Many businesses only target potential customers in their local markets, but inbound marketing also allows you to easily reach prospective customers in a global marketplace. Have you optimized your site for international search engines? Do you want your business to be found or shared with a broader audience?
If so, here's how you can advance your international marketing efforts more strategically.
Approach international SEO first with a decision on which countries you want to target. Research and gain insight on your audience (including culture), search results and competition. You will also want to know whether you are targeting foreign search users or just translating content to be read and shared more widely.
Foreign Language-Specific Targeting
- Denote language via meta tags (e.g. DE for German/Deutsch). *Tip: Use a country directory to be precise with your country codes.
- Use subfolders/subdirectories such as http://www.domain.com/DE and translate the content relevantly to target your German audience. Don't worry, this will not run the risk of duplicate content. *Tip: Remember also that duplicate content isn’t penalized anyway, it’s just filtered.
- Optimize that Web page based on the language. Optimize meta tags (titles and descriptions), content, images, anchor text links, etc. to be keyword rich. *Tip: Using a general public translating tool will not necessarily give you the best translation as it may not accurately predict the use of slang, popular phrases, idioms, etc. If you have a lot of content that needs to be translated, I suggest hiring a translator to ensure accuracy.
Targeting Foreign Countries for Native Users
- Denote language via meta tags, just as you would for foreign language targeting (e.g. FR for French/Francaise).
- Use a domain extension (ccTLD: country code top-level domain) or subdomain. The difference here will depend on how long you’ve had your site up and running. A new domain with the appropriate country extension (e.g. http://www.domain.fr) will require you to start from the ground up and achieve authority all over again (which in many cases will happen rather quickly). Alternatively, a subdomain (e.g. http://fr.domain.com) will build upon the work you have already established and pass SEO credit along to the TLD (top level domain).
- Register your business. If you have separate offices in other countries, having your business properly registered there will help. Physical office addresses should also be listed on your country-specific pages.
- List your business in country-specific directories. This will help that portion of your site or that country domain generate quality inbound links. Use Google Local and do research to find popular website and blog directories. Generating more than 80% of inbound links from French users and directories to your domain (whether http://fr.domain.com or http://www.domain.fr) will let search engines know that French-based traffic should be funneled there appropriately.
- Don't forget the language! Just like when you are targeting foreign languages, you will want to make sure to have the content translated and optimized in the appropriate language. *Tip: Check grammar and spelling, and use local keyword search tools to help you choose the most appropriate keywords/phrases for your business.
- When possible, have your site/subdomain hosted in the country you're targeting. This isn’t always an option. It may make more sense for your sites to all be hosted at the same place, in which case you'll want to make use of your Google Webmaster account. Whether you use a ccTLD or a subdomain, you can have a separate Webmaster tools account for each. Verify your accounts and then select which country you want to serve in its settings. *Tip: This helps ensure you can be found when searchers decide to use only country-targeted search results. However, it is not an appropriate setting for just foreign language-specific targeting and optimization because you don't want to exclude other countries who also speak that language. If searchers use the default “Web,” Google will search the entire Web, in which case it’s a win-win for you.
Finally, double check your work, making sure you cross your t's and dot your i's. Use tools like the Markup Validation Service from World Wide Web Consortium, and for larger sites in particular, be sure to also check broken links and page load time, all of which may be hindrances to Web crawlers.
International search engine optimization can be a wonderful thing. Be sure you have the bandwidth to maintain an international presence and are continuously providing your audience with the most relevant, useful and user-friendly information. Remember, your goal is not only to get found but also to add value to your business and prospects' experiences.
Photo by Danard Vincente
SEO for Lead Generation Kit
Article has
4 comments.
Click To Read/Write Comments
Public relations firm Edelman recently released its 2010 Trust Barometer, which highlights some findings regarding social media marketing that may shock you.
According to the latest survey, the number of people who view their friends and peers as credible sources of information about a company has dropped from 45% in 2008 to 25% in 2010, decreasing almost by half!
I don't know about you, but as social media continues to be a marketing hot topic, I've seen a lot of discussion emphasizing the importance of company/product referrals and word of mouth marketing. So do these findings about the decline in peer-to-peer trust completely undermine the power of referrals?
Not exactly. As we mentioned in this morning's post, referrals from friends continue to carry their weight in social media. Still, something has to have changed since 2008, right?
