Earlier in November, Portland released How the Middle East Tweets – the most comprehensive map to date of Twitter connectivity between influencers across the Middle East. By analysing influencers across the region, Portland was able to rank top users in terms of how many other key tweeters in the Middle East follow them.
How the Middle East Tweets was run between July and September 2012. The original findings of How the Middle East Tweets can be found here.
Today, speaking at an event on digital diplomacy in Beirut, Portland’s Jimmy Leach reveals further findings from the study.
The research found that Saad Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister, is the most connected Twitter user in the country. Not only is Hariri followed by over 215,000 people on Twitter, he is also connected to nearly 100 other key influencers tracked by Portland’s study.
In second place is the Arab-British journalist Sherine Tadros, closely followed by current Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
A list of the top 50 most connected Twitter users in Lebanon can be found below.
The study also reveals that:
- One in ten of the Middle East’s most connected Twitter users are based in Lebanon
- #Lebanon was one of the most commonly-used hashtags among the most connected in the Middle East, along with #Bahrain and #Syria
- Nearly three quarters of Lebanon’s most connected Twitter users are from the media
- Organisations are far more active on Twitter in Lebanon than in the region
- Egypt’s Twitter users have the most connections in the region, followed closely by those in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Jimmy Leach, Senior Digital Advisor at Portland, said: “Public diplomacy is now digital by default. Any government wishing to talk to the citizens and governments of foreign countries would do so through digital means, most often using social media.”
The event, at the American University of Beirut, is focused on digital diplomacy and the use of social media by governments. The discussion will be moderated by Jimmy Leach and includes comments from Tom Fletcher, British Ambassador to Lebanon, and Alec Ross, Senior Advisor for Innovation to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Suggested hashtag: #MidEastTweets
Top 50 most connected Twitter users in Lebanon | ||
1 | @HaririSaad | Saad Hariri |
2 | @SherineT | Sherine Tadros |
3 | @Najib_Mikati | Najib Mikati |
4 | @TrellaLB | Imad Bazzi |
5 | @Beirutspring | Mustapha Hamoui |
6 | @Shadaomar | Shada Omar |
7 | @NadaAbdelsamad | Nada Abdelsamad |
8 | @Naharnet | Naharnet |
9 | @RulaAmin | Rula Amin |
10 | @HMATomFletcher | Tom Fletcher |
11 | @NOW_eng | NOW English |
12 | @alihashem_tv | Ali Hashem |
13 | @SleimanMichel | Michel Sleiman |
14 | @BeirutCalling | Michael Young |
15 | @DailyStarLeb | The Daily Star |
16 | @STLebanon | STL |
17 | @woodenbeirut | Josh Wood |
18 | @ZeinakhodrAljaz | Zeina Khodr |
19 | @antoine_haddad | Antoine Haddad |
20 | @javierespinosa2 | JAVIER ESPINOSA |
21 | @ALJADEEDNEWS | Al Jadeed Channel |
22 | @angienassar | Angie Nassar |
23 | @paul_salem | Paul Salem |
24 | @LBCI_News_EN | LBCI News English |
25 | @kellymcevers | Kelly McEvers |
26 | @LBCI_NEWS | LBCI_NEWS |
27 | @MTVLebanonNews | MTV Lebanon News |
28 | @TajaddodYouth | Tajaddod Youth |
29 | @HalaJaber | Hala Jaber |
30 | @NadimKoteich | Nadim Koteich |
31 | @samygemayel | Samy Gemayel |
32 | @TheZako | Zaher |
33 | @mayabeydoun | Maya Beydoun |
34 | @monasaliba | mona saliba |
35 | @Racha93halabi | Racha El Halabi |
36 | @daywood | Daoud Ibrahim |
37 | @lebanonnews | Lebanon News |
38 | @NicolaSehnaoui | Nicolas Sehnaoui |
39 | @Dana_Mk | Dana Moukhallati |
40 | @OliviaAlabaster | Olivia Alabaster |
41 | @ziadmajed | Ziad Majed |
42 | @AntaReportNews | 3antar |
43 | @antissa | Antoun Issa |
44 | @FChahine21 | Fadi Chahine |
45 | @DLKhraiche | Dana Khraiche |
46 | @ukinlebanon | British Embassy LEB |
47 | @futuretvnews | Future TV :: News |
48 | @annieslem | Annie Slemrod |
49 | @jessyabouhabib | Jessy Abou Habib |
50 | @MoeAliNay | moeali nayel |