International SEO

Written By: Kevin Young
Edited By: Jeff Selig
Reviewed By: Julian Connors
Fact Checked By: Shane Kelly

Video Transcript

Expanding your online presence to a global audience is more than just translating your website into different languages.
It’s about adopting a specialized approach called international SEO.
This branch of SEO is tailored to optimize your website for various countries and languages, ensuring it ranks well on search engines worldwide.
Let’s breakdown the essentials of international SEO, its key components and strategies to achieve global success.
At its core, international SEO involves addressing language barriers, cultural nuances, and regional search engine preferences.
The goal is to improve your websites visibility and attract organic traffic from international markets.
Unlike traditional SEO, which might focus solely on one region or language, international SEO requires a more tailored approach.
This includes using localized content, implementing technical SEO practices like HRF length tags, and adapting strategies to meet the preferences of search engines like Baidu in China or Yandex in Russia.
Localized content is one of the cornerstones of international SEO.
It’s not just about translating text, it’s about creating culturally relevant content that resonates with your audience in different regions.
For instance, keywords and phrases can vary widely even within the same language.
In Brazil, users searching for whiskey often use the English term rather than Portuguese equivalents like Uisq.
Tailoring your content to reflect such nuances makes a significant difference in user engagement and search engine rankings.
Equally important are the technical elements of international SEO.
Reflang tags, for example, tell search engines which version of a web page to display based on a user’s language and location.
This ensures that Spanish speaking users in Mexico see content tailored to their region, while users in Spain are directed to a version that aligns with their local context.
Implementing these tags correctly is crucial as errors can lead to search engines serving the wrong version of your content, which may confuse users and increase bounce rates.
Search engine preferences also play a vital role in international SEO.
While Google dominates globally, certain markets rely heavily on other search engines.
Baidu leads in China, Yandex in Russia and Navarre in South Korea.
Each platform has its own set of rules and optimization techniques.
For instance, Baidu favours fast loading, mobile friendly websites hosted locally.
Understanding and catering to these preferences is key to gaining traction in these regions.
The benefits of international SEO are substantial.
By optimizing your website for different countries and languages, you can increase organic traffic, improve user experience, and gain a competitive edge in the global marketplace.
Mobile SEO is also critical in this effort as more users access the web on mobile devices.
Additionally, off page SEO strategies like building high quality backlinks from international domains can further boost your site’s authority and visibility.
To start your international SEO journey, thorough market research and competitor analysis are essential.
Use tools like SEM Rush or Bright Edge to identify opportunities in high potential markets.
Follow this with content optimization tailored to each region.
This includes integrating targeted keywords and using local idioms and phrases to connect authentically with your audience.
Technical SEO best practices should not be overlooked.
Choosing the right URL structure, whether it’s subdomains, subfolders, or country specific domains, is vital.
Combine this with localized hosting and fast load times to create a seamless experience for international users.
And don’t forget to monitor and refine your strategy regularly using tools like Google Analytics to track performance across regions.
In conclusion, international SEO is an essential strategy for businesses looking to expand their global reach.
By localizing content, optimizing technical elements, and adapting to regional search preferences, you can connect with diverse audiences and achieve meaningful growth as the digital landscape evolves.
Staying proactive in your international SCO efforts will ensure your brand’s visibility and relevance in the global marketplace.

Understanding International SEO: A Comprehensive Guide

Expanding your online presence to a global audience requires more than just translating your website into different languages. International SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a specialized branch of on page SEO that focuses on optimizing your website to rank well in search engines across various countries and languages. This guide will delve into the intricacies of international SEO, its importance, and the strategies you can employ to achieve global online success. Effective mobile SEO is also critical as it ensures that your website is optimized for users on mobile devices across different regions. Additionally, off page SEO plays a significant role in boosting your global visibility through backlinks and social signals. Partnering with a competent SEO firm can streamline the global optimization process.

What is International SEO?

International SEO involves optimizing a website to attract and engage a global audience by addressing challenges such as language barriers, cultural nuances, and search engine preferences in different countries. The goal is to improve a website’s rankings and organic traffic in international markets, enhancing global visibility and brand awareness. Mobile SEO strategies should also be considered to cater to the growing number of global users accessing websites on mobile devices, combined with off page SEO efforts to enhance domain authority internationally. Consulting an experienced SEO firm can provide additional insights and tailored strategies for international markets.

Key Components of International SEO

  • Localized Content and Keyword Research: Localized content and keyword research are fundamental to the success of international SEO. This involves adapting web content, including headers, meta descriptions, and images, to cater to different regions and linguistic groups. For instance, content in Australia must be in English with specific local nomenclature, while in Belgium, it must cater to multiple languages due to its multilingual nature.
  • Technical SEO Elements: Technical aspects such as the right URL structure, hreflang tags, and localized hosting play a crucial role in on page SEO. Choosing the right URL structure—whether subdomains, subfolders, or country code top-level domains (ccTLDs)—is vital for attracting users in international markets through organic search. Hreflang tags are essential for indicating the language and geographical targeting of a webpage, making it clear to search engines which version of a webpage to display to users based on their language preferences and location.
  • Search Engine Preferences: Different countries have different dominant search engines. While Google is the primary search engine targeted by international SEO strategies due to its dominant global market share, other search engines like Baidu in China and Yandex in Russia require unique SEO strategies to enhance search engine rankings in those regions. Engaging with a specialized SEO firm can help you navigate these varied search engine preferences effectively.

