Quick answer: do Arabic keyword research separately from English, not by translating your English keyword list. Collect the words customers actually use, including Gulf spelling variants and mixed Arabic and English terms, check them in Google’s own tools for Qatar, and map each set of related keywords to one Arabic page written for that search.
Many bilingual websites in Doha have an Arabic version that receives far fewer search visits than the English one. The Arabic pages exist, but they were written from translated keywords that few people type. Arabic search behaviour has its own vocabulary, spelling habits and borrowed English terms. This guide explains the differences and a practical way to research them.
Why translated keywords miss searches
A translation tool gives the formal equivalent of a phrase. Searchers often use something else:
- Spelling variants: «جوجل» and «قوقل» for Google, «اعلان» and «إعلان» with or without the hamza, «ة» and «ه» at the end of words.
- Borrowed terms: people may search for «سيو» rather than «تحسين محركات البحث», or «شات بوت» rather than a formal Arabic equivalent.
- Mixed queries: an Arabic phrase with an English brand or product name, such as «متجر shopify».
- Dialect: Gulf everyday words may differ from Modern Standard Arabic, especially for services and products.
Google handles some variants automatically, but not all, and the wording in your title and headings still affects whether searchers feel the result matches what they asked.
Step 1: Collect real phrases
Start with people, not tools. Ask your sales and customer service teams which words customers use on the phone and in messages. Read your contact form submissions and reviews. Note how competitors in Doha and across Qatar title their Arabic pages. This gives you a seed list in the language your customers actually speak.
Step 2: Check demand in Google’s tools
Enter the seed phrases in Google Ads Keyword Planner with the location set to Qatar and the language set to Arabic. Note related suggestions and their relative volumes. Keep in mind that volumes for Qatar are often small and shown in ranges, so treat them as a guide to which variant is more common rather than as precise numbers.
If your site already has Arabic pages, Google Search Console shows the actual Arabic queries that brought impressions. These are often the most valuable source, because they come from real searches for your business.
Step 3: Sort keywords by intent
Sort the phrases by what the searcher wants, not by the words they share. For example, someone searching for the cost of a service and someone searching for a company that provides it may need different pages. Each set should have one target page, so your own pages do not compete with each other.
Step 4: Write the Arabic page for the search
- Use the most common variant naturally in the page title, the main heading and the first paragraph.
- Mention close variants where they fit, without repeating keywords unnaturally.
- Answer the question behind the search clearly near the top of the page.
- Write the meta description in Arabic, so the search result itself reads well.
- Use Arabic URLs or clear transliterated URLs consistently, and link the page to its English equivalent with hreflang.
Step 5: Review after a few months
Check Search Console for the queries each Arabic page receives. You will often find variants you did not plan for. Adjust headings and sections to cover them, and create new pages only when a set of queries clearly needs its own answer.
Frequently asked questions
Should Arabic URLs be in Arabic script?
Both Arabic-script and Latin URLs can rank. Arabic URLs are readable for Arabic users but appear encoded when copied; whatever you choose, keep it consistent across the site.
Do I need different keywords for Qatar than for other Arab countries?
Often yes. Vocabulary, spelling habits and borrowed terms vary between countries, so research with the location set to Qatar.
Is it enough to translate the English page well?
A good translation helps readers, but the page should also target the phrases Arabic searchers use, which may not match the English keywords.
Sources
- Google Ads Help: Use Keyword Planner
- Google Search Central: Tell Google about localized versions of your page
If your Arabic pages are not attracting searches, our SEO service includes Arabic and English keyword research for Qatar. You can request a quote for a keyword review.
Written by the Creative 4 All team, a web and digital agency working since 2012. Last reviewed: November 2026.
