Launching a special Facebook platform for the month of Ramadan

Facebook users looking for inspiring stories about everyday heroes and initiatives that allow them to give back to the communities they live in during Ramadan will be able to do that and more, as “SHARED by Facebook” has been launched in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The new hub will be home to local and data-driven insights, as well as community stories during Ramadan. The launch comes as Facebook's online community continues to grow with its user base reaching 183 million users in the North Africa and Middle East region, 86% of whom celebrate Ramadan. Facebook IQ statistics showed that thanks to shorter working hours and holidays, users in the Middle East increase the time they spend on mobile and social media during the holy month.

Facebook recorded a 5 percent increase in the time its users spent on the portal during Ramadan, compared to any other time of the year, and as a result brands have an additional 57.6 million hours to capture user attention during Ramadan. In this regard, Ramez Tannous Shehadeh, Regional Director, said: “An analysis of sales trends last year revealed an increase in online sales in the Middle East region in the period leading up to and during the month of Ramadan. The study identified two moments of peak online shopping activity, and revealed that shoppers in the Middle East are usually active early before the beginning of the month of Ramadan, while the movement slows down as we approach the date of Eid al-Fitr, where the focus is more on preparing for Eid celebrations, and then activity increases again during Eid.” Highlights from last year's Ramadan indicate that more than 280 million people around the world had approximately three billion interactions with content related to Ramadan 2018.

At the end of Ramadan 2018, more than 150 million people around the world came together on Facebook to say “Happy Eid” to their community. The Facebook application has been a vital tool across the region to enable communities to communicate and build positive community efforts during Ramadan, including charitable campaigns such as; Ramadan refrigerators, giving with your blood and the “Hack for Good initiative”.