If your Shopify store targets Saudi Arabia, translating your English keywords into Arabic is not enough. Arabic shoppers search differently, and the gap between the two is where you can win traffic. Here is a simple process for Arabic keyword research.
1. Start with how people actually search
Shoppers type everyday product words, not literal translations. For example, they search "قلاية هوائية" (air fryer) or "مدفأة كربون" (carbon heater), and often add the city or "السعودية" (Saudi Arabia) to the phrase.
2. Collect keyword ideas from three places
- Google Keyword Planner: set the location to Saudi Arabia and the language to Arabic to see search volume.
- Google autocomplete: type your product name in Arabic and note the suggestions.
- Google Search Console: once your store has traffic, check which Arabic queries already show impressions.
3. Group keywords by intent
- Informational: "أفضل مدفأة للغرفة الصغيرة" (best heater for a small room)
- Comparison: "مدفأة كربون أو زيت" (carbon or oil heater)
- Buying: "سعر قلاية هوائية" (air fryer price), "شراء مدفأة كهربائية" (buy an electric heater)
Buying keywords go on product and collection pages. Informational ones go in blog posts that link to those pages.
4. Watch the seasons
Search interest in Saudi Arabia follows the calendar. Heaters peak in winter, fans and coolers in summer, kitchen appliances before Ramadan, and deals around White Friday. Use Google Trends with the region set to Saudi Arabia, and publish content a few weeks before the peak.
5. Put the keywords in the right places
Use the main Arabic keyword in the page title, meta description, H1 heading, image alt text and the first paragraph. Keep each page focused on one main keyword so your pages don't compete with each other.
6. Set up hreflang
Tell Google which version is for which audience, using ar-sa for Arabic and en-sa for English, so the right page is shown to the right person.
7. Track results
Review Search Console every month. Keep keywords that bring clicks, improve pages that get impressions but few clicks, and drop terms that don't convert.
Final thoughts
Treat Arabic SEO as its own project and not as a translation of your English site. Arabic queries are often less competitive, so careful research can bring steady organic traffic. Stores like Sanford KSA show how a bilingual store can pair this with local conveniences like cash on delivery and a clear free-shipping threshold.
What tools do you use for Arabic keyword research? Share them in the comments.
Disclosure: I work with Sanford KSA.
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