Interesting Findings Regarding Arabic:
- Including all dialects, there are 422 million people in the world who speak Arabic.
- There are 25 countries that claim Arabic as an official or co-official language: Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
- There are 6 sovereign states where Arabic is a national language or is recognized as a minority language: Iran, Turkey, Niger, Senegal, Mali and Cyprus.
- Digital growth rankings in the Middle East skyrocketed in 2016, internet users were up 15%, social media usage grew 47%, mobile social media usage was up 44%.
- Many countries whose official language is Arabic have businesses who are economic powerhouses in the energy, construction, technology and real estates industries.
With substantial increases in internet and social media usage in the MENA region (Middle East and Northern Africa), its clear to see why businesses are targeting Arabic speaking consumer markets through localization efforts.
Localization Services Require the Assistance of a Professional Language Service Company (LSC):
It’s important to ensure the process of localization is handled by a professional language service company (LSC) who has access to qualified experts with extensive experience developing and adapting content for an Arabic speaking audience. Localization for Arabic and it’s associated culture must be accurate and carefully executed as to ensure compliances are met and the target market is enticed and interested in the advertised offerings. When the proper effort is not made to adapt content, colors and images, companies can fall short in an international market or possibly come across as offensive. Localizing for an Arabic speaking market presents major opportunities for growth, expansion and increased revenue, however this can only be successful if companies are willing to properly localize websites, content and marketing material for this rapidly expanding demographic.
Localizing for an Arabic Speaking Consumer Market is a Job for an Expert:
Many things need to be taken into account when localizing for an Arabic speaking consumer market. Your LSC will aid you in determining exactly what dialect, religion or country to target or if it’s in your best interest to try and appeal to all Arabic speaking countries. Once your target audience is defined, your content can be adapted in a culturally appropriate manner.
Localization can be a challenge when it comes to Arabic and the layout of text and imagery on a website. Arabic is written right to left (RTL) as opposed to left to right (LTR) and can also be bi-directional. When a name of a product is not translated the text would display LTR while content or descriptions would read RTL. This can make layouts difficult because there are different sets of texts flowing in two different directions. It’s also necessary for the standard right navigation to flip and become left navigation on all web pages.
It’s important, culturally appropriate imagery is selected when targeting an Arabic speaking consumer market. Images carry such a strong representation of what your company is setting out to portray and they have a massive impact on your audience’s perception of your reputation. Careful consideration should be taken into account when selecting images featuring women, religion or political subject matters.
Contact Niki’s Int’l Ltd. to Localize For Arabic Speaking Markets:
Opportunities are waiting to be tapped through developing tailored content for Arabic speaking target audiences. If you’re company is ready to receive the vast benefits that are associated with a successful localization project, contact Niki’s Int’l Ltd., a LSC will over 20 years of experience bridging language gaps and creating international business opportunities for companies wanting to expand.
Niki’s Int’l Ltd. is a WBENC-Certified Women Business Enterprise with 20 years of language service experience. A global network of highly skilled interpreters and translators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for on-site, telephonic and video remote interpretation services. Our linguists are available in over 350 languages and dialects, and our network includes certified interpreters and translators. Our work is guaranteed with a $1 Million Errors & Omissions policy, so that you can be confident that your project will be completed with the highest level of quality and professionalism within the field. For more information contact us at 1-877-567-8449 or visit our website at www.nilservices.com.