In Oman, your customers switch between Arabic and English all day. A website that treats Arabic as a quick translation loses trust — and search traffic. Here is the checklist we use on every bilingual project.
1. Design right-to-left from the start
Arabic pages should mirror the layout: navigation, icons with direction, sliders and progress indicators all flip. Designing RTL at the start costs far less than fixing it later.
2. Choose Arabic typography deliberately
Pick an Arabic typeface that pairs with your English brand font and stays readable at small sizes. Arabic usually needs slightly larger text and more line height.
3. Give each language its own URL
Use clear paths such as /en/ and /ar/ instead of switching language with cookies. Search engines can then index both versions.
4. Add hreflang and separate metadata
Each page should tell Google about its other-language version using hreflang tags, and each language needs its own title and description written for how people actually search.
5. Localise forms and numbers
- Accept Omani phone formats and WhatsApp numbers.
- Keep phone numbers and emails left-to-right inside Arabic text.
- Translate validation messages, not just labels.
6. Write, don't just translate
The best Arabic content is written for Arabic readers — with local examples and natural phrasing. Machine translation is a starting point, never the final copy.
Need a second opinion on your current site? Our team can review it in both languages and send you a prioritised list of fixes.