Summer’s out, schools are back, calendars are packed. And inboxes? Overflowing. In UAE, where the skyline rises higher every month, so does our screen time. September here isn’t just a season change, it’s a reset. We swap flip-flops for boardrooms, beach days for back-to-business, but the country doesn’t slow down, it speeds up.
Here’s the twist though: this isn’t just “back to business.” It’s back to attention. And attention, as every marketer knows, is the real currency. Here’s what YouGov’s latest State of Media Consumption 2025 report says:
1. There’s a rebound in daily media hours
Think everyone’s too busy to scroll? Not quite. A third of UAE residents still consume 3+ hours of media daily, and about one in seven smash through the 5-hour mark. Weekends? Even heavier.
- Audience aged 35+: going steady 1–3-hour daily sessions.
- Under-35s: slightly more likely to binge past the 3-hour mark. Not surprising, we know.
Our tip: Target those morning commutes and post-dinner doomscrolls, but don’t sleep on those lunchtime micro-moments.
2. The surge of the social scroll
Social isn’t just alive, it’s thriving. 68% of UAE residents consumed social media last month, and 52% are daily scrollers. Even better? Six in ten daily users say they’re spending more time than last year. Who are they? Skewing male, and not necessarily parents. Meaning their attention windows are refreshingly flexible.
Let’s talk hierarchy:
- YouTube: The undisputed heavyweight (80% usage).
- Facebook & Instagram: Always the reliable sidekicks, although Facebook is the boomer magnet (80% among 35+ vs. 67% under-35).
- TikTok & Snapchat: In the cool kids’ corner with TikTok reaching over half of social media users (52%), and Snapchat remaining a youth-centric niche (37% of under 35s vs. 26 % of 35+).
- LinkedIn: 39% reach, signalling a strong professional network audience.
3. Beyond the scroll: Streaming & Audio
Your audience isn’t just scrolling, they’re multitasking.
- Netflix reigns supreme (72%), followed by Prime Video (46%). Disney+ (27 %) and Apple TV+ (20 %) are niche but growing.
- Spotify out-streams Amazon and Apple Music, with 45 % of residents using it last month.
- Radio is as always, alive and well in the country with 41% listening up to an hour daily.
- Podcasts are still niche, but rich; especially among late-night listeners and younger multitaskers.
Our tip: Don’t build your strategy solely on swipes. Connected TV and audio platforms provide high engagement environments for storytelling and sponsorships, particularly during commutes and evening wind down routines.
Irfan S Mirza , our Head of Digital says: “The UAE’s Connected TV market is growing at an average rate of 16%+ in 2025, supported heavily through three key factors: a very high internet penetration, a tech-savvy population, and a high disposable income. These three factors play a big role in shifting the viewership from Linear TV into the Connected TV segment.”
So, what should brands actually do?
Compared to Western markets, UAE audiences are heavier users of YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn..So if you’re chasing expats, calibrate your mix accordingly.
- Double down on the spine: YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook are September’s must-haves.
- Experiment boldly: Use this month as a test lab for formats: shoppable reels, podcast sponsorships, interactive Connected TV.
- Segment smartly: Tailor to age and context; older adults on Facebook, younger ones in the land of late-night podcasts.
- Go omnichannel: People aren’t on one platform at a time, they’re multitasking. Spread your campaign messaging across social, streaming, Connected TV and audio.
September isn’t just a reset, it’s a sweet spot. Your digital strategy needs to reflect that you’re not just riding the back-to-work wave, you’re setting yourself up for a Q4 crescendo.
Sources: YouGov-State of Media Consumption 2025
