Article · 10 min read

Localization Strategies for SaaS Products in the Middle East Market

Mary Nyambura · Zoho Blog Free Intermediate

Concrete about what changes for the Gulf beyond translation: Arabic and right to left support, dialect differences between countries, local legal and data rules, and showing up at regional events to be taken seriously.

  • Arabic is written right to left, so the interface needs rebuilding, not translating.
  • The working week differs: Friday and Saturday are the weekend, which changes support hours and campaign timing.
  • The UAE has its own GDPR-equivalent data protection regime to comply with.
  • Offer the Hijri calendar where it is used, and treat Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt as distinct markets.
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The question it answers

  1. We sell in India, the US and the Gulf. How much should the messaging actually change per market?

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