Key Takeaways

• International SEO requires technical setup, not just translation.
• Localisation greatly improves user trust and conversions.
• Choosing the right URL structure shapes your global visibility.
• Continuous tracking ensures long-term international SEO success.akeaways

International SEO is about changing your entire website including its technical setup to work for many different countries and languages rather than just focusing on one country like regular SEO.

International SEO is more than translation as it’s about technically configuring your website so search engines display the correct country or localised version to users worldwide.

This guide provides an international SEO plan designed to boost visitors and sales while helping you prevent common mistakes. Research shows that localisation is vital as 75% of buyers prefer to shop in their native language. And this can increase conversions by 70%. It’s what makes international SEO more critical for your business.

What is International SEO?

It optimises your website so search engines deliver correct content to users based on their country or language. This involves:

• Targeting multiple countries.
• Focusing on different language speakers.
• Optimising your site for global search engines.
• Changing content to fit local culture and language.

Local SEO allows you to target only one city. But international SEO helps your website reach the entire world while being relatable to every local buyer.

When to invest in International SEO?

Not every business needs International SEO and consider it only when:

• Your website traffic includes many visitors from other countries.
• You plan to start selling in new countries.
• You know there is steady global demand for your product.
• Your competitors are already appearing in search results outside your country.

Make sure to check whether a new market is worth your effort before starting. The most active markets are generally the most difficult to win in. And if you choose your focus areas carefully then you can grow smarter without wasting money.

Core International SEO Strategies

Your plan must focus on guiding search engines and making your website feel local to each user to attract visitors worldwide and convert them into customers.

• Language Targeting

You must provide search engines with signals indicating which language your content is in as simply translating the pages is not enough. Such signs make sure search engines send the right website page to the correct user.

• Geotargeting

When you inform search engines which country you are targeting then using elements such as your web address and special code can help them serve your pages to people in that area. It ensures your content is relevant to the target area.

• Localization

Localisation is more than translation since it also involves adapting your content to local culture and search behaviour. This makes your site feel relevant and natural to users in each specific market. Localised content builds trust and boosts sales.

Choosing the right international URL structure

How you set up your website links will impact your SEO’s future. And you have four main options for this structure.

• ccTLDs (Country Code Domains)
• You use a different website address for each country.
• It clearly tells search engines which country your website is for.
• Managing multiple websites costs more and requires more effort.
• This is best for businesses that need a unique brand name when targeting specific countries.

2. Subdomains

• Its structure resembles a country code before the main domain name like de.example.com or es.example.com.
• They are easier to manage than running a dedicated country website.
• Search engines may not pass the value of inbound links to these separate parts as clearly.
• It’s best for companies with complex international websites.

3. Subdirectories

• This structure places the country code in a folder or path on the main website like example.com/de/ or example.com/es/.
• This structure shares your main website’s strength and is easier to track with tools like Google Analytics.
• This is a popular choice for international SEO since it is simple and clear.

4. URL Parameters

• This structure adds a language code like lang=de to your main website address’s end.
• This method yields a weak signal targeting countries. And search engines struggle to interpret it correctly.
• You should avoid using this method for your international SEO plan.

Hreflang and Canonical Tags for International SEO

Technical setup tells search engines which page to show a user based on their language or location.

• Herflang Tags

This code allows search engines to know about the language and country of your page and ensures users find the correct version of your website when they search online.

You must do the following to use hreflang correctly:

• Each page in one language must link back to itself and link to all pages in other languages.
• You should include an x-default tag for users whose language doesn’t match your specific pages and direct them to the general page.
• Always include the complete website address i.e. absolute URLs within tags.
• Be careful as simple errors like using wrong web addresses can prevent your pages from showing up correctly in search results.

Canonical Tags

It informs search engines which page is most important when two or more pages are very similar. Each page should use a canonical tag to indicate it is the original version for international websites. This avoids search engine confusion caused by similar content and makes sure your website pages are properly found and ranked.

Keyword Research for International Markets

You cannot use the exact keywords for everyone around the world. And below’s why international keywords are important for your business:

• People in separate countries and languages use different words and local slang.
• Just translating your main search terms won’t be enough because it doesn’t match what local people actually type into search engines.
• Local culture shapes search habits like people search differently in British versus American English.

It’s why you need to research and find new keywords for every language and country you are aiming for. One can also use tools such as Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush to do this.

Tip: It is smart to focus on long-tail keywords and search terms that show what local users intend to do. This is because they bring higher sales and face less competition.

Content Localisation

Translation is just the beginning as accurate localisation ensures your content feels authentic and helpful to people in each local market. And key things to localise include:

• The tone and examples you use must be suitable for each country.
• Be sure to use the local currency and follow all local rules.
• You should write search result titles and descriptions that are customised to the region and use its local keywords.

Localisation makes users happier and keeps them on your website longer. It also helps search engines understand how valuable your content is in each region.

Site Structure and Navigation

You must set up your worldwide website so that it’s easy for both users and search engines to find the correct content for each local area. Do this by:

• Providing clear buttons or menus on your site that let users easily switch between languages.
• Make sure your website’s menus and links don’t hide local content behind code like javascript that search engines can’t easily read.
• Do not use tools such as cookies or scripts to display different languages. It’s because search engines may not be able to find and list those pages correctly.

Following these rules ensures your website is accessible to everyone and correctly indexed by search engines across all the areas you target. This is essential for driving global traffic and generating sales.

