As your business expands beyond your local market, understanding how to optimize for diverse international audiences will become essential. You’ll face two hurdles:
Global search engine optimization (SEO) helps you solve both of these challenges. To succeed globally, you need to think locally. This means adapting your digital marketing strategies to fit each market’s unique characteristics.
According to international SEO expert Aleyda Solis, “if your international presence is not correctly implemented, it [can represent] not only a lost opportunity but [also] a negative investment and a bad experience that might [result in] alienated visitors.”
As we delve into the intricacies of global SEO, this article will equip you with the tools, strategies, and expert input you need to optimize your website content for global markets.
Local SEO focuses on attracting customers within a specific geographic area, which makes it perfect for businesses like restaurants and salons that thrive on foot traffic. This strategy involves gathering local reviews and using location-based keywords to ensure that you appear in local search results.
On the other hand, global SEO casts a wider net to reach audiences in other countries and markets. This approach requires a more comprehensive strategy that includes creating multilingual content, performing international keyword research, and understanding the cultural nuances influencing search behavior.
These two strategies do sometimes overlap. For instance, a business with multiple locations may need to implement both local and global SEO. Or, if you run a franchise with branches in different cities around the world, you’ll want to optimize each location for local searches while also maintaining a cohesive global presence online.
Before diving into global SEO, it's important to take a step back and see if your business is truly ready to expand internationally. There are a few key factors to consider:
If you decide to move forward, make sure to create a solid global SEO strategy to maximize your chances of success.
Creating a global SEO strategy is the key to reaching new audiences and driving growth in international markets. But first, you’ll need a clear international SEO strategy that aligns with your business goals.
“There are businesses that have ended up with many languages or country site versions that have been developed without any clear strategy,” Aleyda Solis says. “They don't answer to a business-related goal and are simply the ‘literal translation’ of the main site version. Of course they're not profitable!”
But where do you begin? Let’s take a look at a few key considerations:
Technical SEO is the foundation for your global SEO strategy and is one of the most critical ranking factors. With it, search engines can crawl, index, and rank your content more effectively.
For example, when choosing the right URL structure:
You should also use hreflang tags. These tags help search engines serve the local language or regional URL in search results and aid with geo-targeting.
Also, remember that algorithms vary for different search engines. While Google dominates globally, alternative search engines like Baidu and Yandex have their own unique algorithms and ranking factors that differ from Google’s. Stay up-to-date on these differences and adjust your strategies accordingly.
With localized keyword research, you can identify which terms and phrases your target audience uses to search for products or services like yours. This information is essential for creating content that will rank well in search engine results and attract the right kind of traffic to your website.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to go about this:
Now that you know what keywords to look for, the next step is to create localized content. But keep in mind that it's not enough to simply translate your content into multiple languages—you also need to adapt it to resonate with your target audience.
That’s where transcreation comes into play. Transcreation involves adapting your content to maintain your brand voice while ensuring that it appeals to local audiences. This goes beyond literal translation to modify your content’s message, tone, and cultural references to suit the target market. Transcreation tools like Smartling’s handle this process easily and at scale.
Every region has its own culture, language nuances, and consumer behaviors. Local experts can uncover invaluable insights to ensure that your content resonates with your audience.
“Don’t just hire a translator and a localization agency that doesn’t have SEO input and also validation,” Aleyda Solis said in a SearchMetrics podcast. “You can translate the terms to another language and choose the grammatically correct way to say it, but not necessarily the way that people search with.”
Local native speakers who know SEO fundamentals understand what makes their community tick, from trending topics to local slang. Plus, these experts can help you navigate cultural sensitivities so your campaigns are more effective and respectful.
Be sure to track essential metrics like organic traffic, which tells you how many visitors are finding your site through search engines. Conversion rates are equally important—they show you how many visitors are taking the desired actions, whether that’s signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
Don’t forget about bounce rates, which indicate how many visitors leave your site without engaging. High bounce rates can signal that your content isn’t resonating with your audience in certain locales.
You can also monitor your search engine results page (SERP) rankings across different regions to see where you’re thriving and where you might need to adjust your strategy. Regularly tweaking your content, experimenting with keywords, and refining your approach based on SERP data will help you stay ahead of the competition.
SEO is highly technical in nature, so having the right tools in your arsenal can make all the difference. Here’s a list of tools you should check out:
When it comes to content translation, localization, and transcreation, Smartling offers a comprehensive solution that helps your message resonate with audiences around the world.
Our translation management system (TMS) simplifies this process by automating workflows and centralizing your translation efforts. This means you can easily manage everything from website content to social media and other marketing materials and tailor every piece to your target audience.
Google Analytics (GA4) is an invaluable tool for businesses that are looking to expand their digital presence. You can track international traffic, gain insights into user behavior across different markets, and make informed, data-driven decisions. Here’s how:
Google Search Console (GSC) is a powerful tool for managing and identifying issues with your international SEO efforts. Here's how you can effectively use it:
Ahrefs is a powerhouse tool with a variety of features to support your SEO strategy and performance monitoring. Here are a few standout features:
All this competitive intel is invaluable for understanding market dynamics and refining your SEO tactics to stay ahead on a global scale.
Screaming Frog can identify critical issues that may hinder your website's performance using thorough technical audits. This tool provides a comprehensive overview that allows you to effectively address broken links, missing meta tags, duplicate content, and incorrect hreflang tags.
Screaming Frog also helps you analyze your site’s architecture and optimize content across multiple international sites.
Implementing a robust global SEO strategy may seem like a complex task—but Smartling’s comprehensive localization platform and expert services can help you efficiently scale your multilingual SEO efforts.
We provide several translation solutions, such as our AI-powered human translation solution, to help teams translate content for various markets and languages. Plus, our TMS—which ranks top in its category on G2—ensures the highest-quality translations and more efficient collaboration.
Smartling’s vast network of industry experts and native-speaking translators also craft content that truly resonates with your target audience.
Book a meeting today to discover how Smartling can optimize your global SEO strategy for success and drive global growth.