Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1517065
7 NEWS 7.3.2024 IN recent years, Malta has witnessed a dynamic transformation in its social media landscape, significantly influenc- ing how people, businesses, and com- munities interact and engage with one another. To this end, e Malta chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, in collaboration with misco, organised an event that explored the current social media trends in Malta, highlighting the impact on society, business, and cul- ture. e survey results from the 'mis- co Social Media Usage Trends Survey 2023/24' were presented, providing val- uable insights into the strategies, chal- lenges, and opportunities associated with the rapid evolution of digital com- munication platforms. In her opening speech, Dr Marthese Portelli, e Malta Chamber CEO, emphasised that understanding con- sumer behaviour and market trends is fundamental to e Malta Chamber philosophy. "e Malta Chamber's mis- sion is clear. We believe that digitalisa- tion is key for business to succeed and will therefore continue fronting policy change and we will continue provid- ing you with invaluable insights," said Dr Portelli. She noted that amidst this digital revolution, it's imperative to re- member that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around. Rebecca Gera, Director of Marketing and Opinion Research Unit at misco, presented the findings of the seventh survey on social media and online be- haviour. "is year's results reveal a growing acceptance of online adver- tising on social platforms, despite user discomfort with targeted ads. Moreo- ver, while online shopping stabilizes, there's a notable increase in the intensi- ty of actions, with diverse purchases on the rise. Notably, 63% of online shop- pers shop local, emphasizing the need for local enterprises to establish a digi- tal presence," she highlighted. During a panel discussion, which was made up of Nick Bugeja (CEO, Bal- lotra), Prof. Franco Curmi (Head of the Marketing Department, University of Malta), Francesa Zammit Cutajar (Head of Marketing, P Cutajar & Co Ltd) and James Vella Clarke (PR and Corporate Communications Director, Corporate ID Group), discussed several elements including: • Influencer marketing, which is very popular with the younger demograph- ics, and whether this trend will trickle down to the older generation • e decline in breadth of sharing on social media platforms and what brands need to explore to increase engagement • e discomfort surrounding target- ed ads and what measures can be taken to improve transparency and trust in this realm • Young people exhibiting a strong preference for video content over tradi- tional text-based media, leading to low- er rates of news website access • Online shopping becoming ever more prevalent with 25-34 year olds, with increasing intensity across various product categories In her closing remarks, Rachel Bondi Attard, Head of Media and Communi- cations Strategy at e Malta Chamber, called on businesses to embrace the dig- ital revolution. "It's time to kick our digital game into high gear, harnessing the power of smartphones, social media, and all things digital to take your businesses to new heights. Let's also remain mindful of the importance of education in shap- ing digital literacy and the integrity of information in combating the spread of fake news," she noted. 87% of those aged between 25 and 34 prefer online shopping MELATECH Ltd., a newly formed company in the conferences and events space, is a brain-child of Naf- sika Papavasileiou and Calvin Cassar who co-founded the company with the intent of bringing quality content and fun experiences to local commu- nities. Nafsika, a Greek national and with a US-based background, and Calvin, a Maltese national who has been work- ing in the people space for the past years, have to set up the company to get like-minded, and like-motivated persons together, to share knowledge, content and experiences. ey will be hosting their first event, Tech Run- ners, this coming 27th September. Tech Runners, will be a first-of-its- kind event in Malta as it will bring together persons working in a hands- on way in the IT industry – archi- tects, front-end developers, back-end developers, cybersecurity specialists, data and devops people. MelaTech will be looking to cover technical content in a fun and interactive way, that will allow attendees to gain value and take home practical tips and ap- plications. MelaTech Ltd. – Hosting tech events in Malta Nafsika Papavasileiou and Calvin Cassar