Social Media Engagement of Saudi and Emirati Museums: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study has compared the Twitter activity of three accounts—@Ithra, @LouvreAbuDhabi, and @MOTF—that belonged to three museums in the Middle East, two in the United Arab Emirates and one in Saudi Arabia. The Twitter activity that was examined included tweets, posting schedules, engagement metrics, and content strategies. The research question asked how the Twitter activities and content strategies of the @Ithra, @LouvreAbuDhabi, and @MOTF accounts appeared to influence audience engagement and what strategies might enhance their social media presence. Within the data collected, @Ithra emerged as the most active Twitter account, with a high rate of original tweets and comprehensive posting times, leading to significant engagement. The @LouvreAbuDhabi account also emphasized original content and interaction with followers, while @MOTF relied heavily on threads for detailed storytelling. A thematic analysis of the data revealed distinct areas that each account focussed on. These areas were cultural events and Arabic literature in the case of the @Ithra account, art and exhibitions in the case of the @LouvreAbuDhabi account, and technology and innovation in the case of the @MOTF account. Based on the findings, the study concludes with recommendations for each museum account to enhance their Twitter strategies, as well as suggestions for future research.