1) Choose the right site structure (SEO-first)

Your URL structure is the foundation. Pick one approach and stay consistent.

Option A: Subdirectories (recommended for most SMEs)

• example.com/ar/

• example.com/en/

Pros: easy SEO authority sharing on one domain, simple to manage.

Option B: Subdomains

• ar.example.com

• en.example.com

Pros: separation, sometimes easier hosting separation.
Cons: can dilute authority if not managed carefully.

Option C: Separate domains (only if necessary)

• example.com and example.net or localized domains

Pros: country targeting, branding reasons.
Cons: higher cost and harder SEO growth.

✅ For most businesses: use subdirectories.

2) Use hreflang correctly (so Google shows the right language)

hreflang tells search engines which page is Arabic and which is English.

Example logic:

• Arabic page → hreflang="ar"

• English page → hreflang="en"

• Add x-default for the default language chooser page (optional)

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Missing hreflang on some pages

• Wrong language codes

• Not linking both ways (must be reciprocal)

• Using hreflang without matching URL structure

If hreflang is wrong, your Arabic page may rank for English searches (or vice versa).

3) Don’t auto-translate your main pages (quality affects ranking + trust)

Google can rank translated content, but poor translations reduce:

• click-through rate

• time on page

• trust and conversions

Best practice:

• Translate professionally for core pages (Home, Services, About, Pricing, Contact)

• Maintain consistent business terms:

  • ERP / CRM / Dashboard / Portal

• Use a glossary to keep Arabic terms consistent

4) Do keyword research separately for Arabic and English

Never assume the English keyword is the same in Arabic.

Example:

• English: “software company”

• Arabic search intent might be:

  • “شركة برمجيات”

  • “شركة تصميم مواقع”

  • “شركة أنظمة ERP”

  • “برمجة نظام إدارة”

Best practice:

• Each language gets its own keyword set

• Each language gets its own meta titles/descriptions (not translated literally)

5) Localize metadata and headings (don’t copy the same structure)

For each language version:

• unique Meta Title and Meta Description

• correct headings (H1/H2) matching local intent

• localized CTAs:

  • Arabic CTA examples: “اطلب عرض سعر”، “تواصل معنا”، “احجز استشارة”

  • English CTA examples: “Request a Quote”, “Book a Consultation”