Reviewrly is a web design agency that helps companies in the Middle East.
Introduction
Most web designs in the Middle Eastern market are either outdated or just pre-made templates. Due to a lack of user experience research and practices, the experiences are usually either easy but look bad, or hard but look normal.
However, things are changing. People used to communicate and Socialise in coffee shops and homes, but now most clients don’t even want to have a live chat with customers; everything is done online. For example, there is an investment company called Themas located in Saudi Arabia that allows people to invest in real projects without the need to meet with clients in person.
Language in the Middle Eastern market plays a big role in conversions and enhancing ROI. However, many companies still use English as the primary language, which might not be the best practice. While there is some justification for this decision due to the variety of nationalities in the region, many users simply do not speak Arabic.
Culture affects user experience design significantly. If you have the perfect user personas for your business, it will make your journey easier. Your personas are your most valuable asset here. If they speak Arabic, provide them with Arabic design; if they speak English, provide them with English design.
Responsiveness and mobile-first design are crucial in the Middle East, where most people prefer to pay and navigate using their phones. Laptops aren’t used as much in daily life; however, if your niche is in hiring or the business sector, you might consider focusing more on the desktop version.
In this context, less is more. Consider simplifying the user flow to drive users to focus more on the call to action rather than overwhelming them with designs, graphs, and colors. Use the 60/30/10% color rule to create a balanced visual hierarchy.
Most users in the Middle East are seeking great experiences. The market is growing, and users do care about their experiences. Companies are expanding and starting to hire user experience researchers.