Why the decline in peer-to-peer trust?
One possibility includes the reach of social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Now that social networks are increasing in popularity, users are maintaining larger groups of "friends" that include more casual acquaintances, possibly dulling the credibility of peer networks. It's no longer a matter of trusting the opinion just because it's the opinion of a peer. Now people are less likely to trust an opinion unless it's from a person they know.
Another possibility? Now that marketers are getting a firm grasp on social media, consumers are becoming more skeptical about the influences behind peer referrals. Again, this skepticism increases if it's the opinion of a peer they don't really know.
Be smart about your social media interactions.
For marketers, this means that building credibility in people's social media reactions is crucial. The best way to do this is by creating valuable content that people will want to share with their networks.
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, people still need to hear things in five different places before they actually believe it. Therefore, a social media referral isn't the be-all, end-all. People still look to different sources before making decisions. Allocate your marketing budget smartly by putting some aside for social media interaction and dedicating some to other inbound marketing initatives like creating content.
Inbound Marketing Kit
 | Learn more about inbound marketing and how to combine blogging, SEO and social media for results. Download our inbound marketing kit. |
Article has
12 comments.
Click To Read/Write Comments
I'd like to share a personal story of how social media recently came to my rescue, highlighting an important opportunity for all you small businesses out there.
This Friday was really stressful. I was up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for the movers to come, followed by my cleaning service, all to turn my condo into a state fit for my new tenant in 24 hours! That stress only increased when the cleaning service, slated to arrive between 3 and 5 p.m., still wasn't there at 4:50 p.m. Their office couldn't get in touch with the ladies scheduled to clean my home and could give me no real assurance that it would even get done.
Friday, 6:30 p.m. Once I had the movers trollying my stuff into storage, I called the cleaning service to get an update. I was dismayed to reach their voicemail. Knowing this particular service didn't work Saturdays, I was in a bind. First I Googled while shuttling furniture with the movers, but then I thought better of it and posted this update to my Facebook feed. Surely, someone in Austin had an idea for me?
*Note: The cleaning service is blanked out and the last names of my friends have been omitted for privacy. Jackpot! 3 minutes later ...
Friday, 6:57 p.m My friend Theresa posted a note about her favorite cleaning service, Austin Maids.
Perfect! I checked out their site, and it seems fine. I called their number, and naturally, on a Friday night nearing 7 p.m., I got their voicemail. I left an informative, if distraught message, not expecting any return call until Monday, then headed out to a dinner party. So much for research.
Friday, 8:35 p.m. My phone rang. Michael from Austin Maids got my message and said he could have a team available on Saturday afternoon -- I can call to confirm on his cell as late as I want. Now that's service.
Saturday, 12:00 a.m. We went to my condo after dinner and, it turns out, my original cleaning service did show, despite total lack of information and communication. All ended well, but you can rest assured that next time I need a cleaning service in Austin, I am getting in touch with Austin Maids. Why? Because my friends told me to -- via Facebook -- and they were right.
A lesson for SMBs:
This weekend reinforced the idea that all types of small businesses can benefit from monitoring social media sites, like Facebook, to be at the ready during a potential customer's moment of need. While my friends were the true heroes of the situation, had another maid service in Austin been monitoring the conversation, they could've jumped in and offered their services as well.
What else? The power of word of mouth in social media was extremely evident. Social media facilitates referrals (as well as negative opinions), so make sure you're paying attention to what others are saying about your business on these sites.
So, SMBs, if you aren't already, consider monitoring the conversations surrounding your brand. There are tons of free social media monitoring tools out there you can take advantage of, so what's your excuse?
 | Learn how to use social media to manage your company brand.
Download the free video and learn how to manage your company brand effectively using social media. |
Article has
10 comments.
Click To Read/Write Comments
HubSpot TV is LIVE every Friday at 4:00pm EST. Watch the show in real-time at www.hubspot.tv and chat with us via Twitter.
Episode #77 - January 29, 2010
(Episode Length: 25 minutes, 11 seconds)
Intro
Headlines
Google Search Goes Social
- Search is getting more social
- "With Social Search, when we search for baby sleep patterns, swaddling or best cribs, not only do we get the usual websites with expert opinions, we also find relevant pages from our friends and contacts...I could probably find other reviews, but my friend's blog is more relevant because I know and trust the author."
