#OnlyOnTwitter: Most Trending Campaigns of 2021 Revealed

The latest data collected by the social media giant lists tweets, hashtags, and handles that trended across UAE, KSA, and Egypt throughout 2021.

Here’s an exclusive reveal of all the campaigns and tweets that made it to the top.

UAE

According to Twitter, government-related topics were among the most popular conversations in the UAE throughout the year.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s tweets attracted heavy engagement. Here are some of his most popular tweets in 2021:

January: The year kicked off with a celebration of His Highness’s 15th Accession Day as Ruler of Dubai, as well as his 15th anniversary as Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE.

February: February saw the success of the UAE’s first mission to Mars, as the Hope Probe entered orbit on its first attempt.

The most liked Tweet in the UAE for 2021, the triumphant mission was also celebrated by NASA’s own Mars Rover, who congratulated the arrival with the words of poet Al Mutanabbi.

April: In another first, His Highness shared the news of the first megawatt from the first Arab nuclear plant entering the national power grid.

July: In July, His Highness shared his goals and the challenges faced in building a future.

August: In this tweet, His Highness shares a viral video of a cat rescued from an apartment building, calling for the details of the people involved to thank them for their actions.

September: As the UAE celebrated the opening of Expo2020, His Highness shared photos from the opening ceremony, welcoming the world to the UAE.

October: His Highness, with a 7-year-old performer from Expo’s 2020 opening ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza.

November: His Highness shared his congratulations with the UAE for the successful bid to become the hosts of one of the world’s most important global climate conferences, COP28, in 2023.

The year also saw continued interest in Tweets from the wider UAE leadership. Here are some of the most liked leadership Tweets of the year:

HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (@MohamedBinZayed), penned a heartfelt note for his mother on the occasion of International Mothers’ Day.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, (@HamdanMohammed), shared a heartwarming picture of his newborn twins

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation celebrates the successful mission to Mars.

HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai  (@MaktoumMohammed), thanked the leadership for his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

From milestone celebrations to cultural announcements, here are the top event hashtags in the UAE for 2021:

1. #Expo2020
2. #رمضان (Ramadan)
3. #يوم_عرفه (Day of Arafah)
4. #عام_الخمسين (Year of the 50th)

Saudi Arabia

His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud attracted high engagement to the KSA, particularly on Saudi National Day and through the holy month of Ramadan. Here are some his most popular tweets:

King Salman celebrated Saudi National Day, expressing gratitude for a sense of security, stability, prosperity, and development across the country.

Marking the start of Ramadan in 2021, His Royal Highness shared his best wishes with the community.

On Eid Al-Fitr, the Royal Highness celebrated the end of Ramadan, heralding a time of blessings for the country.

His Royal Highness King Salman shared his prayers for Eid Al-Adha, celebrating the occasion with the Saudi community.

With its unprecedented turn of events, this year saw many thought-provoking conversations across Twitter. Here are some of the most shared moments in the KSA:

Tahani AlMeqblu (@TAlmeqbli) appreciates fatherhood, by expressing affection for everything that her father does for her.

@8Munther shared the special moment his parents visited him at work, evoking a sense of pride

@JBugnah shared a video of herself and her brother surprising their father at work in celebration of his 25^th anniversary at the hospital.

Twitter over the past couple of years has become a place for fans to connect with their favorite celebrities. Here are the most mentioned singers from the KSA this year:

1. Abdul Majeed Abdulla (@Abdulmajeed6531)
2. Mohammed Abdu (@Mohammed_Abdu)
3. Rashed Al Majed (@RashedTV)
4. Rabeh Saqer (@RabehSaqer)

As 2021 saw a return to in-person events and celebrations, so did Twitter’s most used hashtags in KSA. Here are the top tweeted event hashtags:

1. #رمضان (Ramadan)
2. #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي (Saudi National Day)
3. #موسم_الرياض (Riyadh Season)
4. #يوم_عرفة (Day of Arafah)
5. #عيد_الفطر (Eid AlFitr)

Fans took to Twitter to discuss all the latest news on their most awaited games. Take a glimpse at which tweets about sports made it to the top:

January: Al-Nasr football club’s former president celebrated the club’s Saudi Super Cup win.

February: Al Shabab Saudi football club shared a stunning picture of its stadium.

March: Al-Nassr football club shared the news of football player, Mohammed Al-Suwailem’s contract renewal.

April: Al-Nassr announced Mesli Ben Mahdi Al-Muamar as the chairman of the club.

