Mastering the UX Design for Arabic Interfaces
Deborah Fielding edited this page 12 hours ago
  • Place the most critical content in the upper-right corner of the viewport
  • Arrange page sections to advance from right to left and top to bottom
  • Implement heavier visual weight on the right side of balanced layouts
  • Ensure that indicating icons (such as arrows) direct in the right direction for RTL layouts

Important elements:

  • Extended decision periods in Saudi conversion routes
  • Group decision factors in buying choices
  • WhatsApp as a substantial but hard-to-measure influence channel
  • Physical validation as the last buying stage

Successful methods:

  • Implementing regional transaction options like STC Pay
  • Improving Arabic product information
  • Showcasing Saudi assistance access
  • Adding credibility indicators tailored for Saudi users

Recently, a merchant consulted me after spending over 500,000 SAR on online advertising with disappointing returns. After restructuring their methodology, we produced a 743% improvement in return on investment.

Last month, I was advising a large e-commerce company that had spent over 200,000 SAR on a beautiful website that was failing miserably. The problem? They had simply translated their English site without addressing the basic experience variations needed for Arabic users.

In my recent project for a investment company in Riyadh, we discovered that users were consistently tapping the wrong navigation elements. Our eye-tracking revealed that their focus naturally progressed from right to left, but the primary navigation elements were located with a left-to-right emphasis.

Twelve months ago, my small business was fighting to find new customers. Our digital storefront was completely hidden marketing agency in Saudi capital Google search results. That's when I made the decision to invest in professional SEO services in Jeddah.

  • Select fonts specially created for Arabic screen reading (like GE SS) rather than classic print fonts
  • Enlarge line leading by 150-175% for enhanced readability
  • Implement right-aligned text (never center-aligned for primary copy)
  • Avoid condensed Arabic text styles that compromise the unique letter shapes

Recently, an e-commerce client was experiencing a poor 0.8% sales percentage despite high site users. After applying the strategies I'm about to discuss, their conversion rate increased to 3.7%, generating a dramatic increase in income.

Working with an electronics retailer, we identified that their typical purchase process was causing avoidable problems for Saudi visitors. After applying specialized enhancements, their purchase cancellation percentage dropped by 37%.

Through extensive testing for a fashion retailer, we discovered that communications received between 9-11 PM dramatically exceeded those sent during standard working periods, generating 152% greater visibility.

Our analysis has revealed that Saudi consumers specifically seek these trust signals:

  • Physical presence address
  • Local authorization symbols
  • Comprehensive return policies
  • Riyal pricing with full delivery estimates

Essential modifications included:

  • Incorporating preferred Saudi payment methods like STC Pay
  • Simplifying address entry for Saudi addresses
  • Offering Arabic translation throughout the transaction process
  • Presenting shipping schedules specific to Saudi locations

Last quarter, a store owner complained that their electronic messaging campaigns were creating dismal results with open rates below 8%. After applying the strategies I'm about to discuss, their readership increased to 37% and sales rose by two hundred eighteen percent.

Surprising findings:

  • Temporary channels exceeding Image networks for certain products
  • Evening promotion substantially surpassing daytime initiatives
  • Motion content delivering superior ROI than still imagery
  • Smartphone effectiveness outperforming computer by significant margins

For a apparel brand, we conducted a detailed platform efficiency assessment that discovered their best performing channels were completely different from their global norms. This discovery permitted a shift of investment that increased their complete ROI by over two hundred percent.

For a high-end retailer, Http://Shinjokaihatu.Sakura.Ne.Jp we implemented a regionally-appropriate attribution model that acknowledged the distinctive buying journey in the Kingdom. This technique revealed that their platform spending were truly generating two hundred eighty-six percent more results than formerly calculated.

  • Restructured the form flow to match right-to-left thinking processes
  • Created a Arabic-English input mechanism with automatic language switching
  • Improved mobile interactions for one-handed Arabic input

As someone who has developed over 30 Arabic websites in the past five years, I can confirm that applying Western UX principles to Arabic interfaces simply doesn't work. The special features of Arabic script and Saudi user behaviors require a specialized approach.

  • Distinctly indicate which language should be used in each form element
  • Dynamically switch keyboard layout based on field expectations
  • Locate form text to the right side of their associated inputs
  • Ensure that system feedback appear in the same language as the required input