[ The market ]
What to know about marketing in Dubai and the UAE.
Google leads search, and social reach is very high
StatCounter shows Google with about 93.5% of search in the UAE for September 2026, with Bing under 4%.
Your audience is multinational, and English carries business
The UAE's population is highly international, and English is widely used in business, while Arabic remains the official language and matters for many consumers and government-linked buyers.
The calendar differs from Europe's
Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year, and buying and posting patterns shift during it, with different timing for content and ads, and Eid following.
Data protection and promotional content rules apply
The UAE's federal personal data protection law (Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021) came into force in 2022 and generally requires consent to process personal data, with some exceptions.
[ How we work with you ]
Working with companies in Dubai and the UAE.
We work remotely, with no UAE office
We are a distributed team across Europe and Asia and have no office in the UAE.
Time zones overlap well
The UAE is on Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4).
Calls and written updates
We hold regular calls and send written updates that say what changed, what we found and what we recommend next.
Access and approvals
An NDA comes before any internal data is shared, and access is view-only where possible.
[ Where to start ]
What matters first in Dubai and the UAE.
[ Questions ]
Good to know.
Do you have an office in Dubai?
No. We are a distributed team across Europe and Asia and work with companies in the UAE remotely, by video call and in writing. If you need someone in the room, we will say so in the diagnosis.
Do you write Arabic content?
No. We work in English only. English suits international firms, regional headquarters and many business buyers. If your customers search and buy in Arabic, you will need Arabic content from another provider, and we can plan around it.
Do I need a licence to run influencer or creator campaigns in the UAE?
Possibly. The UAE Media Council announced an advertiser permit in July 2025 for people who display promotional content on social channels, paid or not, with some exemptions. Rules and dates have changed, so check current requirements with a UAE adviser. We do not give legal advice.
