The time has come — your business is finally going international! With this exponential growth comes the need for new strategies that target global markets. As you compile a list of additional marketing strategies to help you reach a brand new audience, make sure global search engine optimization (SEO) is at the top. Read on to learn more about global SEO and how to implement this strategy into your expanding business plans.
What is Global SEO?
Global, or international, SEO refers to the optimization of your website to target specific countries or languages. This often involves creating content that is accessible to a variety of countries or regions based on where you’ll be expanding to.
An international SEO strategy will help your website appear on the right international search engines in the correct language. With proper implementation, you can increase your chances of ranking on international search engine results pages (SERPs) and reach your intended audience.
How to Execute Global SEO
So, how exactly do you implement global SEO? Below are five easy steps that you can follow to get your website onto international SERPs.
1. Discover Current Rankings
The first step in optimizing your website for global SEO is to see where your website is already ranking internationally. Google Analytics is a great place to start. Using Google Analytics’ tools, you can narrow down your results and see what countries or languages your content is optimized for. Once you’re logged onto your account, select ‘Audience’. From there, you can narrow down the ‘Geo’ filter to language or location. This will show you where your content is currently visible and if it is translated into any languages.
2. Evaluate SEO Potential
Along with your website’s current standing, you’ll want to understand your competitors’ reach and where your site has potential to grow. Tools such as Ahref’s Site Explorer can show you were your competitors are ranking internationally and what markets you may want to target as well. This analysis can help you determine how you’ll want to build your SEO strategy based on countries or regions already showing interest in your product or service.
3. Perform Keyword Research
Once you’ve collected data on regions or countries to target, you’ll want to perform keyword research to create a relevant content strategy. You may want to start by determining what keywords your website is already ranking for internationally. You’ll also want to spend some time looking to competitors to see where there is potential to outrank them. Compile a list of the top keywords you’d like to target and create content accordingly.
4. Create Localized Content
A simple language translation isn’t the only global SEO element you should consider when creating content. Each language has specific nuances regarding language use, such as formal vs. informal uses of “you” in French.
You’ll also want to take into account your audience and how they may be using your product or service in their country. Content should be relevant to each intended audience.
5. Update Your Website
The final stage before you roll out new content is to check your technical website elements for optimization. This will include the proper website structure for visibility, choosing a server’s location for ideal reach, and enabling hreflang tags so Google can understand the language of your page. An experienced technical SEO team can assist you with these implementations and have your international website up and running in no time!
Global SEO Best Practices
With any marketing strategy, there are a few best practices you can follow to increase your chances of success. Your global SEO is no exception. As you begin your journey with international SEO, try these best practices for top results.
- Change URL structure. If you’ve visited websites optimized for international SEO, you’ve likely noticed a URL change if you choose different countries. This is to ensure that their website appears correctly in every country. As you implement global SEO, consider creating unique URLs for each country.
- Create culturally-relevant content. The more generic your content, the less likely it will be useful for users. Use relevant terms, such as euros or dollars. The more specific you can get to the targeted audience, the more you’ll see higher search results.
- Avoid generic translations. While tools such as Google Translate are a quick choice for translation, they can often be misleading. Avoid machine translation and opt for a translator or quality service to provide accurate translations.
- Focus on mobile-first indexing. Google’s mobile-first indexing approach has taken the internet by storm. Across the world, users are searching more and more on their mobile devices. No matter where you are targeting, making your website mobile-friendly can increase your visibility and chances of ranking.
And with that, it’s time for you to implement your own global SEO strategy! With these best practices, your content will be just what users are looking for across the world.
Not sure how to get started with SEO? No worries — our team at Markitors can help you out! From content marketing to technical SEO expertise, we have all the skills you need to get your content outranking your competitors. Contact us today to learn more about our SEO marketing services.