Importance of International SEO

International SEO is crucial for businesses looking to expand their reach beyond their home country. By targeting multiple countries and languages, businesses can enhance their search presence and customer engagement worldwide, ultimately facilitating business growth and market penetration. In addition to this, mobile SEO helps ensure that your site performs well on mobile devices, which is essential for reaching a wider audience. Off page SEO complements these efforts by building a network of high-quality backlinks from international sources, further boosting your visibility.

Benefits of International SEO

  • Increased Organic Traffic: By optimizing your website for different countries and languages, you can attract more organic traffic from various regions, leading to higher visibility and brand awareness.
  • Improved User Experience: Localized content ensures that users find relevant and culturally appropriate information, which enhances their overall experience on your website.
  • Competitive Advantage: Understanding and leveraging cultural nuances and local search preferences can give you a competitive edge over businesses that do not optimize their content for international audiences.

Strategies for Effective International SEO

Market Research and Competitor Analysis

Conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis is essential for identifying suitable markets and avoiding common pitfalls. This involves evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of competitors within the market to identify opportunities and threats. Tools like SEMrush and BrightEdge are useful for analyzing competitors and identifying high-potential markets.

Content Optimization

Content optimization in international SEO involves tailoring content to different regions and languages to resonate with the target audience. This includes integrating targeted keywords, using local phrases, idioms, and other regional identifiers. For instance, in Brazil, users prefer the English term ‘whisky’ over the Portuguese terms ‘uísque’ or ‘uisque’ when searching online. Partnering with a content creation agency can streamline this process, ensuring that your localized content is both accurate and engaging.

Technical SEO Best Practices

Implementing technical SEO best practices is crucial for ensuring that search engines can easily identify which countries and languages your website should be targeting. This includes using hreflang tags, choosing the right URL structure, and ensuring fast load times through localized hosting.

Challenges in International SEO

Different countries present unique challenges and require tailored SEO strategies. For example, in the US, businesses must understand regional differences and strong competition, while in the UK, additional content editing and optimization are necessary. In China, Baidu is the primary search engine, necessitating unique SEO strategies to enhance search engine rankings. Collaborating with a content creation agency experienced in international SEO can help navigate these challenges effectively.

Detailed Exploration of Hreflang Tags

Importance of Hreflang Tags

Hreflang tags are HTML attributes used in international SEO to specify the language and geographical targeting of a webpage. They inform search engines about the language used on a webpage and the country it is intended for, ensuring that the correct version of the page is shown based on a user’s location and language.

Implementation Best Practices

  • Correct Syntax: Ensure that hreflang tags are correctly formatted and placed within the <head> section of the HTML document. Incorrect syntax can lead to search engines ignoring the tags.
  • Self-Referencing Tags: Each page should include a self-referencing hreflang tag to avoid potential issues with duplicate content.
  • Consistent Use: Use hreflang tags consistently across all versions of the page to ensure that search engines can correctly identify and serve the appropriate version to users.

Common Pitfalls

  • Incorrect Language Codes: Using incorrect or non-standard language codes can render hreflang tags ineffective. Always use ISO 639-1 language codes and ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes.
  • Missing Tags: Omitting hreflang tags on some pages can lead to search engines serving the wrong version of the page to users.
  • Canonical Tags Conflicts: Ensure that hreflang tags do not conflict with canonical tags, as this can confuse search engines and impact rankings.

Impact on International SEO

Proper implementation of hreflang tags can significantly improve the user experience by serving the correct language and regional version of a webpage, thereby reducing bounce rates and increasing engagement. This, in turn, can positively impact search engine rankings and organic traffic from international markets.

FAQs

  1. What is international SEO?: International SEO is the process of optimizing a website so that search engines can easily identify which countries you want to target and which languages you use for business. It involves implementing strategies to ensure that your website ranks highly in search engine results pages (SERPs) for users in different countries or speaking different languages. This includes optimizing for local search engines, using hreflang tags to handle multilingual content, and ensuring good user experience by considering cultural and regional differences. The goal is to increase organic traffic from international markets, thereby expanding your global reach.
  2. What is international SEO vs local SEO?: International SEO and local SEO are two distinct strategies aimed at optimizing a website for different target audiences. International SEO focuses on optimizing a website to rank in search engine results across multiple countries and languages. This involves considerations such as hreflang tags, localizing content, and managing country-specific domains or subdirectories. On the other hand, local SEO is tailored to enhance a website’s visibility within a specific geographic area. It emphasizes optimizing for local search queries, managing local business listings, gaining positive local reviews, and ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information across various platforms. While both strategies aim to improve search engine rankings, their scope and tactics differ based on the target audience’s geographic location.
  3. How to do SEO globally?: To perform SEO globally, start by conducting extensive keyword research to identify terms relevant in different regions and languages. Optimize your website content to include these targeted keywords, ensuring it is culturally appropriate and resonates with local audiences. Implement hreflang tags to signal to search engines the language and region of each page. Focus on obtaining backlinks from reputable international sites to boost domain authority. Ensure your website loads quickly and is mobile-friendly, as these factors are crucial across all markets. Lastly, monitor and analyze performance through tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to adapt your strategy based on the data collected from various regions. Partnering with a content creation agency can streamline the keyword research and content adaptation process.
  4. What is the difference between national SEO and international SEO?: National SEO focuses on optimizing a website to attract traffic and rank higher in search engine results within a specific country. It involves using keywords, content, and backlinks relevant to the local audience, taking into account regional search trends and preferences. International SEO, on the other hand, aims to reach a global audience by optimizing a website for multiple countries and languages. This involves implementing strategies like hreflang tags, language-specific content, and country-specific domains or subdirectories to ensure the website is accessible and relevant to users in different parts of the world.

