More people than ever are browsing online in languages other than English. That’s great news for anyone trying to start a business, grow their company, or just expand their reach. However, this trend presents a challenge for those trying to drive more international traffic to their site. You can’t simply create one website and assume the world will automatically see and use it in their language.
To succeed, you need to cater to various local customs, cultures, nuances, and buying preferences. This is where the power of SEO localization comes into play. So, what is SEO localization?
Table of Contents:
- What Is SEO Localization, and Why Does It Matter?
- How To Use SEO Localization the Right Way
- What are Common Examples of SEO Localization in Action?
- FAQs about SEO localization
- Conclusion
What Is SEO Localization, and Why Does It Matter?
Let’s imagine your business wants to expand internationally by marketing to people in Spain. SEO allows you to target more clients, provide a better user experience, and build credibility. You take what you assume is the easiest and quickest path and use a website translator to convert your English website into Spanish.
However, this strategy does not take SEO localization into account. This approach just translates words without thinking about the person in the target country. This oversight can harm you in the long run. If your marketing material and website experience are too general, your chance of losing a sale is very high.
According to CSA Research, 76% of online shoppers are more likely to buy products with information in their native language.
SEO Localization Takes Your Standard SEO Strategy a Step Further
SEO localization isn’t just about language, it’s about cultural relevance and optimizing for local search engines. For example, in China, Baidu is the preferred search engine over Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.
Consider the importance of local keywords. I recently helped a friend start a business targeting Spanish-speaking customers. We discovered that many high-volume search terms were completely different than the simple, translated versions.
In some instances, what we assumed would be a “transactional” keyword turned out to actually be “informational” in nature. This means that the assumed intent of the customer was wrong. What a significant distinction.
How To Use SEO Localization the Right Way
When learning about SEO localization, it really helps to understand the value and how much business owners need to focus on a localized approach. It takes significant effort and involves tailoring several crucial components:
Start With Keyword Research For Your Local Audience
Resist the temptation to translate your existing keywords directly from English. This will not work well, even though many business owners take this route. Instead, treat each target market individually by conducting fresh keyword research from scratch. You will find keywords and long-tail keywords that people commonly use that don’t translate literally.
For instance, “sustainable fashion” in French directly translates to “Mode durable”. Although this phrase receives an average of 320 monthly searches in France, it is not ideal.
Through in-depth keyword research and understanding the culture, we uncovered that the term “mode éthique,” which translates to “ethical fashion,” makes more sense for the French market. This is because it’s what the locals search for most often in this specific instance.
This is surprising because the original phrase “Mode durable” is accurate in the French language and essentially means the same thing. If you bypass doing proper SEO localized keyword research using keyword tools like Semrush, Moz Keyword Explorer, or Google Keyword Planner, then you will miss out on many opportunities.
Do In-Depth Cultural and Linguistic Research for Each Region
Let’s say your website content uses the term “sneakers,” which is common in many English-speaking countries. In certain parts of the world, that same product is never referred to as a sneaker. That’s why it’s not enough to translate your website.
Understanding cultural and linguistic nuances is crucial. When SEO localizing, you adapt the content, messaging, tonality, and offerings to a particular local culture. This goes beyond a word-for-word translation. If you decide to bypass these small yet critical differences, you will damage your brand’s reputation.
Remember, to really connect, every customer touchpoint has to be personalized for their country and buying habits. Doing so, along with a great website and high-quality products, improves the success rate of your localized SEO, which leads to higher revenue.
Go Beyond Simple Translations and Speak to the Reader’s Emotions
Include local idioms and references specific to your target country. Remember, the experience needs to make your potential customers feel like your entire business is made especially for them. The way you achieve this is through extensive research to capture these subtleties.
To demonstrate the dramatic impact small cultural changes make, look at these two versions of a localized web page title:
- English: “Buy eco-friendly cleaning products for your home today.”
- Brazilian Portuguese Translation: “Compre produtos de limpeza ecológicos para a sua casa hoje.”
