In the Gulf, customers search in Arabic, in English, and often switch between the two. A shop in Doha or a clinic in Riyadh can be invisible in one language even when it ranks in the other. This guide explains, using Google's own documentation, how to set up your website so both groups can find you. It builds on our guides to Arabic and English websites and Google Business Profile and Maps.
1. Start with real customer words, not guesses
Google says its systems reward people-first content: pages made to help the people who visit, not pages made mainly to attract search engines. Its checklist warns against writing to a particular word count, because Google has no preferred word count. So begin with your customers. Ask your sales and support staff which words people use on calls and WhatsApp. Read your own reviews. List the services in both languages. Then ask a native Arabic speaker to check the Arabic wording, because a word-for-word translation of an English phrase is often not what people actually say. This checking step is a practical habit rather than a Google rule.
2. Write each page fully in one language
Google says it works out the language of a page from the visible content, not from code such as the lang attribute. It recommends using a single language for content and navigation on each page and avoiding side-by-side translations. Google also warns that translating only the menu and footer while the main text stays in one language can create a poor experience in search results. If your Arabic page is just the English text with an Arabic menu, it is not a real Arabic page.
3. Give each language its own address
Google recommends different URLs for each language version, rather than using cookies or browser settings to change the language on the same address. A simple structure is the main page in English and a matching page under an Arabic folder. Google lists the pros and cons of country domains, subdomains and subfolders. Subfolders are easy to set up and low maintenance, but the user may not recognise the targeting from the address alone. Google does not recommend URL parameters.
4. Connect the versions with hreflang
The hreflang tag tells Google which pages are the same content in another language. Google's rules in plain words:
- Each language version must list itself and all the other versions.
- The links must be full addresses, starting with https.
- If page A points to page B, page B must point back to page A. Otherwise Google may ignore the tags.
- The first code is the language and the second is the optional country. Use
arfor Arabic orar-AEfor Arabic for the UAE. A country code on its own is not valid. - You can add an
x-defaultpage for people whose language does not match any version.
You can add hreflang in the page head, in HTTP headers or in the sitemap. Google says the three methods are equivalent, so choose one and keep it consistent. Google adds that fully translated pages are not treated as duplicates of each other.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Separate address for each language | Changing the language using cookies only |
| Link to the other language on every page | Automatically redirecting people by guessed language |
| hreflang on both versions, pointing back to each other | One-way hreflang links |
| Fully translated main content | Translating only the menu and footer |
Google also advises against adapting content by IP address, because IP location analysis is difficult and generally not reliable, and because most Google crawls come from the US and may never see the variation you built. Let visitors switch the language with a visible link instead.
5. Show Google which country you serve
A .com address does not say which country you serve. Google lists other signals it uses to judge the intended audience: hreflang, local addresses and phone numbers on the pages, local language and currency, links from other local sites, and signals from your Business Profile where available. It says it ignores location meta tags such as geo.position. For a UAE business, that means showing a UAE address, a local phone number and prices in AED on the page, rather than adding hidden tags.
6. “Near me” searches: what you can control
When someone searches in Arabic or English for something “near me”, such as بالقرب مني, Google's help page says local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot change where the searcher stands. You can make sure Google has your exact address, service area, hours, phone number and categories. Repeating “near me” in your page text does not replace that. Keep your Business Profile name as your real business name, with no keywords added.
7. Add LocalBusiness details to your website
Google supports LocalBusiness structured data, which can tell it about your address, opening hours, phone number and website. The required properties are the business name and address, and Google recommends adding the telephone number, URL, opening hours and map coordinates. Google also asks you to use the most specific business type available, for example a Restaurant or a Dentist rather than a general type. After adding it, test the page with the Rich Results Test and use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console. Google says it can take several days after publishing for a page to be found and crawled, and that it does not guarantee a rich result will appear.
A short checklist
- Keyword list in Arabic and English, checked by a native speaker.
- Every service page written fully in its language, with its own address.
- hreflang on both versions, each listing itself and the other.
- Local address, phone number and AED, SAR or QAR prices on the page.
- LocalBusiness details added and tested.
- Business Profile details matching the website exactly.
Red flags
- Anyone guaranteeing a number one position in Arabic or English search. Google says no one can promise that.
- Pages that are machine-translated and never read by a native speaker.
- Hidden keyword lists or repeated “near me” phrases stuffed into a page.
- A team that will not tell you which tags and pages they changed.
How Futurum Works handles this
Futurum Works is a remote-first digital agency serving Kerala, Bangalore and the GCC. We build websites and custom software and run SEO and Google Ads for businesses in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Our marketing plan is the Complete Digital Growth Package at ₹2,999 a month, which includes Google Business Profile management with a clear monthly scope. Website and app builds are quoted separately. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what fits. Next: what a remote team does for your local SEO every month.
Frequently asked questions
Should Arabic and English be on the same page?
No. Google recommends using a single language for content and navigation on each page and avoiding side-by-side translations. Give each language its own page and address.
What is hreflang?
A tag that tells Google which pages are the same content in other languages or for other countries. Each version must list itself and all other versions, and the pages must point back to each other.
Can I rank for near me searches by repeating the phrase?
Google says local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Accurate address, service area, hours and categories help more than repeating a phrase.
Does Google use location meta tags?
No. Google says it ignores locational meta tags such as geo.position. It uses signals like hreflang, local addresses and phone numbers, local language and currency, and your Business Profile.
Sources: Google Search Central: Tell Google about localized versions of your page; Google Search Central: Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites; Google Search Central: Local business structured data; Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content; Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