May: Al-Hilal celebrated its 17th win of the Prince Mohammad Bin Salman League.

June: Al Hilal SFC welcomed Leonardo Jardim as their coach.

July: Al-Ittihad Club celebrated its newest attacking midfielder, Brazilian Igor Caique Coronado.

August: Al Hilal SFC welcomed Brazilian footballer Matheus Pereira as an attacking midfielder.

September: Al-Ittihad Club praised its goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, one of the best keepers in the league.

October: Al Hilal SFC celebrated its win against Al-Nassr FC in the AFC Champions League semifinal, paving the way to the final match of the tournament.

The 40^th Edition of Asia's premier club football tournament, the 2021 AFC Champions League, was the sports highlight in Saudi Arabia this year. Al Hilal SFC won its fourth championship title.

The most retweeted hashtags through the tournament were:

1. #كبير_آسيا (Asia Champion)
2. #النصر_الهلال (Al-Nassr FC vs. Al-Hilal SFC)
3. #دوري_ابطال_اسيا (AFC Champions League)

Finally, 2021 revealed the most mentioned Saudi leagues’ footballers driving conversations across Saudi Arabia:

1. Al Hilal SFC’s Matheus Pereira (@MatheusPereira)
2. Al-Nassr FC’s Fahad Al Hurifi (@Fahadalhurifi)
3. Al Hilal SFC’s Salman Al Faraj (@salman_f13)
4. Al-Ittihad Club’s Fahad Al Muwallad (@fahad_almowalad )

Egypt

Many celebrities across Egypt interacted with their fans by delving into conversations, retweeting mentions. These are the ones who managed to become the most popular throughout the year.

1. Nabil ElHalfawy (@nabilelhalfawy)
2. Yasmine Sabri (@yasminesabri)
3. Youssef El Sherif (@ElSherif)
4. Ahmed Helmy (@ahelmy)
5. Mohamed Ramadan (@Mohamed_Ramadan)
6. Amr Diab (@amrdiab)
7. Tamer Hosny (@tamerhosny)
8. Hamza Namira (@HamzaNamira)
9. Mohamed Mounir (@Mounirofficial)
10. Mohamed Hamaki (@Hamaki)

Actress & singer @somayaelkhashab has the fastest-growing Twitter handle in the country.

Here are some of the most shared and liked tweets made by celebrities across Egypt:

Actor Khaled El Nabawy (@KhaledElNabawy) put out a patriotic tweet during the Pharaohs Golden Parade which took place in April.

Actor Ahmed Mekky (@Mekkystyle) tweeted a poster of his show “Al Ikhtiyar” (The Choice) with fellow actor Karim Abdel Aziz (@karimabdelaziz) which aired during Ramadan 2021.

Actor Ahmed Helmy (@ahelmy) tweeted a photo of himself and fellow actor Karim Abdel Aziz (@karimabdelaziz) asking people to suggest captions for the image.

Actor Mohamed Henedy (@OfficialHenedy) tweeted a photo of himself in a wig.

Actor Ahmed Amin (@AhmedAmin) tweeted about the expectation of when ordering online vs the reality, with a funny side-comparison with David Beckham.

2021 was a year for connection. Take a look at some of the most popular inspirational tweets:

@AahmedRamzyy Tweeted a video of himself reenacting scenes from old action movies.

@m_Sharaawi shared a photo of his father holding a poster with his sister’s name on it, following her graduation from medical school.

@Karimkhedr12 shared a photo of his recent artwork.

Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah stole the show on Twitter yet again. These tweets will explain how:

 @MoSalah shared an old photo of him visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

 @MoSalah shared a photo celebrating a moment of joy with his daughter.

 @MoSalah tweeted a photo of himself and football players Hossam Ghaly, Mahmoud Trezeguet, and Mohamed Hany.

 @MoSalah showed team pride, sharing a photo of himself on the field during a game.

 @MoSalah tweeted about a match that they lost back in October, with a rallying message reminding fans and followers that the team is going for the title and has what it takes to win.

The most mentioned football players across Egypt were:

1. Zamalek Sporting Club football player Shikabala  (@Shikabala)
2. Liverpool football player Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah)
3. Al Ahly Sporting Club football player Mohamed El Shenawy (@Melshenawy)
4. Zamalek Sporting Club football player Tarek Hamed (@TarrekHameed)

And finally, the top emoji across all markets was, once again, the laughing face with tears 😂.