Calls to Action

  • Start Your International SEO Journey Today: Contact us to get expert help in optimizing your website for international search engines. Our team can provide tailored strategies to improve your rankings and drive global organic traffic.
  • Request a Free International SEO Audit: Find out how you can improve your current international SEO strategy and boost your global rankings. We’ll analyze your website and provide actionable insights to enhance your international online visibility.
  • Download Our International SEO Guide: Get in-depth insights and tips for successful international SEO. This comprehensive guide covers everything from localized content to technical SEO, helping you build a robust global SEO strategy.

Audio Transcript

All right, so we’re going global today. Sounds fun. Yeah, you shared some excerpts from Understanding International SEO, a comprehensive guide, and looks like you want to expand your online presence globally. That’s right. This guide is really interesting. It’s packed with information on how to optimize your website to attract users from literally all over the world. All corners of the world, yeah. And big topic. It is a big topic. And I think a lot of businesses really kind of miss the mark. Oh, really? Really, they get wrong. Well, they think that just simply translating the content is enough. OK. But. That makes sense, though, right? Like, at first glance, you think, oh, I just need to translate it. Yeah, but it’s more than that. True international SEO goes way deeper. So what else is there? It’s about understanding the cultural nuances. And search behaviors. So like how people in different places. Yes, exactly. Search for things differently. Yeah, and also just like what they’re looking for. OK. The information that they want to see. Yeah, that makes sense. It’s not just about language barriers either. Oh, interesting. So what else? It’s also differences in slang. Ah, yeah. Humor and just like. References. Yeah, and even like. Yeah. What information users like prioritize. OK. When they’re making decisions. So it’s like their values and what’s important to them. Totally values. Cultural references, all of that. Yeah. OK, so it’s not just about making the words make sense. Right. It’s about making it make sense for that particular person in that particular place. Exactly. And this guide actually gives a really good example with Brazil. Oh, interesting Brazil. So they found that even though Brazilians primarily speak Portuguese, they often search for whiskey. OK. Using the English spelling. Interesting. So that highlights a really crucial point. What’s that? Direct translations aren’t always enough. So you can’t just like run it through Google Translate. No, you got to go deeper. And what does that look like? So you need to research local terminology. OK. And search trends. Makes sense. So we’re getting into like the nitty gritty of how people actually use language. Yeah. How they’re actually searching. In those places. Yeah. Yeah, OK. That’s really interesting. It is. So like how do we even start tackling this? Like this is a big puzzle. It’s a big puzzle. Global SEO puzzle. Lots of pieces. The guide kind of breaks down some key components, right? It does. What are some of the things we need to be thinking about? Well, one of the first things that it really dies into is URL structure. OK. It’s like the importance of choosing the right URL structure. Right. So like the website address. Yeah, for your international site. OK. And this is a technical SEO decision. OK. But it’s crucial. Yeah. It can have a major impact on your search rankings. OK. And the user experience. So this is something we got to get right. We got to get it right. OK. URL structure. That sounds. It’s a little in the weeds. Yeah. Can you break it down a bit more for me? Yeah. So there’s like three main options. OK. So you’ve got subdomains. Subdomains. So that would be like fr.example.com. So like for the French version. Yeah, exactly. Then there’s subfolders. Subfolders. So that’s more like example.com.r.r. OK. And then you’ve got country specific domain extensions. So like example.r.r. Exactly. Example.r. OK. And each of these has its own pros and cons. I bet. So it’s not as simple as just picking one and going with it. No. They each have their own thing in terms of SEO and user experience. OK. And even brand perception. Oh, wow. So you could actually hurt your brand. Yeah. If you pick the wrong one, it could really affect how people see you. Wow. OK. So there’s really no like one size fits all. No. There’s no one size. It really depends on like my specific situation. Exactly. OK. Cool. The guide also mentioned something called ray flying tags. Oh, yeah. Are those related to the URL structure? Yeah, they are. So think of reflong tags like shipping labels. OK. For your web pages. So they’re telling people where to go. Well, they’re telling search engines. Oh, yeah. Like Google, which language and region. OK. East pages it’s intended for. Got it. So if you have a website. Yeah. With versions in like English, Spanish, and French. Yeah. Reflonged tags help Google show the right version. OK. To the right user. Based on their location? Yeah, based on their location and language settings. Oh, that seems like really important. Super important. For a smooth user experience. It is because can you imagine like a German speaker landing on the Spanish version of your website? Oh, yeah. It’d be so frustrating. That would be so frustrating. Yeah. Like I’ve done that before on accident and it’s like. It’s the worst. It’s the worst. You’re like, wait, what? Yeah, what? What is going on? I don’t understand anything. Yeah, exactly. So these reflonged tags. They prevent that. Yeah, they prevent that mismatch. Oh, wow. To prove the user experience. Reduce bounce rates. Bounce rates reduce. So people aren’t just immediately leaving. Exactly. And that ultimately boosts your search rankings. OK. In international markets. So it’s good for the user. Yeah. And it’s good for like my business. Good for everyone. Awesome. Win-win. It seems like there are a lot of technical aspects to this. Yeah. There’s a lot of technical stuff. What about the content itself? Yes. The content. How do you make sure that your message resonates with all these different audiences? That’s where content localization comes in. OK. And that goes beyond just translation. Right. We touched on that a little bit earlier. We did, yeah. But it seems like there’s more to it. It’s way more than just translation. OK. So the guide really dives into how important it is. Yeah. To adapt your content to each market’s cultural context. Cultural context. Yeah. So like understanding local slang. Oh, OK. Humor references. Even visual preferences. Like what people like to see. So like colors and. Colors. Yeah. Images. Different things like that. And even like the way you use images. Wow. It’s super nuanced. Yeah. It is nuanced. I’m realizing now like how much goes into this. Yeah. Have you seen any like instances where. Oh yeah. Companies have just like totally missed the mark with this. Absolutely. What happened? So there’s this famous case study. OK. With a major soft drink brand. Right. That launched this campaign in China. OK. And their slogan. Yeah. When translated directly. OK. It had this unintended. Oh. And rather offensive meaning. Oh man. In Chinese culture. Oh God. It backfired like spectacularly. It’s bad. Yeah. Damage their brand reputation. Yeah. That makes. And they lost a lot of money. Oh my gosh. Yeah. That’s a cautionary tale right there. It is a cautionary tale. You do not want to mess this up. No. You don’t want to mess it up. OK. So are there like specific tools. Yeah. Or strategies. Yeah. That businesses can use to get this right. Absolutely. So the guide suggests partnering with professional translators. Oh yes. Or native speakers. OK. Of your target languages. But they really know what they’re doing. They know what they’re doing. And they’re familiar with the cultural nuances. OK. You can also leverage these localization platforms. That offer a range of services. Like what kinds of services. From translation to cultural adaptation. And quality assurance. Oh so it’s a one stop shop. Kind of. Yeah. It’s like assembling a global team. Yeah. Of experts. A crack team. Yeah. Make sure you get it right. Yeah. That your message hits the mark. In every market. Yeah. You mentioned earlier that. Yeah. Google isn’t the only search engine in the game. Right. So how does that affect our strategy here. Yeah. That’s a key point. OK. So while Google is dominant globally. There are other search engines that are really popular. Yeah. In specific regions. Thanks. So like Baidu in China. Baidu. And Yandex in Russia. Yandex. Yeah those are some big ones. Wow. So you might need completely different approaches. You might. Depending on like. Depending on where you’re targeting. What search engine is dominant. Yeah. And it’s not just like the search engine itself. What else is there. The algorithms. Ah yeah. Ranking factors. OK. Even just like user behavior. Yeah. That can all vary so much. Depending on where you are. Yeah. Across different search engines. OK. That makes sense. So for instance like Baidu. Yeah. Places a strong emphasis on user engagement metrics. So like how much people are interacting with the site. Yeah. How much they’re liking it. Sharing it. Spending time on it. Got it. Whereas Yandex really prioritizes local citations and back links. So like who’s linking to you and. Yeah. And like. Like a local business. Yeah. Is it relevant to that area. OK. So that means your approach to keyword research. Link building even website. Yeah. Structure. Needs to be tailored. For each one. For each search engine. Wow. That is. It’s a lot. It’s a lot to think about. It is. It’s a lot. This is a very multifaceted puzzle. Very multifaceted. Wow. OK. We’ve covered like a lot of ground here. URL structure. Refling tags. Yes. Content localization. Different search engines. Yeah. Where do we go from here. So now that we’ve got the foundational elements. Let’s talk about the benefits. OK. What’s in it for you. Yeah. Why should I be doing this. Yeah. Why should you invest all this time and effort. Yeah. So the guide highlights a few key rewards. OK. Increased organic traffic. OK. More people coming to my website. Yeah. Improved user experience. People are happy. They like being there. They like being on your website. Awesome. And then a competitive advantage. Oh OK. So I’m your head of the game. Head of the game. Yeah. All right. Those are some pretty compelling reasons. Right. Yeah. To invest in this. They are compelling reasons. OK. So let’s unpack those. Let’s do it. A little bit further. OK. First up. Increased organic traffic. OK. How does optimizing for all these international audiences actually get me more visitors? Well, it’s all about expanding your reach. OK. So when you optimize your website for all these different languages. Yeah. And regions. OK. You’re essentially casting a wider net. OK. And making yourself visible to a much larger pool of potential customers. OK. So instead of just showing up in like the US. Exactly. You