- Choose fonts purposely developed for Arabic digital display (like GE SS) rather than conventional print fonts
- Expand line height by 150-175% for better readability
- Implement right-oriented text (never centered for main content)
- Stay away from compressed Arabic text styles that diminish the characteristic letter forms
Initiate by identifying ALL your rivals – not just the major ones. During our research, we discovered that our largest threat wasn't the well-known company we were monitoring, but a new startup with an unique model.
For search ranking services Jeddah a high-end retailer, we implemented a traditional classification methodology that identified five distinct cultural segments within their consumer base. This technique improved their advertising performance by one hundred seventy-eight percent.
A beauty brand transitioned from multiple single collaborations to longer-term associations with a smaller number of influencers, resulting in a 164% growth in sales and a forty-three percent drop in marketing expenses.
Recently, a eatery manager in Riyadh expressed frustration that his venue wasn't appearing in Google searches despite being popular by customers. This is a frequent challenge I see with regional companies throughout the Kingdom.
After extended periods of implementing universal population divisions, their improved locally-relevant segmentation approach created a significant growth in campaign effectiveness and a one hundred sixty-three percent drop in advertising spending.
Advising a food brand, we established a approach where influencers naturally integrated products into their daily lives rather than creating evident sponsorships. This method generated engagement rates 218% better than conventional marketing content.
Valuable approaches included:
- Metropolitan-centered divisions beyond basic regions
- Area-specific concentration
- City vs. countryside variations
- Expatriate concentration zones
- Visitor areas vs. native districts
I advise categorizing competitors as:
- Direct competitors (offering nearly identical offerings)
- Secondary competitors (with partial similarity)
- New challengers (new companies with innovative models)
As someone who has developed over 30 Arabic websites in the last half-decade, I can tell you that applying Western UX standards to Arabic interfaces simply doesn't work. The distinctive elements of Arabic text and Saudi user behaviors require a completely different approach.
- Relocated product photos to the left portion, with product information and call-to-action buttons on the right-hand side
- Changed the photo slider to move from right to left
- Added a custom Arabic typeface that maintained clarity at various sizes
A few weeks ago, I was advising a major e-commerce company that had poured over 200,000 SAR on a beautiful website that was converting poorly. The problem? They had merely transformed their English site without considering the essential design distinctions needed for Arabic users.
- Realigning call-to-action buttons to the right side of forms and interfaces
- Rethinking content prioritization to progress from right to left
- Adapting interactive elements to follow the right-to-left reading pattern
When I launched my e-commerce business three years ago, I was certain that our special products would sell themselves. I ignored market research as unnecessary – a mistake that practically destroyed my entire company.
- Clearly indicate which language should be used in each entry box
- Intelligently switch keyboard input based on field requirements
- Locate field labels to the right-hand side of their corresponding inputs
- Ensure that validation messages appear in the same language as the expected input
I dedicate at least two hours each regularly examining our competitors':
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Digital architecture and UX
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Blog posts and content calendar
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Online platforms activity
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Client testimonials and evaluations
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Keyword strategy and positions
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Developed a figure visualization approach that handled both Arabic and English numerals
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Restructured charts to progress from right to left
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Implemented graphical cues that matched Saudi cultural associations
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Position the most essential content in the top-right area of the screen
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Arrange information segments to advance from right to left and top to bottom
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Apply heavier visual weight on the right side of equal layouts
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Confirm that pointing icons (such as arrows) point in the right direction for RTL interfaces
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Reorganized the application process to follow right-to-left user expectations
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Built a dual-language form system with automatic language toggling
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Enhanced mobile interactions for one-handed Arabic typing
During my previous project for a banking company in Riyadh, we observed that users were frequently tapping the wrong navigation items. Our eye-tracking showed that their focus naturally moved from right to left, but the primary navigation elements were positioned with a left-to-right emphasis.