– Written by Robyn de Wet –
There are numerous factors to take into account when expanding your business, especially when venturing into new international markets. Today, our focus will be on your website. Understanding the intricacies of international SEO is crucial for ensuring that your prodcuts and services reach the appropriate audience. How can your website distinguish itself and appeal to diverse global audiences? How can you guarantee that your website achieves high rankings in each country you aim at? Let’s delve into the best practices of internation SEO – examining the technical elements, content subtleties, major challenges and strategies for navigating these to achieve a successful global SEO strategy.
International SEO involves optimising your website to enable search engines to ascertain which countries your business is targeting, the languages in use and crucially, which website or subfolder should rank in each specific market. Let’s explore how your business’ SEO can succeed on an international scale.
As we are already aware, the success of any marketing strategy hinges on an organisation’s understanding of its customers in order to connect with them effectively. This is equally vital in SEO, particularly when expanding into new markets.
Carry out keyword research to determine how users in each market search for your offerings. This is a crucial step in reaching your target audience and may not always be as straightforward as translating from English. For instance, in the IT industry, there might not always be a local translation for certain concepts and simply translating these may not resonate with the local audience.
You are likely already familiar with the competitive landscape in your local market, but it is essential to comprehend how this differs in each market. You need to understand how your existing competitors are functioning globally and identify any alternative competitors you may encounter in these markets.
Technical SEO is always our initial action point after crafting any SEO strategy. Ensuring your website has robust technical foundations will aid you on your journey towards digital expansion. Technical SEO is challenging enough when focussing on a single market, but when targeting global markets, there are specific aspects of technical SEO that should remain at the forefront of your considerations.
Choosing the appropriate URL structure for international SEO is similar to establishing a foundation for your global digital footprint. It influences how search engines understand your regional targeting and plays a vital role in how users perceive your online presence. Let us explore the three main URL structures employed in international SEO: Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs), subdomains and subdirectories.
Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs)
ccTLDs are domain extensions specific to a country or territory, such as .uk for the United Kingdom or .de for Germany. They indicate a strong regional focus and are immediately recognisable to local users. However, they are treated as separate websites, requiring additional SEO efforts to build and maintain SEO strength for each.
Subdomains
With subdomains, the structure involves a main domain followed by a regional subdomain, such as de.example.com for Germany. Although separate in some ways, subdomains – when properly linked – can benefit from the main domain’s overall authority in certain algorithms.
Subfolders
Subfolders utilise the primary domain followed by a directory path, like example.com/de/. Subfolders take advantage of the main domain’s overall authority, which is beneficial for SEO, though there is a risk of canonical errors. Incorrect use of subfolders can result in indexing issues, leading us to one of the most critical considerations in international SEO: hreflang.
Correct hreflang implementationHreflang tags are a piece of code that informs search engines about the specific language and region your webpages are intended for. When implemented correctly, they assist search engines in delivering the appropriate version of a webpage to users within their respective markets. This process is vital for enhancing user experience and connecting with the local audience.
Additionally, hreflang tags can help prevent issues with duplicate content across the different versions of your website. For instance, if you have a page available in English for both UK and Australian audiences, hreflang tags instruct Google on which version should be displayed to users in those countries. It is important to note that hreflang tags serve as a signal rather than a directive, meaning that search engines will ultimately display the page they consider most suitable.
In today’s fast-paced world, a sluggish website is unappealing to everyone. Page speed plays a significant role in international SEO, particularly when targeting regions where internet speeds may be slower. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) are particularly advantageous for international websites. CDNs deploy caching servers globally, ensuring quicker content delivery by locating data closer to users geographically.
Although international SEO can open up opportunities in new markets, creating content tailored to specific regions guarantees that your message not only reaches your audience but also deeply resonates with them.
Guided by localised keyword research, crafting bespoke content for each market is merely the first step. The content aspect of international SEO emphasises cultural relevance and linguistic subtleties. It’s fundamentally about ensuring that your content strikes a chord with every local audience it is intended to engage.
Simply translating your content falls short. Understanding the cultural context is crucial. It’s not just about the words, it’s about the values, references and even the humour that might be unique to a particular culture.
As your international content expands, it is important to maintain an organised structure by incorporating internal links to localised content in the relevant language. This approach not only benefits SEO but also enhances the user experience, allowing audiences to navigate your site effortlessly in their preferred language.
You should consider all the elements that would deliver the best possible experience for your customers. Here are a few aspects that come to mind:
During the keyword research and competitor analysis phase, we frequently discover how the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) varies from region to region. This information is crucial for developing our tailored localised strategies as part of our broader international SEO initiatives. Below are the key areas we focus on as part of localisation.
Where applicable, include local business details for each region in which you operate. This helps establish regional relevance and trust, particularly in local search results where contextual information is crucial.
Utilising schema markup can improve your search listings with rich snippets, offering users more contextual information. Markups for local business, reviews and event data enhance your region-specific relevance.
When growing your global presence through international SEO, establishing local authority is fundamental to success. Building local authority goes beyond improving SEO rankings, it involves earning your audience’s trust and nurturing long-term engagement.
Develop your local backlink profile Backlinks form the foundation of a site’s authority and with international SEO, the focus shifts to acquiring backlinks within your target country. For instance, an Italian website would gain advantages from relevant links coming from authoritative Italian domains.
An effective strategy for international SEO is partnering with local influencers or industry experts. By building these relationships, you can enhance your site’s credibility and cultivate community-based trust, which is recognised by search engines.
It enables you to position yourself strategically in each market you choose to serve. Whether you’re venturing into new regions or reinforcing your presence in existing ones, adhering to this international SEO guide is vital for effectively reaching and resonating with your target audience.
While international SEO may seem daunting, with the right support and strategy, your digital presence can become limitless. If you aspire to expand your brand across global markets, get in touch with us today and we will gladly offer expert advice on the best way to achieve your goals.