The digital marketing industry will grow 10-15% in 2015, especially as it is a promising business on the Egyptian market, an official with the Digital Marketing Academy expects. The official added the market has all the elements of success, whether from a wide base of internet users amounting to 45 million users reflecting the targeted customers base, or the positive activity of users on social networks. If the security and political situations settle down, the Egyptian market in general and the industry in particular will respond positively, according to the official. Moreover, IT infrastructure developments will be completed, which will turn the country into a centre for digital marketing industry services and consultations in the Middle East. According to a report by the Digital Marketing Academy, Egypt is the second Arab country in terms of activity on social networks. Facebook subscribers in Egypt account for more than 18 million users. Ahmed Shabana, Director and Founder of Agzakhana specialising in selling medicine and medical products online, also believes Egypt's digital marketing business growth in 2015 will be over 5%. He added that there will be an increase in the number of companies that provide services online, whether they are e-commerce or online services companies. This entails that they implement their marketing campaigns through the internet in order to attract the targeted customers. Shabana added that the Egyptian market is still a brown field in digital media activity, which guarantees great growth opportunities. He added that Egypt is the largest country in terms of internet user numbers in the Middle East, and it can also be used as an entry point and a centre of industry in the African region. This is evidenced by the presence of international companies offering their services in the Egyptian market. Sherif Nassar, CEO of ecommerce website Nefsak, agreed with these points. He said the internet contributed to the construction of many relatively new industries in the Egyptian market such as "e-commerce, internet advertising, and online services". He believes that the ministry's direction in developing the IT infrastructure and beginning the project of deployment of high-speed "broadband" internet will have an effective and positive role in the growth of the digital marketing industry. It will also see an increased consumer awareness of services that can be obtained via the internet, which increased the percentage of online advertising. Many companies have begun to allocate part of the marketing budgets to advertise online.
