Reviewrly is a web design agency that helps companies in the Middle East.
This is a tricky question. Even we at Reviewrly struggled with this but ended up going with the English version. The answer is quite clear: focus on the data. After digging into Google Keyword Planner, we found that only around 30 people searched for the keyword “web design agency based in Saudi Arabia.”
When you compare this to the search volume of between 1,000 and 10,000, it’s clear what direction to take. Since we are more oriented towards an inbound marketing approach, if you are more focused on outreach techniques, you may consider using the language of the prospects you pitch to.
If you are using no-code website builders, you might consider using a feature called “Localization.” It costs $9 per language and can solve a problem at the end of the day. For example, you can show Arabic to Saudi Arabian users and English to users in the United Arab Emirates due to the diversity of nationalities there.
One of the greatest challenges when designing in Arabic is that sometimes users are accustomed to using apps in English. So, bringing something in Arabic without the ability to change the language will present challenges. Therefore, consider making a multilingual website.
If you are paying for ads across any channel, having multilingual designs may complicate things, especially if you have many channels and post designs. If you don’t have the right team to manage it, you should forget about creating a multilingual website. Always try to be strategic when it comes to creating a multilingual website, as everything will lead to crucial changes in all your funnels. If you don’t have a team, start with a single-language website in your primary audience's mother tongue and try to build from there.
If you have many graphs and designs on your website, this may complicate things. Designing a graph in both English and Arabic could take a significant amount of time. If you have the time, that may not be a problem. But for larger websites, this could be a challenge.
The future will focus on the Arabic side as user experience improves. Companies will definitely focus more on providing exceptional experiences for their users to make them feel more comfortable and to drive them to take action, reducing hesitation.
Here is a project designed and developed by the Reviewrly team. On the right, you will notice the Arabic design, and on the left, the English design. This project features a translation of technical English words. I
f you speak Arabic, you will feel relief looking at this design; on the other hand, if you are an English speaker, you will feel more comfortable reading in English. This illustrates the importance of knowing your audience.
When it comes to language, research is your friend. You need to A/B test a simple page as a starting point and observe the results before making major decisions that could waste time and effort. For Middle Eastern users, it’s complicated because of the diversity of nationalities.
Moreover, people who already speak Arabic might see it as a new experience, as many are used to English websites.
This could be a double-edged sword. On one hand, some people are not used to paying in Arabic on Arabic websites; so, if you have an e-commerce store, don’t take huge risks—stick to A/B testing. However, if you have a portfolio website or a single-product website, Arabic will provide exceptional experiences and a sense of cultural connection.
Always remember to A/B test before developing the website. You may consider creating a Figma design and sharing it online to seek advice.