Link Building for International SEO

Links from other websites remain crucial for global ranking. But you need to earn links that come from sources relevant to the specific country you are targeting. Strategies to use include:

• Get links from local blogs and specialised publications within each region.
• Work with local influencers to increase visibility for your content.
• Launch online PR efforts that are created specifically for each country.

Such links from local websites clearly signal to search engines that people in that area trust your content and find it helpful.

Page Speed and Mobile Optimisation

Almost everyone uses mobile phones to search for products and services online. Make sure your website is mobile-first as Google now evaluates mobile performance to rank and index your page. Do this by:

• Ensuring your mobile site loads quickly.
• Focus on page load speed especially how quickly users see the main content and how stable your page stays during loading.

Use a design that adapts easily across devices and supports multiple languages. It’s because some languages require more screen space than others.

Local Search Engines & Geo-Targeting

Other search engines are much more popular in specific countries even though Google is the search engine most people use globally:

• China uses Baidu
• Russia uses Yandex
• South Korea uses Naver

Each of these search engines has its own special SEO rules. A key part of international SEO is understanding such platforms and adjusting your strategy as needed.

Measuring Success in Global SEO

You cannot improve what you are not tracking. And KPI’s to watch for international SEO are:

• How many visitors arrive at your website from search engines in every country and speak every language.
• Where your website shows up in search results for the main keywords in each area.
• How often visitors leave your website right away and how long they stay on each page.
• How many visitors turn into customers or complete a desired action like buying something in each local market.
• The total number of links pointing to your site from other countries. And which specific websites are linking to you.

You can use tools such as Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console to monitor these results. Staying informed about this data is essential to continually improve and achieve your global SEO goals.

Step-by-Step guide for International SEO

Here is a simple plan you can follow for effective deployment:

Step 1: Check Markets and Languages

Decide which countries and languages you need to focus on first. Start by looking at where your existing international traffic and sales are coming from and then evaluate new markets based on estimated profit and low competition.

Step 2: Find Keywords

Research keywords separately for each language and target market. This ensures your words align with what local users are searching for. Do not rely on simple translation as cultural differences affect search behaviour.

Step 3: Plan Your Web Addresses

Choose whether you will use country-specific domains like .de or subdomains like de. This choice will determine how search engines view and rank your local content. Using folders by country is the easiest way to optimise your global website.

Step 4: Set Up Technical Elements

Add essential code elements such as hreflang and canonical tags and configure your country targeting. This setup is vital for directing search engines to the correct local pages. Ensure all parts are set up correctly to prevent issues with your rankings.

Step 5: Localise Content

Create high-quality and appropriate content for every region. This involves adapting the tone and wording to align with local expectations. Do not just translate but truly localise your content to build trust and relevance.

Step 6: Optimise Pages

Improve the titles and descriptions along with links on your pages. Make sure these elements are optimised with localised keywords you researched. All visual and textual elements must also align with local cultural norms.

Step 7: Get Backlinks

Earn links from websites in each target market that are both local and relevant to your business. It will inform search engines that your local content is credible and authoritative within that region.

Step 8: Mobile-Friendliness and Page Speed

Ensure your website loads quickly and functions flawlessly on mobile devices. Speed is crucial for user experience and modern search engine ranking. Test your site across different devices and international network speeds.

Step 9: Measure and Report

Track your results and use the data to improve your plan continually. Careful monitoring helps you see what’s working and what isn’t. This ongoing review is essential to a lasting global success for your business.

Modifyed Digital: Your Global Success Partner

You will need a smart plan to handle local culture and grow globally. Our experts help you create personalised strategies so your brand is seen and sells more products worldwide.

We structure your site for global visibility and ensure your message truly resonates with local audiences whether you target one or multiple countries. Contact Modifyed Digital today to get a dedicated team that helps boost your reach and increase your sales worldwide.

Conclusion

International SEO is complex but it must be done to compete globally. It requires much more than simple translation as you will also need careful technical setup and execution guided by real results.

Your business can be easily found by users around the globe when you know your target markets and adjust your content for local audiences. Using this method ensures your website appeals directly to people in that specific area.

If you plan to sell products outside your home country then your SEO strategy must align with your global business goals. You must also keep updating it as each local market changes. International SEO is not a quick task and requires continuous effort to improve.

FAQs

Q1. What is International SEO and why is it important?

It ensures that appropriate language and country versions of your website appear in specific search results. This attracts more relevant visitors to your site and brings more sales in markets you target.

Q2. What services does Modifyed Digital provide?

You will get services like:

• Custom strategy.
• Multilingual keyword research.
• Content localisation.
• Hreflang and technical setup.
• URL strategy.
• Local link building.
• Regional PR.
• Data-led optimisation per market.

Q3. How soon will I see results?

This depends on how healthy your website is and your level of competition. We won’t guarantee exact dates, but we will deliver clear next steps and ongoing improvements.

Q4. Do you translate content or fully localise it?

We adapt your content by having native speakers review and user experience so that your content feels credible and relevant in every local market. This ensures your brand resonates deeply with local audiences.

Q5. Which type of website address structure should I choose?

There is no single best answer for everyone. We carefully check your goals and legal requirements. Then suggest the best option like subdomains and folders to target specific regions effectively and boost your SEO.

Q6. How do you measure success for international SEO?

We measure success by tracking search engine traffic in each region and the quality of your backlinks. We then report on all of this with clear and helpful information. It ensures you always know how your global investment is doing.

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