- "We're leaving a "beta" label on social results because we know there's a lot more we can do."
- Marketing Takeaway: Build your social media presence today to be successful in SEO tomorrow.
NYTimes Going To Require Payment in 2011
- Advertise on NYTimes.com The Times to Charge for Frequent Access to Its Web Site
- "Starting in January 2011, a visitor to NYTimes.com will be allowed to view a certain number of articles free each month; to read more, the reader must pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers to the print newspaper, even those who subscribe only to the Sunday paper, will receive full access to the site without any additional charge."
- "Executives of The New York Times Company said they wanted to create a system that would have little effect on the millions of occasional visitors to the site, while trying to cash in on the loyalty of more devoted readers"
- Marketing Takeaway: Don't be afraid to experiment with your business.
Calling All Content Creators!
- Calling All Content Creators: Marketers Spending More on Content in 2010
- Survey by Junta24 - Content Marketing Spending Report
- "The survey results reveal that, for the third year in a row, the majority of marketing professionals (6 in 10) will allocate more of their marketing budgets to content marketing initiatives."
- "According to the report, smaller companies are allocating 40% of their marketing budgets to content marketing, which is more than twice the amount of larger companies, who are allocating 18%."
- Marketing Takeaway: Content creation is the way to inbound marketing glory.
How Transparent is Transparent Enough?
Forum Fodder
- Age Discrimination
from KMM - "Yesterday Brian presented the "DARC" acronym in the context of what he looks for in selecting members of an internet marketing team. The "D" stood for "Digital Native". The definition of a Digital Native was given as a person whose first word was "Google", not "goo-goo". How can this criterion not be seen as age discrimination? How do I, not being a Digital Native, overcome this obstacle to joining an internet marketing team?"
- Kate Hutchinson: "A real "Digital Native" I would say, is someone who is actively learning everything possible about the digital world and using it on a daily basis."
Marketing Tip of the Week: Become more digitally fluent!
Closing
Webinar: Advanced Business Blogging
 | Learn how to build your business blog into an inbound marketing machine.
Download the free webinar to learn how to create a thriving blog. |
Article has
5 comments.
Click To Read/Write Comments
With the final episode of Jane Austen's Emma airing on PBS this Sunday night, we've noticed that people are behaving a little bit more ... courtly to each other. Here's a handy guide to extending that exquisitely good behavior to the social media world.
It is a truth universally acknowledged... that social media is being used by more and more businesses to engage meaningfully with their customers and to drive more qualified traffic to their sites.
And while Jane Austen never blogged (she totally would have), or had a profile on Facebook, or posted status updates on Twitter, she certainly had a great quantity of wisdom to share about social behavior – what is correct, what is silly, and what is disastrous -- that is as true today as it was when young Emma Woodhouse busied herself with meddling in the love lives of all her friends.
What would Jane have had to say about engaging with your customers and promoting your business on social websites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn?
• Etiquette matters.
Although social media is famous for having somewhat loose standards of formality, propriety does hold a central place in any society, like it or not. Every social media platform (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) lays claim to its own particular cultural rules and mores. Be sure that you understand the customs and expectations of each platform before you make a gaffe, lest you cause tongues to wag, or worse, offend Society.
• Conversation matters.
The most prized currency in any refined society is the witty, charming conversation of its habitués. Your conversation may be clever and amusing, but do stop short of being overly self-promotional. It is a delicate balance, to be sure, but eminently achievable by the accomplished practitioner. How? Strive to focus on other people, be courteous, be helpful, be modest, be kind. Avoid gossip and vulgarity at all costs.
• Connections matter.
No, you needn’t be the cousin of every A-list blogger or member of the Twitterati. Rather, you should strive to cultivate a true circle of friends who share your interests, whose trials and triumphs you can share, and with whose problems you can empathize. Try to make connections between people who should meet, but have not yet; be a matchmaker where one person’s needs and desires meet another person’s strengths and qualities. Create networks of friends who are sincerely glad to know each other, and give them frequent opportunities to connect and help each other.
• Love conquers all.
Share your passion, and those who share your passion too will find you and follow you. Speak from your heart, do not endeavor to deceive, and all shall be well.
Image: PBS
Video: How to Use Social Media to Attract More Customers
 | Learn how to use social media to attract more customers.
Download the free video and learn how to generate more business using social media. |
Article has
14 comments.
Click To Read/Write Comments