Facebook has launched a new initiative to offer digital support to local small and medium businesses in the MENA region, which suffered the hardest during the Coronavirus pandemic.
#LoveLocal campaign aims to support SMBs regionally pivoting to digital and growth by highlighting several available resources for their economic recovery. The campaign will amplify the voices of SMBs and shed light on their stories and challenges to help generate consumer demand for local SMBs across the region.
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The initiative is being launched across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, to support local small and medium businesses recovering from the COVID-19 crisis.
Through #LoveLocal, Facebook provides business owners access to the MENA region SMB Training Hub platform.
The platform has up to 40 online webinars that businesses can use to master a range of digital tools covering digital marketing and e-commerce and develop and grow their online business presence. Courses have been developed in partnership with popular e-commerce platforms and Facebook partners such as ecomz, Expand Cart, and Zid.
The Future of Business Survey, an ongoing collaboration between Facebook, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), released a ‘Global State of Small Business’ report in July 2020 that found that 26% of SMBs globally had closed between January and May 2020.
“According to the report, in the MENA region, 70% of businesses reported reduced sales, with around 40% reducing their workforce in response to the pandemic,” said Ramez Shehadi, Managing Director for the Middle East & North Africa, Facebook.
“Small businesses are the backbone of any economy and pillars of their local communities. In these challenging times, SMBs need support from community members across the region. Our #LoveLocal campaign is aimed at supporting local businesses and driving communities towards greater engagement with them to bring sustenance and growth for SMBs now and on the road ahead.” he said.
Before COVID-19, a digital transformation of the economy was already underway. Current events have since accelerated the paradigm, evidenced by how customers shift their spending toward digital.
The report found that at least one-third of small and medium businesses globally indicated that they had earned a minimum of 25% of their sales from digital channels in the previous 30 days.
The SMB Training Hub will therefore give MENA small and medium business owners access to Facebook’s Business Resource Hub, an online skills training program for courses such as:
1. How to grow your online store with social media.
2. Keys to a successful digital transformation.
SMB owners can also learn about Facebook’s grants program and new marketing skills to grow their businesses during these times.
Business owners will also have access to free webinars, where they can learn how to best use free Facebook and Instagram tools to connect with customers and the business community in these challenging times.
“It is clear that a key way for SMBs to survive the pandemic is to pivot to digital to access a wider radius of consumers beyond their traditional physical reach. Entrepreneurs can register for free online courses to receive insights on Facebook’s services and tools that can help them get online, boost leads, and grow online commercial engagement,” said Shehadi, stressing the need for businesses to develop digital skills to unlock opportunities.
“Our online resources and tools can help small business owners with tips, training, and much more to learn, live, and work more readily and effectively in the digital world.”
Earlier this year, Facebook launched several ‘Boost with Facebook’ initiatives deployed across countries in MENA with local partners. The ‘Boost with Facebook’ program, designed to help small businesses grow by expanding their digital skills, provides virtual learning sessions to upskill startups and SMBs, helping them advance the marketing aspects of their respective companies.
Consumers can also join the initiative by using the hashtag #LoveLocal to show how they are supporting local businesses and sharing their local buying experiences towards this initiative.
