RIYADH: Saudi content creators took center stage at a TikTok event in Riyadh’s JAX Beast House, where the platform highlighted its role in supporting the Kingdom’s creative economy.
The gathering featured panel discussions with local content creators Yasmeen Al-Shafai and Fareed Al-Shahrani, alongside presentations on how TikTok is shaping opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia.
The Riyadh event featured panel discussions with local content creators and presentations on how tiktok is shaping opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
“The way we are impacting doing business in Saudi Arabia is by bridging companies with creators and getting them to work with one another,” Shadi Kandil, TikTok general manager of global business solutions for the Middle East, Turkiye, Africa, Central and South Asia, told Arab News.
“We found through research that creator content has the maximum impact on user engagement.”
FASTFACTS
• TikTok unveiled the findings of its ‘TikTok Effect Report,’ produced with Redseer Strategy Consultants.
• According to the study, more than 1 million creators and 170,000 small and medium-sized businesses are active on TikTok in the Kingdom.
During the event, TikTok unveiled the findings of its “TikTok Effect Report,” produced with Redseer Strategy Consultants, which measured the platform’s economic contribution to Saudi Arabia.
The Riyadh event featured panel discussions with local content creators and presentations on how tiktok is shaping opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
According to the study, more than 1 million creators and 170,000 small and medium-sized businesses are active on TikTok in the Kingdom.
In 2024, the platform contributed SR3.9 billion ($1.04 billion) to the Saudi gross domestic product and supported over 25,000 jobs.
The Riyadh event featured panel discussions with local content creators and presentations on how tiktok is shaping opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
The report also found that TikTok advertising tools generated SR3 billion in additional revenue for SMBs, with 61 percent of Saudi businesses on the platform reporting improved brand visibility.
It noted that 55 percent of SMBs believe TikTok encourages youth entrepreneurship, while nearly a quarter of Saudi female entrepreneurs said it inspired them to start their ventures.
The Riyadh event featured panel discussions with local content creators and presentations on how tiktok is shaping opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)
“TikTok’s impact in Saudi Arabia extends well beyond entertainment. The platform fosters entrepreneurship, enabling job creation and strengthening cultural identity,” said Hatem Samman, TikTok executive director of government relations and public policy in the Kingdom.
“We are encouraged by the rapid growth of content creation and digital innovation in the Kingdom, which are paving the way for new industries and economic opportunities,” he added.
The study further showed that TikTok influenced SR110 billion in consumer spending last year and boosted the Kingdom’s global image in areas such as tourism, sports, and culture, with 30 percent of surveyed international users stating that Saudi content inspired them to visit.
