Facebook announced Tuesday the launch of new solutions on the platform to help businesses expand across the globe. As technology brings the world closer, it can also help businesses grow by connecting them with people around the world. As such, Facebook is releasing three new solutions to better serve the business community and help businesses expand internationally and connect the world: n Finding new customers, in new countries: Businesses can now use a new feature in the Lookalike Audiences tool to reach customers in new countries who are similar to their existing ones. They can do this by uploading a list of existing customers or high-potential leads. n Finding new countries to grow your business: Any business who wants to increase installs of app, increase engagement in app or increase conversion on site can now target people Worldwide or in a specific region. Facebook will then deliver ads to selected regions and then optimize delivery to the countries with the greatest return. n Resources to optimize campaigns: To help businesses optimize global campaign strategy we are releasing new webinars and a handbook on international marketing techniques. "On mobile, and on Facebook, people engage with the things that matter to them even in other countries. Globally, more than 1 billion people on Facebook are connected to at least one business in a foreign country," said Shant Oknayan, Head of e-Commerce, Retail and Online Services at Facebook in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan. "In Saudi Arabia, 63% of people on Facebook are connected to at least one business in a foreign country and 37% within the same country. This creates further opportunities for small and local businesses to scale internationally. At Facebook, we want to partner in the growth of small and local businesses, leveraging the power of technology, to help give them a global mobile opportunity with Facebook as their mobile solution," he added. With Facebook, Careem got a higher ROI in comparison to previous campaigns Launched in the UAE in 2012, Careem, the region's leading the app-based chauffeur-driven car booking service, worked closely with Facebook for its ongoing campaign to build awareness and attract new customers. In addition to running ads across Facebook, Instagram and the Audience Network, Careem was able to successfully scale its campaign across the Middle East using the Lookalike Audiences tool to further refine its ad targeting, which ensured that it could reach more people at a reduced frequency. The ongoing campaign, which launched in April 2016, achieved 30% increase in revenue and 23% lower customer acquisition cost than rival platforms. The top five countries people in Saudi Arabia are connected to a business in are USA, UAE, India, Egypt and Pakistan. With over 136 million people in the MENA region using Facebook every month, including 119 million on mobile devices for brands and consumers, Facebook is a destination where small & medium-sized businesses can connect with their customers and grow their businesses. — SG