could show up. You could show up in France. In France. In Germany. In Japan. Wow. All over the world. OK. Cool. So instead of just being in search results. Mm-hmm. For users in your home country. Oh, OK. You’re now ranking in multiple countries. So my potential audience just like. Sky rockets. Sky rocket. Yeah. Wow, that’s incredible. It is incredible. OK. And that drives more traffic. More organic traffic to your site. OK. So it’s like. It’s like opening a shop. Yeah. In the global marketplace. Reaching all these new customers. All these new customers you wouldn’t have access to before. That’s so cool. It is cool. All right. So more visibility. Yeah. I’m assuming that also translates to like more brand awareness. More brand awareness. More leads. More leads. More sales. More money. More money. Exactly. Awesome. It’s the goal. That is the goal, but it’s not just about quantity. No, it’s not just about quantity. It’s also about quality. Quality traffic. What does that mean? It means the right people are seeing your website. OK. The people who are actually interested. Not just random people. Yeah. You don’t just want anybody. Got it. You want the people who are going to buy your product. OK. Use your service. Become customers. Become customers. Exactly. OK. So we got to target the right people. Target the right people. With the right message. Right message. In the right language. In the right language. OK. Got it. And that’s how you get those qualified visitors. OK. Who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer. Awesome. All right. So let’s move on to improved user experience. OK. How does international SEO contribute to a more positive experience for users? Yeah. From different backgrounds. So imagine you’re trying to navigate a website. OK. In a language you don’t understand. Yeah. You’d probably feel pretty frustrated. Yeah. I would be. Be confusing. I’m very confused. I’d probably just leave. Yeah. You would probably just bounce right off that page. Exactly. And so international SEO is about creating a welcoming and engaging experience. OK. For users from all over the world. So no matter. No matter what. What language they speak. Yeah. What their cultural background is. Got it. They’re going to have a good experience on your website. So it’s about making them feel like they belong. Seen understood. Yeah. Like I’m important to this company. Exactly. You matter to us. OK. And so by providing content in their native language. OK. Using culturally appropriate imagery. Yeah. And messaging. So like we were talking about before. Yeah. Getting those nuances right. Muances are key. Yeah. And making sure that the website functions flawlessly. Oh yeah. That’s important. Super important. If it’s like broken or something. Yeah. Or if it’s slow or glitchy. Yeah. Then they’re going to leave. Yeah. They’re going to be like this is not worth it. It’s like rolling out the red carpet. Yes. For a global guest list. I love that. Making sure that everyone feels welcome and comfortable. Exactly like you’re throwing a party. Yeah. And everyone’s invited. Everyone’s invited. But everyone feels good. That’s awesome. Yeah. And then hopefully they buy something. Well yeah. That’s the next step. Right. Yeah. So this positive user experience. Yeah. Leads to increased engagement. OK. So they’re staying on the site longer. Yeah. They’re clicking around. They’re reading more. They’re watching videos. Lower bounce rates. People aren’t leaving. Exactly. OK. And then ultimately higher conversion rates. Oh. So they’re actually becoming customers. They’re signing up. They’re buying. They’re doing the thing you want them to do. Awesome. OK. So it’s not just about getting them there. No. It’s not just about getting them. It’s about keeping them there and happy. Happy and engaged. And then hopefully converting. Exactly. Awesome. Now the final benefit. Yeah. Mentioned in the guide is competitive advantage. To competitive advantage. How does international SEO give businesses an edge? Well in today’s world businesses are competing globally. Yeah. So by investing in international SEO. OK. You’re basically saying, hey, we’re committed to serving international customers. Got it. And you’re gaining a huge advantage over your competitors. So it’s like getting ahead of the curve. Ahead of the curve. Yeah. And a lot of competitors haven’t made that investment yet. I bet. So you can really stand out. It’s like being the first one to the party. Right. And like making the best first impression. You get to meet all the cool people. Exactly. You’re there first. That’s the first one there. OK. So we’re spanning our reach. Tapping into new markets. New customer bases. Yeah. Building that global brand. OK. And providing that seamless and culturally relevant. Culturally relevant. Culturally relevant. Yes. That’s key. OK. So I’m like. You’re the preferred choice. I’m the one they want. Exactly. Awesome. All right. We’ve covered a lot of ground here. We have. In this first part. Yeah. From the foundational elements to the benefits. The benefits are huge. They are huge. Yeah. All right. So before we move on to the next part. OK. We’re going to take a quick break. Sounds good. But don’t go anywhere. Don’t go anywhere. We’ll be right back. We’ve got more to unpack. We’ve got more to come. In this global SEO puzzle. Stay tuned. Welcome back to our deep dive into international SEO. We were talking about the benefits. You were. Before the break. Yeah. All those benefits. I’m going global. Now let’s get into some. Let’s get practical. Yeah. Practical strategies. Yeah. How do we actually