An Arabic and an English Website, Not a Translation
Putting your English site through a translation tool and calling it Arabic saves time but costs trust. Customers notice stiff wording, broken layouts and missing details. Two properly written versions serve your customers better, and they work better for search and AI assistants.
Translated vs Written Natively
- Stiff or unnatural wording
- Layout breaks in right-to-left
- Details missing or inconsistent
- One URL, little for search to use
- Reads naturally to local customers
- Layout designed right-to-left
- Complete, matching details in both languages
- Separate pages that search can understand
What Goes Wrong With Translation
- Tone and phrasingIdioms, formality and calls to action do not carry across languages. Arabic customers expect Arabic that sounds natural.
- LayoutArabic reads right to left. Menus, buttons, images and forms need to be designed for that direction, not just flipped.
- Names and detailsA business name, address and area can be written in several ways. Without a decision, they differ from page to page.
- Numbers, dates and unitsFormats and conventions vary, and mistakes look careless.
- Culture and imageryPhotos, examples and offers should suit local expectations.
Search and AI Visibility
Search engines and AI assistants match content to the language of the question. A real Arabic page on its own address, linked to its English version with hreflang tags, gives them something clear to read and recommend. A thin translation gives them little to work with.
How to Build Two Good Versions
- Write each languageNatively, by a fluent writer
- Design for bothLeft-to-right and right-to-left
- Use separate URLsOne address per language
- Link with hreflangTell search engines how pages match
- Test bothOn phones, in each language
Keep Both Versions in Step
- ✓Use the same business facts in both languages
- ✓Update both versions when something changes
- ✓Offer a language switch that keeps the visitor on the same page
- ✓Make sure forms and buttons work in both directions
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is machine translation ever acceptable?
- It can help a writer produce a first draft, but a fluent person should review and rewrite it before it goes live.
- Do I need two separate pages for each topic?
- Yes, ideally. A separate page in each language is easier for customers and for search engines to understand.
- What about dialect?
- Write clear modern Arabic that your customers find natural. A fluent local writer can judge the right tone.
- Is it worth it for a small business?
- If your customers use both languages, yes. Start with your key pages and grow from there.
Want help?
Let's grow your business together
TechTaswiq creates bilingual social content, runs Meta and LinkedIn ads, improves SEO and GEO, and builds websites for hospitality and healthcare businesses across the GCC. Book a 20-minute discovery call.