I recall the astonishment on my brother-in-law's face when he got a quote for 75K SAR for his company website. "It's just a webpage!" he exclaimed. Shortly after, he eventually with a inexpensive 3,000 SAR site that was visually disappointing and failed to generate a single lead.
For a technology company, we identified that their English content was considerably higher quality than their Arabic content. After enhancing their Arabic content quality, they achieved a 129% growth in sales from Arabic-speaking visitors.
Two quarters into our launch, our sales were disappointing. It wasn't until I happened to a thorough study about our niche that I discovered how oblivious I'd been to the competitive landscape around us.
A few days ago, a entrepreneur lamented that his social media marketing was consuming thousands of riyals with minimal return. After analyzing his strategy, I identified several critical errors that are extremely typical among Saudi businesses.
Not long ago, I watched as three rival companies invested heavily into developing their business on a specific social media platform. Their initiatives failed spectacularly as the medium turned out to be a poor fit for our industry.
For a financial services customer, we developed a information campaign about generational wealth that featured Shariah-compliant approaches. This material exceeded their previous generic financial advice by 417% in response.
Rather than fixating solely on securing the most affordable rate, consider the likely outcomes that a quality website will generate for your business. A properly developed site is an advantage that will continue generating returns for years to come.
I now utilize several tools that have significantly upgraded our competitive research:
- Search analysis platforms to monitor rivals' SEO strategies
- Brand monitoring platforms to monitor rivals' digital footprint
- 360 Digital Agency tracking tools to observe modifications to their online presence
- Email capture to receive their campaigns
A cosmetics company shifted from numerous one-time collaborations to sustained associations with less influencers, resulting in a one hundred sixty-four percent improvement in purchases and a 43% drop in acquisition costs.
Working with a clothing brand, we developed comprehensive standards for influencer collaborations that honored social expectations. This strategy eliminated possible problems and strengthened company image.
Recently, a skincare retailer invested 300,000 SAR in standard promotion with minimal outcomes. After redirecting just 25% of that spending to social collaborations, they saw a seven hundred twelve percent growth in sales.
My family member Ahmad at first chose the cheapest quote for his company website, only to find out later that it excluded content creation – resulting in an unforeseen 8,000 SAR expense for professional content creation.
During a recent business networking in Riyadh, I questioned 17 entrepreneurs about their website development experiences. The price range was astonishing – from 2,500 SAR for a minimalist site to over 150,000 SAR for complex e-commerce platforms.
Advising a restaurant chain, we established a strategy where influencers authentically presented products into their daily lives rather than producing obvious advertisements. This strategy resulted in response metrics 218% better than standard advertising posts.
For a financial institution, we implemented a adaptive interface framework that dynamically modified controls, text presentation, and organization based on the chosen language, resulting in a forty-two percent growth in user engagement.
A friend who runs a restaurant in Riyadh at first was shocked at the added 12,000 SAR for an appointment system, but subsequently shared me it became profitable within a quarter by decreasing staff time spent on phone reservations.
I visited a web design company in Jeddah last quarter where they showed me the distinction between their themed and bespoke projects. The visual impact was immediately noticeable – the unique sites appeared distinctly more professional and distinctive.
Not long ago, my colleague Hessa obtained quotes ranging from 22,000 to 58,000 SAR for basically the same business website. The disparity? The pricier quotes featured custom design features rather than themed approaches.
I use a straightforward spreadsheet to monitor our competition's rates adjustments on a regular basis. This has allowed us to:
- Spot periodic discount patterns
- Detect package deal tactics
- Comprehend their pricing psychology
I dedicate at least a substantial amount of time each week reviewing our competitors':
- Online architecture and navigation
- Blog posts and content calendar
- Social media presence
- Client testimonials and assessments
- SEO approach and performance
I advise classifying competitors as:
- Main competitors (offering equivalent products/services)
- Peripheral competitors (with partial similarity)
- New disruptors (new entrants with disruptive potential)