do this? Yeah. Where do we even begin? Well, a great place to start. OK. Is with market research. Market research. Yeah. OK. So like. It’s like scouting the terrain. Yeah. Before you go on a big expedition. So I need to understand. You need to understand who your audience is. OK. In each market. Like who am I actually trying to reach? Yeah. Who are you trying to sell to? Yeah. What are they looking for? What are their needs? Their needs. Their preferences. OK. How are they searching online? That makes sense. But how do you. Yeah. Gather all this information. It can be daunting. Especially if you’re dealing with multiple countries. Multiple languages. Different cultures. Different cultures. It’s a lot. It is a lot. But luckily there are tools. OK. And resources. Thank goodness. That can help. All right. So the guide recommends using these SEO software suites. OK. Like SEMrush. SEMrush. A ref. A ref. OK. These platforms, they offer so much data. Like what kind of data? Keyword search volume. OK. Competitor analysis. So like what are my competitors doing? Exactly. What are they ranking for? OK. What keywords are they using? Got it. And even insights into user behavior. So like what are people actually doing? Yeah. In different regions. Totally internet. On the internet, yeah. Wow. So they’re like my little research assistants. They’re like your research team. Yeah. All over the world. Gathering information for me. Yes. 24-7. 24-7. Wow. That’s amazing. It is amazing. So they can help me like identify keywords? Yeah. In different languages. Track for my competitors. See what they’re up to. OK. And just understand the whole search landscape. OK. In each market. Awesome. OK. So we’ve done our research. All right. We know who we’re targeting. Got our target audience. What’s next? Content optimization. Content optimization. Yeah. That’s step two. All right. So this is where we. This is where we make the magic happen. Tailor the message. Yeah. To each market. To resonate with each market. OK. We talked about content localization before. We did. But it seems like. There’s more to it. There’s more to it than just translation. Way more. OK. So can you give me some examples. Yeah. Sure. Of what that might look like. OK. So let’s say you’re a fashion retailer. OK. Expanding into Japan. OK. Fashion in Japan. Yeah. Makes sense. Simply translating your product descriptions. Mm-hmm. Might not be enough. OK. So what else do I need to do? Well, you need to consider things like. OK. Japanese sizing charts. Oh yeah. They have different sizes. Different sizes. Than us. Different than the US. OK. Cultural preferences. OK. For certain colors or styles. Oh yeah. So like what’s trendy. What’s trendy. Yeah. In Japan might be different. Totally different. But what’s trendy here. Yeah. And even things like. Yeah. How you present models in your imagery. Oh interesting. Yeah. So like. Photography. The photography that poses. OK. All of that needs to be considered. So it’s like those subtle things. Settle but important. Yeah. That can. Like or break your connection with that audience. OK. The guide also mentioned leveraging local influencers. Oh yeah. Influences. That’s a strategy. Big strategy. OK. So can you talk about that a little bit. Yeah. So partnering with influencers. OK. Who are popular in your target market. So like people who are already trusted. Yeah. They already have that audience. Like that market. Yeah. OK. And they can help you promote your brand. OK. Create content. That resonates. That resonates. Yeah. OK. And even provide insights into market trends. Oh. So they can tell you. They can tell you what’s hot. What’s going on. What people are buying. What’s working. OK. So it’s like having a. It’s like having a local ambassador. Yeah. Who’s vouching for you. OK. Introducing you to that community. Awesome. The guide also talks about backlinks. Backlinks. So building backlinks. From reputable websites. Yeah. Reputable websites. In each target market. You gotta have those local backlinks. OK. So why is that so crucial. Well backlinks are like votes of confidence. OK. From other websites. So it’s like they’re saying hey. Yeah. We trust this website. We like this website. This website’s good. OK. And that tells search engines. OK. Hey this website’s trustworthy. So it’s like a. It’s like a popularity contest. OK. But for websites. Got it. And the more popular you are. The higher you rank. Yeah. The higher you rank in those search results. OK. And when those backlinks come. Yeah. From websites that are relevant to your industry. So it’s not just like any random website. No. It has to be relevant. OK. And popular in that local market. OK. They carry even more weight. They’re like extra special. Extra special backlinks. OK. So it’s about establishing that credibility. Yeah. In that local community. Local credibility is key. Awesome. Beyond content and backlinks. OK. The guide also talks about. Shumtical stuff. Yeah. Some technical aspects. Especially. URL structure. URL structure and ray flang tags. Yeah. We gotta get those right. Can you remind me why those are so important. Yeah. So URL structure. OK. It signals to search engines and users. OK. How your website is organized. OK. What content they can expect to find. So it’s like a roadmap. It’s a roadmap. For the website. Yeah. And a well structured URL. OK. Makes it easier for search engines to crawl your site. So they can understand that. Understand it. Yeah. OK. And index it. OK. And it also helps users. Right. Have a clear and logical navigation experience. So it’s like creating a well organized library. Love