Everything SEO is on point in your enterprise , when it comes to your home market.
Now, your team has made a big decision.
It’s time to go international.
You hire professionals to get your keywords translated.
Everyone figures that they’re doing everything right at home, so a direct translation is the best bet.
But that’s a common first mistake.
Foreign audiences don’t just speak another language , they also use language differently.
They use search differently or they look for entirely different features in the same products.
In other words: Your future international customers are not only from different countries.
The cultural backgrounds of your international audiences are diverse, and their needs may be different.
They may be used to different content formats, for instance, or even completely different search engines . “Glocal” SEO is a simple idea with an incredibly complex execution.
We’re combining the words “global” and “local” because executing global SEO requires a new, unique local SEO strategy for each location.
The word “global” feels bigger and separate from local SEO.
But the truth is that global SEO is made up of many different implementations of local SEO campaigns.
Or it should be if you want to gain true success.
There’s a lot to consider when entering a new market: But it doesn’t stop there.
Your target audiences might already live in fruitful relationships with very local vendors you may not have heard of.
This could be somebody who’s not on your global or domestic competition list.
Sounds like a lot to take care of?
It all comes down to a local content gap analysis.
Local keyword research is only a part of the equation , albeit an important one.
The next part of the equation is true local expertise.
In addition to conducting each market’s own keyword analysis from scratch , you also need to perform an analysis of the local services already available to each audience , and of their respective local ranking (which may surprise you).
These often rather small, very local competitors can be completely different across regions.
They likely have a lot of influence on their audience.
You need local language and local marketing expertise not just to translate your content, but also to perform competitor research.
It’s important to understand the environment and the culture you’re moving into, and that goes far beyond word-for-word translation.
Once you know about local competitors, dig deeper: And of course: What keywords do they invest in the most?
Answering these questions provides valuable information for your own strategy in each locale.
Audit your own content for the respective market in comparison and be honest with yourself.
Is your approach to the target audience really on point?
As an example, have a look at what different cultures look for when searching for a “dress.” We’ve compared Portuguese and German search volumes: Can you proceed based on the strictly translated content, just by optimizing it?
Or do you need to create new, targeted content from scratch , possibly in new formats?
Let’s say your local expert provided you with insights indicating a need for more video content .
Don’t just hop on the bandwagon and convert any written content to text bits moving on the screen.
Instead, get a deep analysis of which video formats are performing well for each respective market.
Can they be more text-based or does your regional audience prefer human interaction?
If so, do you need to produce content in those regions on location using a local crew and local actors?
Or do you want to cater to a region that demands video formats with high interactivity, such as instant commenting, directly on the screen?
China is a good example.
Do you need to go live, seizing the opportunity for flash sales?
Or would you rank better with how-to videos, directly linked to your products?
The same thorough local analysis should be done for each format identified as more valuable for your target audience at each location.
How you leverage channels and content formats may change when you go international.
The marketing wisdom at home about what works best for your goals might not apply abroad.
Even how you present a blog post to your audience depends on their preferences: Do you cater to a market that prefers a lot of visual support?
If so, do they connect better with photos of humans they can identify with, or do they prefer logical support through diagrams?
What are the cultural implications of certain colors ?
Do they need information presented in very “digestible” forms like catchy bullet points, or do you have to provide thorough reasoning to earn their trust?
Are they competitive, enjoying the format of “Top Ten/Five/Three” lists?
Do they relate to information more easily when brought across personally, via an interview?
Do they prefer a formal tone or more informal content?
Localization experts can help you to understand how audiences interact with different channels and formats in your target locations.
If there are cultural differences or different digital marketing frameworks to consider, you might not even know about them.
That’s why you need localization experts, not just translators.
Glocal SEO means treating each region and audience as unique.
All these questions and problems can be addressed with data.
However, it takes expertise to filter and interpret data, as well as convert the results into local, successful content.
It takes the right technology, with tools such as Semrush and more.
But don’t be fooled.
No technology is smarter than the person using it; this is where true experts can shine .
An expert’s local cultural insight allows them to: If your product line is a very specialized one, make sure your local SEO specialist is familiar with your product range, as well.
The same goes for the local linguists who will be recreating your content for each respective market.
Even technical approaches differ among regions.
In some markets in Asia, for example, you may want to completely swap your website for micro sites, integrated into the apps of leading local portals.
Other locales call for your own apps, often as a complementary option and sometimes as an alternative.
Everything depends on the individual combination of your sociological target group, their location, and your product.
If the technical needs of your audience are significantly different, you may need to readdress the scope of your project.
Last but not least, even with perfectly localized content and channels, you can’t create any sales if you don’t adopt the payment options as well!
Believe it or not, neither MasterCard nor Visa work everywhere.
There are countries where you don’t need to worry about this.
Payments via apps have become practically mandatory in many countries , but which system does your local target group trust?
Some audiences are very particular about the payment services they use.
Payment adaptation is an essential aspect of localization and overall business.
It’s also easy to forget about!
The domestic SEO team does a fantastic job with your home market.
But when growing across borders, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach.
Even the most perfect native strategy needs to be tailored for each new market.
For your SEO strategy, this means: When going international, you need to go local.
With local SEO experts.
That’s what glocal SEO is all about.
It takes experience and a worldwide network.
Get the best experts on board for the optimal ROI of your hard work!
The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor's own. source