Iran’s national television programs that they missed or even watch them live. The new “internet fair usage regulation” and its effect on streaming and IPTV services

A new fair policy rule that is applied to systems measuring internet usage allows users to download more data than it was previously available in a specific period of time. Before this, users had to pay for every gigabyte of data that they download but now with this new usage system, they can transfer vast amounts of data and only pay for their bandwidth, not for data transferred. The reasons this is very effective is that people can use the internet a lot more, they will watch videos online more on IPTV and video sharing services and streaming platforms, so it will provide large opportunities for digital marketers and brands to invest their budgets for better response and conversion. Infographics

An infographic is a popular form of content marketing that can help you simplify a complicated subject or turn an otherwise boring subject into a captivating experience. Ideally, an infographic should be visually engaging and contain a subject matter and data that is appealing to your target audience. Reference: nngroup.com Motion Graphics

Motion Graphics and Animations are a brilliant advertising medium unsurpassed in their traffic generation and user experience quality. It is mixed in with nearly all online advertising, it works, it’s effective and most importantly it’s cost effective. Why motion graphics are a must-have item in your digital marketing strategy

Motion graphics have increased in popularity amongst marketers, with video now being the preferred medium for online content consumption. Animation is now your ‘must-have’ tool. On the following slides are some points to consider motion graphics as a rapidly rising marketing tool. • Create emotional connections to your brand animation can infuse fun into otherwise unremarkable interactions. Engaging graphics will grab your audience’s attention, create an emotionally meaningful connection to your products and are more eagerly shared by users online compared to static content.

• Get genuine cut-through web users are exposed to an extreme amount of content every day. This has created an environment where there is simply too much information out there for any one person to realise its presence, let alone to digest. This has increased the need for shorter, relevant and well-written video and animation content. The benefit of motion graphics in this con- text is that they allow for instant communication of complex information, allowing you to cut through the content clutter. • Boost of brand image

First impressions count and your users will judge your website or product instantly. Creating a strong flow of motion graphics throughout your website and product interface will demonstrate your brand’s personality and can leave a very positive impression, espe- cially on first-time users.

• Increase of website conversion rates

Motion Graphics can be useful when you need to convince a user to remain on the page or wait for a feature that takes a little while to load. Offer a quality “distraction” for times where it is necessary and there’s not much else you can do for them except keeping them entertained. This should not suggest that your website can compromise its website speed and structural quality. Motion graphics are not meant to replace those qualities entirely in this situation.Therefore it is always advised to keep your website quality and SEO ranking in check. 2018 predicted trends

• Internet of things • Native advertising • User-generated content Internet of things

The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) is a term coined to describe the network and communication between multiple internet-enabled and every-day devices. These devices transmit and collect data via Bluetooth signals, beacons and the cloud, respectively.

• How IoT Has Affected Business Businesses will benefit from this technology movement with the ability to collect significantly larger amounts of data on consumers. With proper usage, this data will give businesses the ability to reduce operating costs, increase productivity, expand to new markets and develop new products. • IoT And Digital Marketing: Endless Possibilities

As marketers it has always been our job to stay ahead of the ‘consumer’ curve, recognise trends before they arise, and know what the consumer is most probably going to pur- chase before they know it themselves. We’re able to do this by gathering data, analysing the information and making predictions of consumer behaviours and preferences. The IoT is a consumer ‘map’, rich with information, habits, and preferences, and will be used to aid in marketing practices. Some consumer needs and wants can be predictable through IoT. The marketing data can be personalised for target consumers, ad campaigns, timing of sales, etc. Native Advertising

At its simplest, a native ad is a form of paid media where the advertising experience fol- lows the form and function of the user experience in which it’s placed. Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, native ads have emerged as the third most popular publishing strategy, along with video ads, based on a poll conducted by Sales- force encompassing 4,000 marketers. Native advertising has become an important com- ponent of most major brands’ marketing repertoire with a growth in the number of native advertising platforms. User-Generated Content

• user-generated content

User Generated Content is defined as any type of content that has been created and put out there by unpaid contributors such as a brand’s consumers of its products or services. It can refer to pictures, videos, testimonials, blog posts, and everything in between and is the act of users promoting a brand rather than the brand itself. Benefits of User-Generated Content Every business should consider

• User-generated content puts your customers to the forefront • User-generated content provides social proof • Consumers find user-generated content more trustworthy • Using UGC signals that your brand is open to conversation with your audience

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Sisarv is a marketing and communications agency based in Tehran, Iran, with over 7 years of experience in digital marketing in Iran and the MENA region. Our core services are comprised of digital marketing (search engine marketing and optimization, video marketing, social media marketing, website design, application development, etc), branding and the creation of promotional materials, digital business development and market research. We partnered many national and international brands in the middle east in digital marketing and advertising in recent years.

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