that analogy. So people can find the books they want. Find the books they want. Exactly. Awesome. OK. And then reflying tags. Reflying tags. Those are our shipping labels. Yeah. Make sure the right version of your website. Right. Goes to the right person. So no one’s getting lost. No one’s getting lost. No one’s ending up. On the wrong page. In the wrong language. In the wrong language. Yeah. OK. Awesome. The guide also mentions. That international SEO can be challenging. It can be. What are some of the hurdles. One of the biggest challenges. OK. Is just dealing with the unique complexities. OK. Of each target market. So it’s not just like a one size fits all. No. Every country’s different. OK. Every country has its own cultural norms. OK. Language nuances. Mm-hmm. Search engine preferences. Right. So Google might not be the top dog. Exactly. Right. Clearware. You got to adapt to each context. The guide specifically mentions some hurdles. Oh yeah. In the US, UK and China. Some big markets. Yeah. Can you talk about this a little bit. Yeah. So in the US. OK. The challenge is often. What is it. Regional differences. Oh right. Because the US is so big. The US is huge. And diverse. And so diverse. So like I might need to create. Yeah. You might need to create content. For the Pacific states. Pacific state cities. Taking into account those variations. So it’s like marketing. It’s like marketing to a bunch of mini cultures. Yeah. Within one big culture. Oh. OK. What about the UK. So the UK. OK. The language might be familiar. We both speak English. We both speak English. But British English is different. It is different. In American English. OK. So you got to be careful. With the nuances. With the nuances. Yeah. So using American spellings. OK. Idioms. Mm-hmm. Cultural references. Yeah. Can make your content feel out of touch. Oh. So it’s like you don’t know what you’re talking about. Yeah. You’re not one of us. OK. So we got to pay attention to those details. Details are key. OK. What about China. China is a whole other beast. OK. It’s got a heavily regulated internet. OK. And Baidu is the main search engine. Right. Not Google. Not Google. OK. So you need to understand. Baidu’s algorithms. Baidu’s algorithms which are very different. Than Google. Than Google. Yeah. And I’m assuming there’s like cultural and political sensitivities. So many. Navigate. OK. So content that might be. Yeah. Considered harmless here. Harmless in the US. Yeah. Could be offensive. In China. In China. Yeah. OK. So we got to be really careful. Really careful. Of what we say. With what you say. And how we say it. How you say it. Yeah. OK. It’s a tricky market. It sounds like it. But it’s a big market. Yeah. So it could be worth it. OK. We talked about the challenges. Yeah. But let’s get back to the rewards. Let’s talk about the good stuff. Yeah. So increased traffic. OK. Improved user experience. Yeah. Competitive advantage. Yeah. How do those actually translate. Yeah. Into real business outcomes. OK. Let’s break it down. So increased organic traffic. Yeah. Means more potential customers. Yeah. Are finding your brand. Visiting your website. So more people are aware of me. Yeah. More people know about you. OK. And when that traffic is targeted. Meaning you’re getting the right people. The right people. Yeah. OK. It translates to more leads. OK. More sales. More revenue. More money. More money. Exactly. That’s what we like to hear. That’s what we like to hear. OK. What about improved user experience. So a positive user experience. OK. Builds trust. OK. Loyalty. So they’re going to come back. They’re going to come back for more. OK. And ultimately drives conversions. They’re going to buy stuff. They’re going to buy stuff. OK. So when users feel comfortable. Mm-hmm. And engaged on your website. OK. They’re more likely to stick around. Explore. Explore. Yeah. By products and services. See what you have to offer. OK. And ultimately make a purchase. So it’s like creating a really welcoming storefront. Yeah. They want to come in and hang out. They want to browse. They want to stay a while. OK. And then hopefully they buy something. Yeah. And when we’re talking about international audiences. Yeah. We got to provide that. That localized experience. Yeah. You know that personalized. Personalized. Yeah. Experience. Make them feel special. So they feel valued. Valued. Appreciated. Appreciated. Yeah. And then they’re more likely to come back. Come back and tell their friends. Give us good reviews. Good reviews. Word of mouth. OK. Awesome. And then the final benefit. Competitive advantage. Yeah. This is huge. OK. So in today’s global marketplace. Businesses that can reach. Yeah. Engage with those international audiences. OK. They have a serious edge. OK. Over the ones that don’t. So it’s like having a passport. It’s like a passport. To new markets. To new markets. Yeah. You can go anywhere. I can go anywhere. You’re not limited. Awesome. And your competitors might be. They might be missing out. Missing out on all those opportunities. Wow. This is great. Yeah. International SEO is powerful. It is powerful. When you do it right. OK. Yeah. So we’ve talked about. We talked about a lot. Strategies. Yeah. Tools. Tools. Challenges. Rewards. Before we wrap up this deep dive. OK. Let’s explore some additional resources. OK. And parting thoughts. Sounds good. All right. So we’re back. Back for more. More international SEO. Let’s do it. OK. So. Yeah. We’ve explored like the what the why. The how. How to sit ins and outs. Yeah. Of expanding our online presence. Mm hmm. Going global. Globally. Yeah. Yeah. So as we kind of wrap up here. OK. What resources are available to like help me with all this. It can feel overwhelming. Yeah. It’s a lot. It’s a lot to take in. The guide. Mentioned some calls to action. It does. What are some of those. