Doha, January 12 (QNA) - A session within the third edition of the Government Communications Forum discussed the topic of "Strategic Storytelling in the Digital Age," with the participation of a select group of experts and speakers in the fields of communication and media.

During the session, Director of the Studies and Strategic Planning Department at the Government Communications Office (GCO) Saud Ahmed Al Buainain emphasized that building media content must first start from a clear objective that aligns with national trends and serves the state's strategic priorities.

He indicated that diversifying narrative methods, whether through real stories, comparisons, or creative approaches, contributes to delivering messages to the widest possible audience. He stressed the importance of keeping up with developments on digital platforms and benefiting from global expertise to develop Qatari cadres and enhance the country's presence on the media scene.

For his part, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Qatar Rail Abdullah Ali Al Mawlawi pointed to the challenges the company faced in establishing a culture of using public transport before the project was launched. He noted that society was heavily dependent on private cars, and trust in public transport was limited.

He added that innovative media campaigns and simplified messages contributed to gradually changing public behavior. He explained that success was not only linked to building modern stations and trains, but also to the ability of the content to convey the benefits of public transport, such as reducing traffic congestion, limiting pollution and accidents, and improving the public experience during major events.

For his part, Director Public Sector MENA at LinkedIn Rami Sabri praised the third Government Communications Forum, describing it as one of the largest government gatherings specializing in digital communication in the region.

He emphasized that the effectiveness of messages is linked to their credibility and source, He noted that content issued by trusted leaders or official bodies enjoys a higher degree of interaction and credibility, with the importance of measuring the impact and tailoring messages to each segment of the audience in an appropriate language and style to ensure that the message is delivered effectively and achieves tangible results.

In turn, Creative Lead MENA at Google Andreas Mielenhausen highlighted the importance of designing digital content that is relevant to the cultural context of the audience. He stressed that users make the decision to follow the content only within the first three seconds, and that this decision is highly emotional.

He added that the content should be relevant to the audience's daily reality, reliable, and connected to their interests, stressing the need to use data and digital analytics to accurately understand the audience and deliver the right messages at the right time and place, thereby enhancing interaction and achieving the desired impact.

For his part, Head of Service Industries for MENA at Meta Joachim Marciano indicated that short videos now constitute half of the time that users spend on social media platforms, making it crucial to attract attention within the first three seconds.

He added that effective content should be diverse and deliver multiple messages in different formats, enabling artificial intelligence to deliver messages appropriately to each segment of the audience, while emphasizing that creativity has become the new targeting tool, and that good and diverse content is the most effective way to determine who will consume the message instead of relying on traditional assumptions.

The session combined local and international expertise and discussed practical strategies to enable government agencies and institutions to enhance their digital impact and effectively deliver their messages through strategic storytelling, interactive content, and leveraging modern data and analytics to ensure reaching the right audience at the right time and place. (QNA)