Top UAE websites 2019 is a snapshot of a changing market. The year’s online shopping story included a clear turning point: Souq became Amazon.ae in the UAE. That change also shows why a historical website list needs a date, a source and context.
This revised article looks at the website categories covered in our original review, explains the verified marketplace transition, and draws practical lessons for UAE brands. It does not present the old traffic estimates as a current or independently verified top-20 ranking.
Which websites did the 2019 article cover?
The original review discussed Google.com, YouTube, Google.ae, Facebook, Yahoo, Wikipedia, Souq, WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram. Its stated source was Similarweb. We have not independently verified the underlying historical table, so the old positions and average visit times are no longer reproduced here.
These websites served very different purposes. Search and reference sites helped people find information. Video and social platforms supported viewing and conversation. Souq represented shopping, while WhatsApp supported communication. A visitor’s time on each service therefore meant something different.
A long video session is not comparable to a quick search that answers a question successfully. For a business, useful engagement depends on the task, not simply the number of minutes spent online.
A verified change among UAE websites in 2019
On 1 May 2019, Amazon and Souq announced the launch of Amazon.ae for UAE customers. The official launch announcement documents that transition. Amazon then announced Prime in the UAE on 11 June 2019.
These dates matter when reading an older list that still names Souq. A snapshot from before May and one from later in the year may use different domains for a related shopping journey. The name change alone does not prove that shoppers disappeared or that another business gained equivalent traffic.
For anyone comparing website performance across a migration, check the relationship between the old and new addresses. Otherwise, a domain change can look like a sudden audience loss when the customer journey has moved.
What UAE brands can learn from the shift
Maintain continuity when your website changes
A new design should help customers recognise the business they already know. Keep the brand identity clear and explain any material changes to how people browse, buy or contact you.
Before launch, make an inventory of important product pages, service pages and articles. Record where each page will live. Then check the links used in campaigns, social profiles and customer communications. A beautiful new homepage cannot compensate for a broken product link.
Give product content a clear job
Online shoppers need more than a product name and a polished image. Help them understand what they are buying, which option suits them and what happens after purchase.
For example, a fragrance product page might explain bottle size, scent notes, product format and available delivery information. A short video could show the packaging and scale. This is an illustrative content brief, not a claim about a specific campaign’s performance.
Our video production services can support product demonstrations and brand stories. The brief should determine the format rather than treating every product as the same creative task.
Connect discovery with a relevant destination
Someone who clicks a specific product post should reach a matching product or collection page. Someone researching a service needs its scope, examples and a clear enquiry route.
Review the handover between social media marketing and your website. Check whether the offer, imagery and next step remain consistent. This makes the journey easier to understand and easier to measure.
A practical website comparison checklist
Use this checklist when studying top UAE websites from 2019 or another period:
- Purpose: Are you comparing shopping, search, publishing or entertainment?
- Audience: Does the source measure UAE visitors or worldwide activity?
- Period: Is the figure a monthly snapshot or an annual summary?
- Domain: Did the business change its address or combine several services?
- Metric: Does the number describe visits, people, page views or another activity?
- Decision: What specific change to your own website would this evidence justify?
For your own business, review completed purchases or qualified enquiries alongside traffic. A smaller audience with a clear need may be more useful than a large audience that never reaches the next step. Our corporate website design guide explains how content and structure support those actions.
Frequently asked questions
When did Souq become Amazon.ae in the UAE?
The official announcement is dated 1 May 2019. This is a documented historical event, separate from any traffic ranking.
Was the old top-20 list valid for all of 2019?
We cannot establish that from the original article’s surviving source information. This revision therefore avoids treating its positions as an annual ranking.
Should a UAE business copy a popular website?
Use other websites to identify useful patterns, then design around your own customers and service. Copying a large platform’s layout without its business context can create unnecessary complexity.
The Media Lab creates websites for Dubai and UAE businesses, supported by content and production. Tell us about your website project.
Reviewed September 2026. Historical scope: 2019. Unverified ranking figures have been removed. Cover image is an original AI-generated editorial illustration, not a marketplace screenshot or client project.
