Arabic Website Translation

In order to truly have your website translated for Arabic-speaking markets, you must have also your website fully "globalized" for your target Arabic country or market. The term "Globalization" means many things outside the language services industry. Within the translation industry, globalization for Arabic markets defines the process of enabling a website to fully function for an Arabic target market. Specifically, a target market is a "locale" encompassing the combination of target country, language and culture. 
For more complete definitions, see:  Website Translation, Website Localization and Website Internationalization

The complexities of the Arabic language and subtle nuances of Arabic culture can be quite challenging: not every translation company is qualified to produce effective Arabic website localization. When selecting a translation company to translate your website content into Arabic, you should carefully check each translation agency's capabilities in the following areas:

1. Arabic Website Translators

Arabic website translation projects require professional, native-speaking linguists who specialize in your company's specific professional and technical areas, in addition to being fluent in Arabic. Linguists who work on Arabic website translation projects should also be experienced with technical issues related to website translation; proper translation of text in links, graphics, and Arabic search engine optimization (SEO).

Arabic translators and other localization team members must be familiar with Arabic translation challenges and issues pertaining to Arabic copywriting, or Arabization, to ensure that your Arabic website content has the right message and is up-to-date for a global market.

2. Arabic Website File Formats

Project complexity may lead Arabic website translation projects to involve many different file formats. Your website translation partner should be capable of translating text from source files ranging from Java scripts, HTML, XML, XLFF, graphic files, database servers, PHP files, to FLASH and action script files. You will need to supply these source files for translation to your translation agency; file delivery may be done via CD-ROM, email, upload to an FTP server, or even by granting your internal website server login and password access to your translation company .

3. Arabic Website Terminology Management

Arabic website translators use translation memory (TM) tools like Trados to translate text strings that have been extracted from various file formats. These text strings will result in client-specific glossaries and terminology databases. The critical data contained in these translation memories ensures efficient updates to your Arabic websites and consistent translation. Translation memory resulting from your Arabic website translation is proprietary and belongs to you; your translation agency may deliver the translation memory to you at project conclusion, or per the schedule of your preference.

Arabic Website Localization

Arabic website localization is the process of adapting the language, appearance, and functionality of a website for Arabic users. Arabic web localization projects should be executed by experienced teams of localization professionals, who work in conjunction with your web designers, adhering to proven best practices for web design and web development.

If you are interested in localizing your website into Arabic, you may discover localization needs that go beyond your website. Localization may also be required for print documentation (to be available as pdfs for download), multimedia products such as FLASH presentations, or Web applications such as online calculators and surveys. It is important that all components are correctly localized to offer a complete Web experience to your potential Arabic-speaking users.

Whether your project is simple or complex, your localization company should have solid experience and a comprehensive process which includes at a minimum:

  1. Arabic glossary and terminology development.
  2. Arabic cultural correctness assessment.
  3. Arabic translation, editing and proofreading.
  4. Arabic graphic localization.
  5. Arabic online quality assurance QA.
  6. Arabic usability testing and Arabic localization testing.
  7. Client review and approval.

You will need to provide your localization company a "Localization Kit." This information allows your language service provider to analyze your website and to determine its Arabic localization requirements. This kit includes:

  • Your current website domain name URL.
  • Summary of website architecture.
  • Summary of any web platform and web development tools used to develop your website.
  • All files that make up your website in their original folder/file structure or Data Base (website source files).
  • All original graphics used in your site (artwork, background, logos, navigation buttons, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.).
  • All documentation source files (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) available via your website.
  • All multimedia source files (Flash, Videos, etc.) available via your website.

Arabic Web Content Management System (CMS)

There are many types of multilingual web content management solutions that support Arabic Language and website localization.

List of CMSs that includes Arabic localization support:

Basic instructions you need to learn about CMS localization for Arabic websites:

  • Content translation expansion: make sure there is enough room for the text to accommodate possible expansion.
  • Hard-coded text: text that it is hardcoded into the web template will not be exported for translation.
  • Add the appropriate "dir" attribute on the html page (dir="rtl" for Arabic Language or dir="ltr" for Western Languages)
  • Character encoding: Make sure you use utf-8 as the character encoding of the webpage.
  • Make sure you can dynamically change hard-coded images into templates, if they need localization.

To find more about Web CMS localization check Website Localization with Ektron Web CMS and Localization with EPiServer CMS

Arabic Web Internationalization

Arabic Website globalization (G11n) is a two-step process, including Arabic website internationalization (I18n) and Arabic website localization (L10n). Website internationalization deals primarily with the functionality of a website; it enables back-end technologies to function or support any language and locale, in this case, Arabic. Front-end (or linguistic and cosmetic aspects of a website), are covered by localization, which deals with locale-specific content, cultural correctness, translations, and website design.

The website internationalization process is the first step in ensuring your website's global interoperability. During Arabic website internationalization, any language- or culture-specific assumptions in your website's code base are "neutralized"; your website will then be primed for efficient localization into Arabic.

Your translation agency should have solid experience in handling Arabic website internationalization issues, including:

  • Reviewing and analyzing the source website content.
  • Ensuring the support of the bidirectional (right-to-left) writing system used by the Arabic language.
  • Resolving issues related to Arabic address, time, date, and numerical formats.
  • Externalizing text strings for ease of Arabic translation.
  • Website testing, including bug reporting and fixing.

