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Advertising Tips

Should You Run Arabic Ads for GCC Lead Generation?

Should You Run Arabic Ads for GCC Lead Generation?

Should You Run Arabic Ads for GCC Lead Generation?

According to the leading language and leadership training company, Arabic is the sixth most used language in the world. It is estimated to have about 245 million native speakers worldwide and the official language of 26 countries. Therefore, it can be considered as an important language to use for any business – most especially in the GCC region.

Whether your business has local operations or in consideration to open one in the said region, it is essential to choose the correct language to use. Especially in the age of modern technology, where more and more businesses strengthen and increase their online presence. “Google” became synonymous with the word “search”, as it is the easiest way to do it nowadays. This is why an online marketing model using PPC (Pay Per Click) in the Arabic language should be thought of.

What is PPC?

PPC stands for Pay Per Click, a kind of online marketing where advertisers pay a charge each time one of their advertisements is clicked in this model. When someone types in certain keywords or phrases into a search engine, this form of online advertising allows you to pay a charge to have your website appear on the search engine result page (SERP). It is like buying organic visits to your sites, without using other methods such as sending out newsletters via email or posting through social media websites.

With this in mind, one might think that using the Arabic language for lead generation online could be an easy task. There are also some factors to consider, such as the following:

The local dialect.

If you are not familiar with this language, Arabic has different dialects. For example, the dialect used in the Middle Eastern countries may not have the exact same words used for the Arabic speakers in the Northern African region. This is on top of the different dialects within a GCC country. Your PPC marketing campaign could not be that effective if this is not observed, as the words used in the search engine should be exactly the same or should be somehow very close.

Online translation is a big “no”.

Together with technology, automatic online translations run by a website are a big hit. Since the internet can reach another part of the world, these sites provide instant assistance to understand something in a different language. However, when used in PPC marketing, there could be differences in the specific meaning of some words. No matter how advanced the technology is, nothing beats employing someone professional and familiar with the country to translate specific Arabic words. Especially when talking about the first pointer discussed earlier – there are dialects that should be considered.

Learn from competitors.

Have a direct competitor in a specific Arabic-speaking country? Use this to your advantage by studying their online strategy with the help of a simple search via the internet. This will give an idea of how they present themselves to their new and existing customers. Honestly, Arabic Adwords does not have much competition in some lines of business. Unless your business is engaging in hotels, electronics, online shopping sites, and real estate, you only have to worry about the right Arabic words to use. You can see fast results when you are bidding in a small competitive market.

Be consistent.

Let’s say you have an effective campaign with the use of the Arabic language in the GCC through PPC. It does not end with the search engine itself, as you should be consistent across all your online presence. Now that we know that there are different Arabic dialects in the GCC, your website or social media content should have the same dialect as per your campaign. It would not be proper to use different dialects in one campaign unless it is done separately for each. In comparison to Chinese languages, having Mandarin and Cantonese in one campaign (unless properly stated and distinguished) is a big no. You may gain an increase in organic traffic but it did not result to profit due to this issue.

In speaking of consistency, make sure to also consider the orientation and format of your website. It was observed that most of the users of search engines in the GCC use their mobile devices. It is important to note that the format should be compatible with all (or most) mobile devices and internet browsers. Another essential point is how Arabic content should be read. It should be from the right going to the left, in comparison to the English content that is read from the left to the right.

What Should Be Done

The use of the Arabic language in the GCC lead generation depends on your target market. There are businesses that may not be fully required to use the local language. It was noted that there is a continuous increase in the use of the English language in the region in the past few years, especially for the younger generations. Therefore, there may not be a need for the use of creating an Arabic version of your campaign. Though if you would like to maximize the reach of your ads through search engines in the region, using this language could be your business’ best bet. As you might already know, clear communication with any potential customer is important – which includes using the correct and proper language.

Looking for a digital marketing company that can help you run Arabic ads through a PPC campaign? It is important to choose an agency that is familiar with the local market and has been in the business long enough to understand the online marketing trends in the GCC region. The digital marketing agency that can provide this service and fits these criteria can surely bring results for your business. As stated earlier, the use of the Arabic language in this kind of campaign could be a challenge, but choosing the right partner will be able to deliver and make any business grow.

 

Marielle Santillan

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