Both are correct in the Portuguese language. However, one will perform significantly better for Brazilian Portuguese customers. This is based on their buying habits, nuances, culture, and preferred terminology:
- Brazilian Portuguese SEO Localization: “Compre produtos de limpeza sustentáveis para a sua casa hoje.”
This shows why SEO localization is more powerful than simple translation when optimizing website elements. This is especially important for global search. For someone who doesn’t know any better or speaks only one language, these differences seem insignificant.
But if over half of consumers prefer making purchases in their own language, then your chance of success increases dramatically, don’t you think?
Consider Differences in Global Search Engine Usage
Global marketing has been made drastically easier now that Google owns such a huge market share worldwide. Google’s ranking algorithm applies fairly across various countries. But this does not mean localization should be bypassed. However, this does not always apply.
This is why your global marketing efforts will vary based on your target. If you decide to target Russia or China, Google is not the primary way people search there. For more information, see this image.
Other common search engines, such as Baidu, Naver, and Yandex have a higher usage share in countries other than America. Accounting for this makes or breaks the ROI for your SEO localization efforts. Take note and don’t let this critical information slip past you.
What are Common Examples of SEO Localization in Action?
Now that you know about SEO localization and its impact, take a peek at these easy-to-grasp, real-world scenarios.
Currency and Payment Options
If your ecommerce store is based in the US, you might assume the entire world uses USD as currency and therefore you should display that on your product pages. But, if someone in Japan, France, or Germany wants to buy your products you need to think about those micro-moments in the purchase decision. Consider what tips the scale in your favor, assuming your products or services meet the customer’s needs.
In these scenarios, you always want to display everything to your customer in a way that makes it easier for them. If a product is 20 USD, but that converts to 2,800 Japanese Yen, make sure you display that to your Japanese visitors.
Offering familiar payment methods (such as Alipay for China) can also make a difference. This can impact conversions and long-term business success in that market. Remember that not all countries use credit card payment processors in the same way as America, for instance.
Address Formats
Even slight changes, like how addresses appear, vary throughout the world. In Japan, the address format places the country at the beginning. This differs from European or North American systems, which place it at the end.
By factoring in these variations and using each market’s common structure, you make your brand relatable. This can also streamline your entire logistical approach if international sales take off for your business.
Units of Measure
For an ecommerce business that sells apparel internationally, simply converting a US size 10 (women’s) to size 42 (EU sizing) is not enough. You need to consider other factors as well. Think about your customer’s preferences for how clothing is displayed and managed. So many nuanced decisions like this go overlooked. However, it’s precisely those smaller things that, when done together, can equal major success in driving up revenue.
FAQs about SEO localization
Should SEO be localized?
Yes, absolutely. Localized SEO helps your website reach a broader audience. You can target people speaking different languages or living in different regions, boosting your site’s visibility and traffic in local search results.
What is the meaning of local SEO?
Local SEO is all about optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. Local businesses with physical locations mostly use this. However, you can benefit from this strategy even without a physical store. You can customize your website and content to a particular geographic location.
What is the difference between SEO translation and localization?
Although often used interchangeably, SEO translation and SEO localization are different. SEO translation simply converts content into another language. However, SEO localization digs deeper. It adapts content for a specific target market, including cultural nuances, regional keywords, and search engine preferences. Think of translation as conveying the words and localization as conveying the meaning.
What is SEO and how does it work?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, helps your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). This makes it easier for people to find you online. It is like boosting your website’s visibility. Search engines use complex algorithms to understand and rank websites. They consider aspects like relevance to search terms, website structure, and quality of content. It’s about creating content people want, organizing your site efficiently, and gaining credibility.
Conclusion
It is tempting to rush ahead with a fast translation and consider it a success. However, in the ever-growing global internet marketplace, what SEO localization is and what steps need to be made are vital questions. These are important for those who plan on achieving meaningful, profitable results in the long run.
You can get by with doing SEO only for those targeting the English market. However, over half of all consumers buy exclusively in their native language. With that in mind, taking the time to carefully cater to each country makes good business sense, don’t you agree?
