How to position your company abroad: 8 essential points of International SEO

Have you ever wondered how your company could reach markets abroad through the web? Today, having a digital presence that transcends borders is not only an advantage, but often a necessity. But how do you make sure your website is adapted to audiences of different cultures and languages? Are you concerned about not only translating your content, but also optimizing it for local search engines and really connecting with those new potential customers?

International SEO can be your best ally. Through a series of well-implemented strategies, you can significantly improve your reach and visibility in international markets. This is not just about translating keywords, but understanding the cultural differences that make each market unique. Here are eight key strategies that will help you secure good positioning abroad and, more importantly, create authentic connections with your global audience.

8 points to consider in an international SEO strategy

1. Keyword research by region and competitive research

Each market has linguistic and cultural particularities that can affect the search for information. It is essential to conduct thorough keyword research specific to each target region, taking into account local languages and dialectal variations. In addition, it is critical to research who your direct competitors are in these markets and what keywords they are using. Analyzing how your competitors rank in search engines can give you valuable clues about what strategies are working in that particular international market. Tools such as Semrush or Ahref can help you not only to identify relevant terms and their search volume, but also to perform a detailed competitive analysis.

2. Using the hreflang tag for multilingual content

For multilingual websites, it is crucial to implement the hreflang tag. This tag helps Google understand which language version of your content should be shown to users in different regions. Implementing hreflang correctly can prevent duplicate content problems in different languages.

3. Local user experience optimization

Adapt your website content and design to match local user expectations and behaviors. This includes adapting relevant units of measurement, currency and contact details, as well as ensuring site load speed is fast in all target regions.

4. Local link building

Develop a link building strategy that focuses on obtaining links from relevant and authoritative websites within each target market. Local links not only improve your SEO, but also increase your site’s relevance and authority in a specific regional context.

5. Understand local philosophy and customs

It is vital to understand and respect the cultural norms and customs of each market you are targeting. This includes adjustments in communication and marketing to align with local values and consumer expectations, which can significantly improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of your site.

6. Review whether you have enough resources to be able to translate the entire website

Before deciding to translate all of your website content, it is essential to assess whether you have the resources to maintain quality and accuracy in multiple languages. This involves not only translating existing content, but also the ability to continue to produce and update content in all languages offered.

7. Consider whether it is better to add a subdomain or a domain root

Deciding between using a subdomain (e.g., en.example.com) or a root directory (e.g., example.com/en/) depends on several factors:

• Pros of a subdomain:.
  • Flexibility in SEO management and localization:
  • It can be viewed as a standalone site, which is useful for very differentiated marketing strategies.
• Contras of a subdomain:.
  • Requires more effort in building the domain authority from scratch.
• Pros of a root directory:
  • Benefits from the authority of the parent domain.
  • Less costly and complex in terms of maintenance.
• Contras of a root directory:.
  • Less flexibility for location-specific settings.

8. Adaptation of the main menu and services according to the country

It is crucial to adapt not only the content but also the structure and offer of your website according to the needs and preferences of the local market. In some countries, it may be more profitable to focus on certain products or services that differ from your main offering in your home market. This involves customizing the main menu and service sections of your website to highlight what is most relevant and potentially more profitable in each specific region.