Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Qatar: The Role of Social Media and Media Literacy in Marketing Communication

This research examines how female entrepreneurs in Qatar utilize social media as a tool within their marketing communication strategies, emphasizing their underlying motivations, the advantages they derive, and the obstacles they encounter.Media literacy is introduced as a critical factor influencing the effective use of social media for marketing communication.Drawing on insights from interviews with ten women managing businesses of varying sizes, the research applies theoretical perspectives such as Social Exchange Theory, Uses and Gratifications Theory, and the Resource-Based View to examine their engagement with social media.The findings highlight that media literacy empowers entrepreneurs to critically evaluate content, strategically connect with their audience, and navigate ethical and professional challenges.Despite these advantages, entrepreneurs face hurdles such as audience expansion, maintaining professionalism, and reputation management.This study contributes to the understanding of social media marketing, media literacy, and women's entrepreneurship in Qatar, offering valuable implications for policymakers and business practitioners.Future research can explore the broader impacts of media literacy training programs on entrepreneurial success in other contexts.