Skip to content

Online course for UAE creators

Social media marketing in Dubai.

Set yourself up to get paid as a Dubai creator: permit steps, a rate card, a media kit and brand pitches. For creators in the UAE.

Waitlist open

Join the waitlist

Pricing is announced to the waitlist first. You also hear the start date before anyone else.

Free to join. No payment. Unsubscribe any time.

  • 6 modules
  • 6 things you build and keep
  • Online
  • In English

Your free creator page, set up properly, is part of it. See what that means

The Dubai problem

Posting is easy. Getting paid here is not.

Four things that stop UAE creators getting paid, or get them fined.

Paid or unpaid, ads need a permit.

Since 1 February 2026, anyone creating advertising content from inside the UAE needs a UAE Advertiser Permit from the National Media Authority (NMA). The exemptions are narrow, such as promoting your own business on your personal account. Holders must show the permit number on their accounts.

Sources: Gulf News, 1 Feb 2026, The National, 30 Jul 2025

Advertising without a permitCabinet Resolution 42/2025, free zones included
  1. Written warningFirst
  2. AED 20,000Next
  3. AED 50,000After that

Repeats within a year are doubled. Advertising on an expired permit: AED 10,000, then AED 20,000.

Sources: Cabinet Resolution 42/2025 (NMA legislation)

  2. Nobody tells you what to charge.

    Agency rate cards and the deals brands actually sign can be far apart, and usage rights and exclusivity change the number again. So it is easy to guess, undercharge, or say yes to one more barter deal.

    See how Dubai creators price

  3. “Collab?” gets no reply.

    74% of UAE diners find new restaurants on social media, and 1 in 4 discover them through influencers. Venues need creators, but a one-line DM gives them nothing to say yes to. Brands want rates, dated stats and your permit number, and lawyers advise them to ask for that number before paying.

    Sources: SevenRooms, Pinsent Masons

    How to pitch Dubai restaurants

General information, not legal advice. Confirm on nma.gov.ae.

What you leave with

Six things you build and keep.

Not notes. Each module ends with something finished that you use the same week, and keep using after the course.

  1. Your permit checklist

    Every step of the UAE Advertiser Permit worked through, with your documents listed and a plan for showing your permit number once you have it.

  2. Your AED rate card

    Prices for Reels, Stories, UGC and appearances, worked out from your own numbers, with usage rights and exclusivity priced in.

  3. A media kit brands can check

    Your niche, area, languages and stats with a date on them, in one place a brand can open on their phone.

  4. Your live creator page

    socialmediamarketing.ae/yourname, filled in properly and live: your links, your metrics and your contact, easy for Google and AI assistants to find and understand.

  5. A 30-day content plan

    A month of posts mapped to your niche, the languages your audience speaks and what is happening in Dubai that month.

  6. 10 brand pitches, sent

    Pitches to restaurants, hotels and brands written during the course and actually sent, plus the follow-up for when nobody replies.

Curriculum · 6 modules

What you will learn.

Everything is about the UAE: the rules, the brands that pay, the audiences and the calendar. Each module ends with something you build and keep.

  1. 01
    Module 1

    Permit and licence path

    The UAE Advertiser Permit from the National Media Authority, step by step: who needs it, what gifted deals mean, and what to have ready. It walks you through the process and does not replace the NMA's own required training.

  2. 02
    Module 2

    Niche, emirate and a local audience

    Pick a niche brands in the UAE pay for, and show that your audience really lives here.

  3. 03
    Module 3

    Pricing in AED

    Build a rate card from what Dubai creators actually charge, including usage rights, exclusivity and when to say no to barter.

  4. 04
    Module 4

    Media kit, creator page and getting found

    Set up your socialmediamarketing.ae page properly so brands, Google and AI assistants can read who you are, what you cost and how to reach you.

  5. 05
    Module 5

    Content and disclosure

    Formats that work for UAE audiences in English and Arabic, how to disclose paid and gifted posts clearly, and which sectors need extra approvals.

  6. 06
    Module 6

    Pitching, contracts and getting paid

    Pitch templates for restaurants, hotels and brands, simple contract points, and turning one-off posts into retainers.

Part of the course

Your free page, set up properly.

Like a Linktree, plus your metrics, on a page Google, ChatGPT and other AI assistants can read.

The page is free for every creator and made from your phone in minutes. In the course you fill it in the way brands check you, so it is easy for AI and Google to find and understand.

  • Niche, area and languages written the way brands search
  • Followers and views marked Self-reported with a date
  • Rates and services a brand can compare at a glance
  • Your permit number, shown as self-declared

Not ready for the course? The page is free anyway. Claim your page

Example page with a fictional creator

Fit

Who it's for. And who it's not.

You don't need a big following or a marketing degree. You do need to live in the UAE and want your posting to pay.

It's for you if

  • You live in the UAE, you post, and you want it to pay.
  • You get gifted invites, but rarely an invoice.
  • You are starting out and want to do it properly from day one: permit, rates, page.
  • You run a restaurant, salon or shop, post for it yourself, and want to brief creators well.

It's not for you if

  • You want guaranteed income, brand deals or follower growth. Nobody can honestly promise those.
  • You need an accredited qualification. This is a practical course.
  • You are looking for follower hacks or bought engagement.

Who made this course

Built by the team behind socialmediamarketing.ae.

The same people who make the free creator pages. socialmediamarketing.ae is operated by Machiavelli Marketing LLC.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something missing? Email hello@socialmediamarketing.ae

How much does the course cost?

Pricing is not public yet. It is announced to the waitlist first, before anyone else. Joining the waitlist is free.

When does it start?

The start date is announced to the waitlist together with pricing. Everyone on the list hears first and can decide then.

Do I pay anything to join the waitlist?

No. Joining is free, there is no payment, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

What about refunds?

Refund terms are published with pricing, so you can read them before you decide.

Is it accredited, or do I get a certificate?

No. This is a practical course, not an accredited qualification.

Does it replace the NMA training needed for the permit?

No. The National Media Authority (NMA) requires its own training programme for the UAE Advertiser Permit. Module 1 walks you through the steps so you know what to do and what to have ready.

Source: NMA service card. General information, not legal advice. Confirm on nma.gov.ae.

Do I need a permit before I join?

No. Module 1 covers who needs the permit, what gifted deals mean and how to apply.

How is it delivered?

Online, in English, with templates you keep. 6 modules, each ending with something you build and keep.

Who is it not for?

People looking for guaranteed income, brand deals or follower growth. Nobody can honestly promise those. What you get is what brands in Dubai ask for, and the know-how to use it.

Is the creator page really free?

Yes. A socialmediamarketing.ae page is free for every creator, with or without the course. In the course you set it up properly.

Waitlist

Hear it first.

Pricing and the start date go to the waitlist before anyone else. Join free now, and decide when you have the details.

Join the waitlist

Free to join. No payment. Unsubscribe any time.

Waitlist openFree to join

Join the waitlist