Did you know there are approximately 8.5 billion Google searches every single day? That’s a daily search for every single person on earth! Such a massive volume of searches presents an incredible opportunity for businesses to attract new customers from all over the world, but it also means a hell of a lot of competition.
For businesses aiming to grow their global audience, the key to success lies in how easily potential customers around the world can find your website. That’s where international Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in.
In this guide, we explain why international SEO is so important, breaking down the essentials and key strategies. Let’s get started.
International SEO: the essentials
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it; growing your customer base overseas requires specific knowledge of the regions you’re targeting. Here are a few essential strategies to focus on:
Customise your keywords
People search differently depending on where they are in the world, so make sure you understand how each region’s audience searches for your product or service. A simple example is US vs UK English – don’t try to sell coriander if your customers are searching for cilantro! SEO tools like Semrush are great for finding out how various keywords are searched for internationally.
Use hreflang tags
Hreflang tags are little bits of code that tell search engines which versions of your page to show to different audiences, ensuring the right visitors land on the right version of your site while avoiding duplicate content penalties. By setting these up, you can create localised versions of your web pages catered to audiences around the world.
Keep local search engines in mind
While Google is king in most of the world, other search engines (such as Baidu in China and Naver in South Korea) are more popular elsewhere. Read up on how different search engines prioritise their rankings if you’re targeting countries where potential customers are searching on platforms other than Google.
Remember technical SEO
Fast loading times, mobile-friendly design and a well-structured site make a huge difference, and this is especially true for global visitors. The median download speed here in the UK is over 100Mbps, so your site may not load as quickly in, for example, Nigeria, which has a 21Mbps average speed.
Optimise for multilingual content
If you’re targeting different language speakers, ensure your translations are high quality and not just machine generated, as poor translations can kill your credibility. You could also consider using separate URLs for versions of your content in different languages, such as example.com/fr/ for French content, to help your site rank better in specific regions.
Why international SEO is so important
Search engines are one of the biggest drivers of brand discovery, and when done right, international SEO can help you grow brand awareness in new markets, drive more organic traffic from international audiences and ultimately stay competitive on a global scale. By taking our international SEO tips on board, you can make sure the right people in the right places can find, trust and engage with your brand.
Is your SEO where it needs to be? Embrace Marketing is a specialist outsourced marketing agency. We’re a unique hybrid, as our team combines both in-house and agency skills and expertise. Email hello@weareembrace.com for an initial chat.
This latest thinking article was written by:
Jack Lenton
Content Manager