Targeted distribution of thought-leadership content in Arabic has helped a diversified technology business transform awareness of its ICT solutions.

The Middle East has a dynamic technology industry with huge interest in disruptive technologies, but a lack of relevant, in-depth technology content in Arabic. Leveraging LinkedIn to deliver such content enabled Advanced Electronics Company Limited (AECL) to transform perceptions of its business, and build targeted engagement at scale, across the region.

Relevant content in the relevant language

AECL is a hugely diversified technology business, with expertise in Defence & Aerospace, ICT, Energy, IT Security and Health. However, most people in the Middle East think of it as Saudi Arabia’s defence company. AECL needed to broaden perceptions of its business, raising awareness of its IT solutions and their relevance to businesses across the Middle East. AECL’s Sr. VP & GM for ICT, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Azzam, knew that the ICT industry in the Middle East was in the midst of a disruptive leap forward. Businesses were embracing new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the concept of smart cities. However, when they wanted to learn more about these technologies and the risks and opportunities involved, they were forced to read about them in English. Very little technology thought-leadership content was available in Arabic.

AECL decided to fill this gap. It worked with teams of researchers and data visualisers to create a series of 12 White Papers and 12 Infographics exploring different aspects of the emerging technologies. Crucially, it developed this content in both Arabic and English versions. “This was one of the most important decisions that we made,” says Dr. Al Azzam. “We were the only company that we knew of publishing technology White Papers in Arabic – and that decision drove really strong engagement. Once we started using LinkedIn to engage people with our content, we found that 90% of our downloads were of the Arabic-language versions.”

A sequenced approach to the consideration journey

Providing relevant content in the relevant language had the potential to transform awareness for AECL – but only if the team had a robust means of delivering it to relevant audiences. This can be a challenge in a number of Middle East markets, where little specific, local market research is available. For this reason, LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities proved invaluable. AECL was able to deliver its White Papers through Sponsored Content in the LinkedIn feed that reached IT decision makers and senior managers in relevant businesses across the Middle East. With such robust targeting available, the marketing team planned a sequenced approach to their content delivery, building initial trust and awareness before moving on to lead generation.

“This is a two-phase campaign,” Dr. Al Azzam explains. “We made the decision not to ask for contact details to access our content at first, so we could maximise awareness and engagement. We’ll then follow up with more tailored content that’s designed to generate leads.” The sequenced approach has helped to maximise the engagement that AECL generates. In just two months, the Sponsored Content campaign drove more than 1,372 White Paper downloads and increased traffic to the AECL website by more than 4,000%, with a click-through rate for content of 0.75%. “The increase in awareness, engagement and visitors to our site far exceeds the targets we had,” says Dr. Al Azzam. “It provides us with a great base for building our new business pipeline.”

Challenge

 Update perceptions of AECL from a defence company to a diversified technology business

 Demonstrate the relevance of AECL expertise to businesses across different sectors

 Target relevant decision-makers across more than 20 countries in the Middle East

Solution

 Sequenced series of White Papers and Infographics highlighting different ICT trends and opportunities

 Content in Arabic to drive standout and maximise engagement

 Sponsored Content targeting IT decision makers and senior management in relevant businesses

Why LinkedIn?

 Unique reach amongst IT professionals and decision-makers in the Middle East

 Accuracy of LinkedIn data enabling precision targeting in all markets

 Region’s leading professional content platform, with audiences seeking out relevant insights

Results

 The campaign drove more than 1,372 White Paper downloads in just two months

 Traffic to the AECL website (whitepaper section) increased by over 4,000% during the campaign

 AECL’s Sponsored Content delivered a clickthrough rate of 0.75% and an engagement rate of 1.8%