Multilingual SEO
Multilingual SEO in Morocco: the right language for every visitor
Multilingual SEO makes each language version of your website rank on its own, for the people who search in that language, so each one brings its own organic traffic. In Morocco that usually means French and Arabic, often English, sometimes Spanish. We set up the structure, link the versions with hreflang and research searches in each language, because people do not type the same words in French and in English.
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Why a translated site is not enough
Most bilingual sites we audit fail in one of three ways.
- One address, two languages. The language changes with a button or a cookie but the URL stays the same, so Google only ever sees one version.
- Automatic translation. A plugin translates every page on the fly. The result reads badly, and pages that add nothing to the original rarely rank.
- Translated keywords nobody types. A literal translation of an English term is often not what people search in French. In French, SEO professionals say "SEO on-page", not "SEO sur la page".
Each of these leaves one language invisible. Fixing them is mostly structure, plus research in each language.
How we set it up
- One URL per languageFolders such as /fr/ and /ar/ on one domain, so each version builds on the same authority.
- hreflang, both waysEach page names its versions and they name it back, with an x-default for everyone else.
- A switch to the same pageThe language button leads to the translated page, not the other home page.
- Language declaredThe right lang attribute, and right-to-left layout for Arabic pages.
- Sitemaps with alternatesEvery version listed with its pairs, so Google finds them together.
- Separate titles and descriptionsWritten for each language's searches, not copied across.
Which languages Moroccans search in
Searches for business services in Morocco are often typed in French. Arabic, and Darija written in Arabic or Latin letters, appear more in everyday consumer searches. English matters for tourism, for companies selling abroad, and for a growing share of younger professionals.
The safest answer comes from your own data. Search Console shows the exact searches that already bring up your pages. Our own site gets impressions on searches in English, French and Arabic, which is why the structure leaves room for each.
We write content in English, French and Arabic. For Arabic pages we also set up the structure, the right-to-left layout and the tags.
An example structure
The pattern we use for a site in three languages.
| Version | Address | hreflang |
|---|---|---|
| English | example.ma/ | en, x-default |
| French | example.ma/fr/ | fr |
| Arabic | example.ma/ar/ | ar |
Google's documentation: Tell Google about localized versions of your page.
How we measure multilingual SEO
Search Console can split performance by country and by page, so each language folder gets its own figures: impressions, clicks and the queries it ranks for. We also check which version Google shows in which country, because a French page showing to English searchers is a sign the hreflang tags are not doing their job.
Each month you see the trend per language, not one total that hides a version doing badly.
Frequently asked questions
What is hreflang?
A tag that tells Google which language, and optionally which country, a page is for, and where its other versions are. It stops Google treating versions as duplicates and shows each visitor the right one.
Subdomain, subfolder or separate domain?
For most Moroccan businesses, subfolders on one domain (/fr/, /ar/). Each language benefits from the whole domain's links, and there is one site to maintain.
Should I use automatic translation?
Not for the pages you want to rank. Machine translation can be a first draft, but each important page needs a person to adapt it to what people search in that language.
Do you write in Arabic?
Yes. We write in English, French and Arabic, and for Arabic pages we also handle the structure, the right-to-left layout and the tags.
Can one French page target both Morocco and France?
Yes, one page can serve all French speakers. Separate versions for Morocco and France only make sense if the content really differs, such as delivery, prices or legal terms.
How long until a new language version ranks?
A new language version is a new set of pages, so it starts like a new section of the website: weeks to be indexed, then months to build positions. It goes faster when the existing version already has authority and the hreflang links are right from day one.
Find out what is holding your site back.
Send us your address. The audit is free and commits you to nothing.
- WhatsApp +212 6 50 45 00 50
- contact@seo-morocco.ma
- Tangier, Morocco