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Is social media the real deal?

By Staff Reporter DUBAI - What is the return on social media? How do you measure it? Is one site more effective than the other? These and other crucial questions will be debated at the Women's Lunchbox event being organised by Murdoch University, Dubai, next week.

The event, being held at the Jumeirah Emirates Tower, Godolphin Ballroom, will bring together some of the most passionate and social media enthusiasts in the UAE. Following in the footsteps of its parent campus, Perth, the event comes to Dubai for the first time this year.

The event targets an audience of 200 women from various leadership roles and comprises social media experts who will aim to persuade and debate how social media dictates outbound marketing practices.

It addresses how top industry leaders increase their market share and revenue through innovative marketing approaches. Is social media the real deal or an illusion? Can success be measured by the number of likes on a Facebook page or the number of followers on Twitter?

The Women's Lunchbox will answer questions by drawing from the expertise of Akanksha Goel, owner and founder of Socialize who insists on "leveraging social media to boost awareness and build a loyal community with measurable returns".

Expat Woman Editor Gail Potter and Marketing Manager Mahitab Hamed from Friesland Campina will demonstrate how social media plays a role in their day-to-day routine and its importance in being active through these platforms.

"This will be a really interesting and also educational event with lots of interaction and pearls of wisdom and we are very happy to have been invited on to the panel," said Gail.

"We have 800 million people logging on each month. $100 billion. Not bad for a company that was started in a dorm room. We all know the success story of Facebook -- the social media site that's reaching dizzying heights with a new IPO.

The development of social media over the past decade has transformed the world -- from personal relationships to how political uprisings are led; the medium is quickly becoming a defining part of societies all round the world.

It's also a genuine game changer for business. But how do you measure a return on investment for social media marketing? Is one site more effective than the other? And just how much should you be spending? Murdoch's Women's Lunchbox Event brings together some of the biggest names to answer just that," says Katie Fielder, Dubai One's presenter and producer who will be leading the event in what is expected to be an inspirational debate. Also presenting her vibrant views on the importance of social media in her life will be Saba Wahid, a regular columnist for Gourmet magazine and an active participator in numerous culinary events throughout the region.

Saba has left no stone unturned in the culinary world.

How do her fans keep up with her? Always on the go, Saba insists, "my fans keep up with my hectic lifestyle on my social media platforms including her famous blog, Culinary Delights".

The Women's Lunchbox will also be providing a platform for Coca-Cola to present their social media success story.

In an aggressive world where men dominate the top jobs, this event, in collaboration with Khaleej Times, will celebrate the achievements of successful women in the field.

The Women's Lunchbox is also supported by Emirates NBD, Media Quest, Mirdiff City Centre, The Coca Cola Group, Adventures HQ and Dubai Business Women's Council. The event will bring together some of the most passionate and social media enthusiasts in the UAE.

© Khaleej Times 2012