International SEO is essential when expanding businesses in the global marketplace. Despite your success in your original target market, it cannot assure that the same will happen in another location. Thus, marketers are adapting their optimization strategies to the language, culture, and preferences of their target geolocation.
However, there are a lot of considerations when it comes to international SEO. To succeed in the global market, we listed down the things that can help you.
Invest in quality translation services
Language plays a vital role in marketing. It helps in conveying the message of your business and advertising the products and services your offer. Moreover, it is an effective way to leave a lasting impression on your target audience. Thus, investing in quality translation services that offer language solutions for your industry can be beneficial.
When targeting a location, you should consider all the ethnicities and cultural groups residing in it. A single area could have people speaking different languages. According to United States Census Bureau, there are already 350 languages spoken just in the US alone. As you venture into the global market, you will need to translate your content into more languages.
Hiring translators can be pretty expensive. However, it will be totally worth it considering all the benefits that they can offer you. Instead of using translation tools for a cheaper and faster option, it is better to invest in reliable translation services. Otherwise, your DIY attempts will only lead to self-destruction due to numerous grammatical errors and mistranslations.
Do some research
Before you start expanding your business in the global market, you need to start with initial research first. This is to make sure that your efforts will not be in vain once your set your target audience. Here are the things that you must know by the end of your research:
- Current status – Make sure to know how well your website is doing in attracting traffic and visibility from foreign countries. Identify the keywords, locations, and languages that are doing great in the international market.
- Competitors – Learn from your competitors by observing their target markets and how the global audiences are responding to their attempts. You can also take advantage of the markets and locations they overlook but you think has great potential.
- Search engine – Aside from Google, there are different search engines that people use around the world. For example, over 90% of Chinese people use Baidu which means that you have to make separate research on this search engine.
- Potentials – Next, identify the potentials of your business in your target market. Search for the trends and norms in a location to know if people will get interested in the products and services your offer. Make sure to do local keyword researching and apply it to your web content.
Customize your domain structure
There are different types of domain structures that you can use in international SEO. By customizing them, you let the search engines know your target location and language. They will then lead your audiences to the right localized page they are looking for. These are some of the domain structures that you can choose from:
- ccTLDs
If you choose to have Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) is ideal when you want to target specific geolocation. It provides the best geo-targeting signals that make server locations less of an issue. However, this can be pretty expensive and meticulous which means it is the best choice if you’re only targeting 2-3 countries.
- Subdomains
Using subdomains is ideal for those who want to localize their page for their target audiences but do not want to have a separate domain. It uses a generic Top-Level Domain Name (gTLD) that makes it convenient to use. However, the problem with using subdomains is that they tend to be unreliable for the users and can split the domain authority of your website.
- Subdirectories
If you are already using a gTLD but want a more specific page, it is best to use subdirectories. This is convenient to set-up and ideal if you are targeting a location that uses multiple languages. It is also low maintenance and easy to manage unlike the other two mentioned.
While the link for ccTLD goes like <www.website.fr> to target French consumers, a subdomain will be <www.website.com/fr>. Meanwhile, a subdirectory looks something like <www.website.com/fr-en> which means that you are targeting English speakers in France.
Conclusion
If you are considering expanding your business, it is important to put your attention on your international SEO. Not only will it attract more audiences but it can also leave a positive impression that you care for your target market. Learning international SEO and applying them to your business can be a tough process. However, following the things that I listed above first and foremost can guarantee your success in the global market.
