Globalizing SEO…it makes sense. One of the primary motivating factors for implementing search engine optimization is to increase sales reach. Globalizing an SEO campaign does just that.
For a company selling products to a small segment of a larger market, or a service provider providing services from a virtual or off-location office (hosting, tech support, accounting), global SEO makes sense. If these companies have distribution and communication channels in place, the question of whether to globalize an SEO effort begins to change from if to when.
Global SEO Factors
Global SEO is a whole new ballgame - or more specifically, playing field - for a prospective global vendor. Similar to brick and mortar offshore growth, certain cultural, linguistic, and technical factors must be considered.
Cultural Factors
Every culture possess cultural oddities, norms, and traditions that shape their existence. While these are often a source of local pride, they can create headaches for an SEO consultant. For example, a well-planned global strategy for an auto parts distributor should consider that the English drive on the left side of the road… in what’s the passenger seat in the States. Before launching a product in a new country, an SEO experts should perform cultural research and work with the business owner to discuss cultural norms and oddities around the product or service offering and factor this in to keyword research, content development, and targeted landing pages.
Linguistic Factors
Did you know the British call a car an ‘auto’, a truck a ‘lorry’, and gasoline ‘petro’? If you are in the automobile parts distribution business, your SEO consultant should research slang usage before determining a keyword plan. But slang is just one factor of course; and it’s of little use without translation into a language that the people understand. Handling language can be addressed in a variety of ways. It is important to use the country’s domain name extension to maximize search engine performance in the origin country. Many large companies provide links to translated sites via flag images, and store the translated sites under a subdomain such as japan.company.jp. For the best results, consider contracting with a website translation service or linguistic expert.
Technical Factors
As in any offshore business operation, logistical challenges exist when taking an SEO plan global. Hosting site location is one that can be easily overcome by contracting with a host with global DNS servers. However, the real success factor for an SEO provider always comes down to the search engines, and global SEO is no different. Search engine usage varies between countries, so an SEO consultant should be certain to identify the target search engines and learn the ranking factors. In addition to UK-flavored Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines, others such as Exalead and Excite UK are popular enough in England to garner the attention of an SEO expert.
The Global SEO Decision
As with any business decision, a global SEO investment ultimately comes down to return on investment and business strategy. Companies considering a global SEO campaign should consider the potential profit margins and sales volume to determine if the investment is worthwhile. While the customer acquisition costs can be higher, business should also consider whether their core competencies present the opportunity to generate economies and profits. And remember, the world can literally be your oyster with search marketing. Dipping a toe in the water can present great opportunity for future expansion.