With the increasingly competitive and dynamic business environment, Dubai has become a leading city for businesses and brands to invest in digital marketing. The future is bright for digital marketing agencies in Dubai; however, setting up one requires a lot of preparation, planning and execution.

The potential of running a digital marketing agency in Dubai is very high. It’s not a secret that Dubai has been among the top cities for digital marketing agencies for years now. With the number of businesses and brands growing at an incredible pace, the need for digital advertising is also increasing. This makes it even easier to spot new opportunities and start your own agency.

5 Steps to Start Your Digital Marketing Company in Dubai

Step 1: Understand your market

For a digital marketing company registration in UAE, you need to create an effective business plan. The first step is to analyze Dubai’s market to get an idea about the companies, monetization, and demographics so that you can create a strong business plan.

The basic step which you need to do is research your competition. You should know who your competitors are and what they are doing so that you can create a successful strategy. Try to find out their strengths and weaknesses, their services, and rates so that you can make your decision accordingly.

Step 2: Choose a business jurisdiction

Businesses are registered in the UAE on one of two levels: at the federal level or at the local level within each emirate. The federal government handles registration for free zones and offshore companies in Dubai while local governments handle businesses operating in mainland Dubai.

Mainland registration is best for locals while free zone registration is best for foreign investors as it offers 100% ownership, tax exemption and complete repatriation of capital and profits. You’ll have to decide between these two and choose what serves your business best.

Step 3: Apply for a digital marketing license

Choose a good name for your company and apply for a digital marketing license from the Department of Economic Development (DED). Once you get the license, apply for a residency visa from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). The DED also issues trade licenses for digital marketing services.

After you get your residency visa, apply for an office space with all the required facilities. If you already have an office, then it’s great otherwise get one before proceeding further. Apply for an internet connection with a high-speed internet facility as it’s very important to run an online business smoothly.

Step 4: Get your visas and open a bank account

Apply for visas for yourself, employees, and family to run your business conveniently and stay on the ground. The number of visas you receive depends on your business budget and company size. Once you get your visa, you need to open a bank account so that all your transactions are recorded.

Step 5: Build a website

As a step to expand your reach online, build your website so that your customers can find you. This is an important step for any type of business, but particularly for digital marketing agencies since potential clients will be visiting your site to understand more about what you have to offer. 

You may also create social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other popular networks where most people spend their time nowadays and let your employees build your brand through these platforms.

Some Factors to Consider

There are a few important factors you need to consider before establishing your own digital marketing agency in Dubai.

The first one is, of course, experience. If you are an experienced internet marketer, who has worked closely with several businesses and helped them grow their online presence, then you will definitely do well in the long run.

Secondly, your capacity to source projects from different sources also makes a difference. If you have a list of loyal clients or connections who can deliver you constant projects, then you might be able to establish yourself as a high-profile digital marketing agency in Dubai.

Moreover, your clientele, company size, and portfolio matter as well because they reflect on your performance and determine the client retention rate.

Start Your Digital Marketing Agency Today!

The recent shift in work dynamics and the booming economy of Dubai make it easier for you to start your digital marketing agency in Dubai in 2022. No matter what your company size and budget, Future Directions works closely with you and your team to set up a practical business plan for you. Moreover, we offer expert and professional legal and financial services and handle all the complications related to company registration in Dubai. We can help make your business dream come true in a span of a few months.