Jeddah SEO

This article is an introduction to Jeddah SEO to help your business reach this important market. This massive Saudi Arabian commerce center is one of the world’s 40th fastest growing cities, and with the rapid globalization focus of the greater KSA, there has been no better time to make a name for your business here.

Why Jeddah is worth targeting with your SEO efforts

 

Jeddah, a port city along the Red Sea, is Saudi’s commercial capital. With a population of 4,943,000 in 2024, it is one of the largest in the Middle East, falling 6th only behind Cairo, Baghdad, Riyadh, Alexandria, and Dubai. Jeddah sees massive rates of international commerce and trade, as the second-largest and second-busiest port in the Middle East after Dubai’s Port of Jebel Ali. It is also the crossroads for Muslims worldwide as a gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. As a result, Jeddah is currently the largest airport in Saudi Arabia and received a record 42.7 million visitors in 2023, many of them completing the Hajj pilgrimage. The city is becoming increasingly globalized as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 continues to be developed to increase national tourist revenue to nearly 20%.

 

What makes your SEO so competitive in the Jeddah market

For comparison’s sake, Jeddah has a very similar population to Los Angeles, Berlin, and Hanoi. Googling SEO for these three latter options yields hundreds of results, companies, and competition. However, Jeddah, despite being the commercial hub for the largest country in the Gulf, has nearly no search results. This means the market is highly undersaturated and underdeveloped. However, with a rapidly growing internet penetration rate in Saudi Arabia that stands at 98% in 2024, it’s safe to assume that the market will see swift growth in the coming years. Be ahead of the curve!

 

Keys to ranking in Jeddah

 

1. Keyword research

To conduct rewarding SEO in Jeddah, your first step is to learn about what subjects there is demand to learn more about. Thankfully if you do not consider yourself an expert in life in Jeddah, there are online keyword finder tools that exist to do the work of locating these keywords for you. Try using Ubersuggest, SEOWorkers Analysis Tool, or WooRank as free tools for your site. Determining which content is in demand locally will guide you for what to build content around. You also should conduct these searches in Arabic, as that is by far the most used language. There is a substantive population who speaks English as a second language, however.

 

Here is an example of an Arabic Google search in Jeddah, focusing on Jeddah restaurants:

 

 

 

2. Assigning keywords to the proper pages

Once you have successfully determined which Arabic and English keywords are hot topics in Jeddah, you need map groups of 3-5 related keywords to matching pages on your own site. You want to ensure that each page is relevant to the keywords, or else create your own.

 

3. Use your target keywords in the Title, URL, and Meta description

To ensure you are maximizing your Jeddah SEO potential, you must be strategic about where and how to incorporate keywords into your pages. The essential places to pepper your keywords are in the Title, the URL, and the Meta description. Your repeated and prominent use of the keywords will help ensure your content is linked strongly to them.

4. Content

Now that you have the basis for your articles and pages, you need to fill it out with substance through content. Feel free to write whatever you want, but make sure it is relevant to the keywords and incorporates phrases explicitly using them. To cast a wide net for searchers, make sure you expand upon the seed keyword to long-tail keywords. For example, expanding upon phrases like “restaurants Jeddah” to “what is the best place to eat in Jeddah” or “best food Jeddah”.

One way to boost engagement is by introducing interactive elements to your site. Especially with younger users, having some sort of small game, quiz, or interactive graphic can strengthen the appeal of your site.

Note: Saudi Arabia heavily censors their internet, with a special commission to block immoral and inflammatory content. Make sure your website does not end up among the other 500,000 banned!

 

5. Local Jeddah backlinks

It is important to build local trust for your business among locals. To accomplish this, backlinks work very effectively to signal to local people that you are reputable and vetted. To determine where to locate these link-connections, try searching through the following online pages:

 

• American Business Group Jeddah
• Jeddah Resource Pages
• Jeddah Job Postings
• Jeddah Expatriate Community
• Jeddah local vendors
• Destination Jeddah Magazine
• Destination KSA
• com.sa

 

Additionally, target local searches for your specific industry.

 

6. User experience for Jeddah website visitors

Similar to any website around the world, the experience a user has while using your website is directly connected to their perception of your legitimacy. Having excellent user interface such as using engaging graphics, an easily navigable layout, and legible font are simple but effective methods. Given that upwards of 92% of Saudis use smartphones, having a site that is mobile-friendly is essential. Additionally, based on which population you are trying to target, whether or not to have sections in Arabic is crucial.

 

Other important factors to ranking in Jeddah

 

Is it critical to use .sa or .com.sa domains?

 

No. As of now, only very few popular Saudi websites use .sa or .com.sa domains, so it is certainly not crucial to your success. However, it is something to consider, especially if your reach is greater Saudi Arabia, to signal to locals that you know what you are doing.

 

Regional Hosting

 

In the past couple of years, many options have popped up for hosting in Saudi Arabia. The most popular companies include:

• Saudi Host (Jeddah)
• EXA Host (Riyadh)
• Nashir Net (Riyadh)

However, you might also want to consider hosting in Europe (more cost-efficient, but generally slower) or in nearby UAE or Bahrain (faster speed, but more expensive).

 

Seasonal Search Engine Opportunities

 

• The Hajj (Islamic pilgrimage) takes place over 10 days at a different time each year. Most pilgrims fly into Jeddah and then take a bus to Mecca and Medina. Nearly two million Muslims arrive to complete this holy rite.
• Ramadan
• Eid al Adha
• Eid al Fitr
• Saudi National Day, every September 23
• Saudi Founding Day, every February 22

 

 

Geo-targeting parts of Jeddah

As the business center of KSA, Jeddah sprawls across 137 different districts. To target a more specific audience, we recommend focusing on a few or one district. To get you started, here are some quick descriptions of the nicest and most popular areas in Jeddah in 2024:

• Al Zahraa
  • Home to some of the best amenities in Jeddah, from top-notch healthcare to international schools to luxury shopping malls.
• Arrawudah
  • A lively area with a wide range of residential options for all budgets, as well as cafes, restaurants, and shopping areas.
• Al Salamah
  • A popular choice for expats, this area boasts modern housing options and private schools and clinics.
• Al Shati
  • Along the coast, Al Shati is home to a beautiful waterfront area as well as more costly residential properties.
• Al Hamra
  • Another popular choice for expats given the high concentration of foreign embassies and international schools, Al Hamra offers higher-end residential options.
• Al Naeem
  • An up-and-coming neighborhood, Al Naeem is always busy and a popular choice for visitors looking to shop and eat.
• Al Basateen
  • A luxury residential area known for its greenery and luxury housing options.
• Al Murjan
  • A prime choice for young professionals and families due to its affordability, Al Murjan is also an easily accessible neighborhood to other areas in Jeddah.

 

 

Conclusion

With Jeddah becoming increasingly internationally reputable, you want to ensure that your business stays ahead of the trends in the country’s commercial capital. Learn how to position yourself for success while the market is unsaturated.

 

If you’d like help with your SEO for Jeddah contact us today.