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Yeah. The guide recommends reaching out to an SEO firm. OK. That specializes in international strategies. So like the pros. Yeah. The experts. OK. They can help you. Give me guidance. Yeah. Guidance tailored to your business. No. And your goals. So they’re not just going to like. No. It’s not one size fits all. Yeah. Give me some generic advice. It’s customized to you. Awesome. What if I want to like. DIY it. Yeah. Learn the ropes myself. Yeah. What resources are there for that. So the guide suggests requesting an international SEO audit. An SEO audit. OK. Of your current website. So this is like a. It’s like a health check. Yeah. For your website’s global presence. OK. It’s going to show you. What’s working. Yeah. What’s working what’s not working. OK. Highlight areas for improvement. So like things I need to fix. Exactly. And it gives you a roadmap. OK. For optimization. So it’s like step by step. Kind of. Yeah. It’s like here’s what you got to do. I’ll see you better. To get better. Yeah. Awesome. Are there any like. Tools. Tools. Yeah. Can help me with this audit. Yeah. So there’s a bunch of SEO audit tools out there. OK. Both free and paid. OK. And they can analyze your website. OK. See how it’s doing. What are they looking at. So they’re looking at technical SEO. OK. Content backlinks. Mm hmm. And just overall performance. In different regions. Yeah. In different regions. OK. Cool. So they can give you really valuable insights. OK. Into how your website is perceived. OK. By search engines and users. OK. In all those different markets. Wow. OK. So it’s like having. Virtual consultants. Yeah. A little team of consultants. Working for you. Telling me what to do. Yeah. Giving you feedback. Awesome. And then for those who are like. Yeah. Really serious about this. Really want to go deep. Yeah. The guide suggests downloading the full version. Yeah. Download the full guide. You kind of stuff can I find in there. So the full guide. It’s going to cover more advanced concepts. OK. Case studies best practices. So it’s like the next level. It’s the next level. Yeah. Awesome. For navigating this world. OK. So as we wrap up here. Yeah. Any final thoughts on like the future. Who. The future of international SEO. Yeah. So one trend I’m seeing. OK. Is the rise of voice search. Oh yeah. Everyone’s talking about that. Everyone’s talking about it and mobile first indexing. So like people are searching on their phones. Yeah. On their phones. More than their desktops. More than their desktops. OK. So websites need to be optimized. Where those platforms. Exactly. OK. So that means. Clear concise content. People don’t want to read a novel. No. They want the information fast. Yeah. Fast loading times. OK. Mobile friendly design. So it looks good on my phone. Looks good on your phone. Easy to use. Awesome. And if I don’t do that. You’re going to get left behind. Oh no. Because voice search and mobile. Yeah. They’re not going anywhere. They’re here to stay. They’re here to stay. OK. Another challenge. OK. See on the horizon. Search engine algorithms. Oh yeah. They’re always changing. They’re always changing. It’s like a moving target. It’s a moving target. So how do I keep up. You got to stay informed. OK. About algorithm updates. Yeah. Emerging technologies. OK. Shifting user behavior. So I got to be like constantly learning. And constantly learning. Adapting. Yeah. Adapting. Yeah. To stay ahead of the curve. Stay ahead of the curve. It’s like a game of chess. It is a game of chess. With Google. With Google. With Baidu. With all of them. OK. So we got to be strategic. Strategic and adaptable. But amidst all this technical stuff. Yeah. We can’t forget about the human element. The human element is key. OK. So ultimately our goal is to connect with people. Yeah. From different cultures. Yeah. Different backgrounds. Share information. Share experiences. So we’re building bridges. Building bridges. Connecting people. Across borders. Across borders. Yeah. That’s awesome. That’s a beautiful thing. It is a beautiful thing. Yeah. So it’s not just about. Right. Rankings and traffic. It’s about connection. It’s about making the world a template. It’s about making the world a smaller place. Yeah. Bringing people together. I love that. All right. So we’ve reached the end. The end of our deep dive. Of our deep dive into. International SEO. International SEO. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. You’re welcome. And for our listeners. Yeah. Who are embarking on their own. SEO journeys. SEO journeys. Remember. Keep learning. Keep learning. Stay adaptable. Be adaptable. And prioritize that human connection. Yeah. People first. People first. Awesome. Yeah. And if you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to reach out. To the experts. I need some help. Get some help. There’s a whole community out there. Awesome. Ready to support you. Well that’s a great note to end on. Yeah. Thank you so much again for joining us. Thanks for having me. And to our listeners. We hope you found this deep dive. Insightful. Insightful. Inspiring. Inspiring, yeah. Until next time. Until next time. Keep exploring. Keep exploring. Keep learning. Keep connecting. And keep connecting with the world around you. We’ll see you soon.

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