You will need to provide your localization company with a "Website Internationalization Kit." This information allows your localization company to analyze your website and to determine its Arabic internationalization requirements. This kit includes:

  1. URL of the website(s).
  2. Any passwords or login instructions.
  3. Summary of website architecture.
  4. Summary of any technologies and/or development tools used to develop the website.
  5. Any source code for the website including HTML/XML, Web-driven applications, applets, database servers, multimedia products such as FLASH presentations, and Web applications such as online calculators or surveys.

Arabic Domain Names:

The first domain names written in the Arabic language and supported by the ICANN started in Egypt and Saudi Arabia in 2009. The use of Arabic domain names is increasing and many organizations and companies are looking for Arabic scripted domains.

Arabic Website Translation highlights

  • Very little modern content originated in Arabic, especially content written for Arabic users. This creates a shortage of technical terminology and hinders Arabic online content improvements and popularity with local markets. The lack of pre-existing terminology in Arabic is one reason why most of companies still use English for their landing pages or basic content to describe their services. 

  • Many online terms like (buttons, navigation links, forms, etc.) have been translated into Arabic language through poor translation or transliteration. This practice makes it challenging to find standards for technical or website terms commonly used in English.

  • Arabic is a very rich language in term of dialects, accents, and styles. For this reason, it is critical to identify the specific regional locale and target audience for your website content.
  • Arabic is a highly expressive language and thus far, machine translation and online free translation tools provide little help for Arabic website content. In most cases, such tools will deliver an unclear or incorrect message.
  • Arabic websites requires a different type of user interface. The Arabic Language is Right-to-Left (RTL), which will affect the direction of the webpage layout and website user interface (UI). This also affects menus and navigation display as well the margin and alignments.
  • Websites or Online Mobile Apps that perform e-Commerce or professional tools have additional user interface requirements in Arabic: contextual analysis, rendering and shaping, Arabic numeric display, Hijri dates, character extenders for text expansion, etc. This underscores why your localization partner must have extensive experience working with Arabic localization.

Arabic Search Engine Optimization

The online Arabic consumer market is growing at a rapid pace. There are great opportunities to increase Arabic online market penetration through Arabic search engine optimization (SEO) and Arabic search engine marketing (SEM). Since the majority of websites aimed at Arabic local markets are still in English-only, (including tools and resources), there is relatively little competition and a chance to obtain high search rankings by being the first company of your kind to present useful, searchable content in Arabic. If you follow the right Arabic SEO strategy after translating your website into Arabic, you will achieve the highest ranking with Arabic and global search engines.

Arabic search engine optimization is a process that requires considerable effort to achieve high search rankings for Arabic-speakers for your website content.

Your Arabic SEO partner should have solid experience in handling Arabic website Search Engine Optimization issues, including:

  • Selecting accurate Arabic keywords for your target market.
  • On-Page and Arabic content optimization.
  • Copywriting and Arabic content modifications for the local target culture, to avoid any unsuitable website content that may be forbidden by religious or cultural customs.

For more details check Arabic SEO and Multilingual Keywords. You can also find all details about our Search engine marketing and optimization services at Global Search Engine Marketing.

Arabic Website Testing

Arabic website testing is a crucial quality control phase in the process of Arabic website globalization. In order to effectively communicate to potential Arabic-speaking customers, you must ensure your website is linguistically and culturally appropriate to them. In order to ensure your localized Arabic website is fully functional and completely adapted to target users, a localization company must use experienced Arabic website testers and follow a thorough test plan.

A localization company should use professional, native-speaking specialists Web developers and designers to execute Arabic website testing. With the goal of matching the performance of the Arabic website to that of your source language website, Arabic website testers take the following aspects and standards of the site into account during testing: browser compatibility (some browsers might display Arabic text improperly), connection speeds for the Arabic version sub domain or landing page, traffic, security, design including menus display and functionality, linking accuracy, translation accuracy, functionality, and more.

Translators and Web designers should work side-by-side with your company's own expert users to track and resolve issues before your Arabic website is launched. Standard website testing phases include:

Arabic Website Internationalization Testing

Before Arabic website translation begins, Arabic website testing professionals test the source language site for international support and localizability. Arabic website internationalization testing saves time and money by exposing potential trouble areas early in the localization process.

Arabic Website Localization Testing

After Arabic website translation, testing specialists review the Arabic website in context to check for any linguistic or cosmetic issues. Linguistic testing deals with all language-related issues of a localized website or Web application, including currency symbols, locale-specific text, and more. Cosmetic testing deals with all visual issues to ensure that Arabic characters display correctly under various browser and operating system scenarios.

Arabic Website Functionality Validation or Testing

After your Arabic website has been localized, tests are performed using a variety of platforms and test scripts to verify that your website works properly for your target users. Testing concerns at this phase include ensuring the website's features/functionality work as they did in the original source language version of the site.

Find more details about our website translation services or multilingual web design and development in the following links:

Find more information about Arabic website translation, Arabic search engine optimization and Arabic localization resources in our translation blog:

You may also check out our Arabic website for complete information about our translation services in Arabic Language: