For him, moving deliberately at a measured pace does not mean thinking small.“Abu Dhabi is focusing on being number one in everything and we are there now."From 250 followers to a property voiceZekra’s own rise on social media mirrors the evolution he describes.Around 13 years ago, he says, he began using social media to give Abu Dhabi’s property market greater visibility. He credits Dubai with inspiring that move.“Thanks, Dubai, for what I'm going to tell you now. About 15 years ago, the main reason why I went into social media was Dubai. I was a very normal person. I'm not joking.”At the time, he says, Abu Dhabi did not have the same level of exposure around its property market.“When I compare Dubai social media presence for property sector to the Abu Dhabi market, we didn't have this exposure to a legion of influencers or bloggers! We didn't many people adding value and disseminating information about the Abu Dhabi real estate market and that's where I came in."His first milestone was considerably less glamorous.“I remember celebrating having just 250 followers. I remember calling my friends, asking them to like and share my posts. It was a good thing.”Acing the social media gameToday, social media has become an important part of his effort to put Abu Dhabi real estate in the spotlight. His own website describes him as a representative of Abu Dhabi’s property sector and says he has 25 years of experience in UAE real estate.But Zekra believes there is a crucial difference between using social media to sell and using it to educate. “There are two lines to go into social media: either just selling, or the other line, which is the one I chose -- giving value to people.”His content, he says, focuses on the fundamentals: why people should invest, how they can invest and what the benefits are.“Come to me to learn why to invest, how to invest and what the benefits are of investing in the Abu Dhabi real estate market. I focus a lot on Abu Dhabi.”And that focus is deliberate.“Ninety-nine per cent of my career has been in Abu Dhabi. I grew up in Abu Dhabi. I know what Abu Dhabi is and I know how to invest in Abu Dhabi.”His advice to anyone trying to make it in the increasingly crowded property-content space is simple.“But if you go through just selling, you will never ever do it.” But, why?“People now have culture. They don't want just selling.”The new property buyerZekra believes buyers today are also more discerning than they were in the past.“It's changed a lot. Now you need to be 1,000 per cent realistic with this very hard competition between, let's say, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai markets. All eyes are on the UAE itself.”He believes emotion still plays a role, but far less than before.“Emotions, in my opinion, will make up not more than 20 per cent of the decision to invest in the UAE market.”His reasoning is rooted in the way people consume information.“People love to see, not to hear. Before, you could play with emotions. True. People would just listen. No. Now they want to see.”That shift is also reflected in what buyers expect from property.“Dh35 million for a villa today in the UAE or in Abu Dhabi is normal. Ten years ago, that was not the case."The villa, where I met Zekra, is a case in point.“This beautiful 1,500-square-metre villa from Ohana Development costs Dh35 million, but you can see that you will have a lifestyle that exceeds your imagination. There's so much value for money other than just a huge layout. We are looking at building a great lifestyle."For Zekra, however, selling a property is only the beginning of the relationship.“I have an emblem since 2000. I don't sell homes, I adore creating clients for life and there's no place better than Abu Dhabi to create that." Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema.