We spent a fortune on SEO and ads to finally get traffic from the Middle East. Our conversion rate was zero. Turns out, our "localized" site was just Google Translated.
We learned the hard way that true website localization isn't translation. It's about cultural code-switching.
It's the difference between selling a "boot" (UK) and a "trunk" (US). But for the Middle East, it's deeper: colors, imagery, and even the way you structure a value proposition can have wildly different meanings.
Our generic, translated site didn't just feel foreign—it felt lazy and untrustworthy. We were leaving money on the table because we didn't understand the rules of cultural context.
I dug into the process and put together a no-BS guide on how to do it right, without getting ripped off by agencies. It covers the 3 things you must do before you even touch a line of code or hire a translator.
Here’s the step-by-step guide we wish we had: https://frenchtranslation.ae/how-to-localize-a-website/
