There are about 8 billion people across the globe and among them, approximately 4.66 billion people use the internet facility. 

International SEO can help your website mark its organic online presence in the international market which further lets you reach the target audience and creates brand awareness. 

As per reports, 94.19 percent of search traffic in India is derived from Google. 

International SEO is appropriate for the optimization of an online presence in countries outside the U.S.  

Features like Geotargeting, Localization signals, and Hreflang Tags are used for targeting consumers. 

Google works uniquely by matching the search results with that of the user’s language and location. 

Significance of International SEO 

International SEO is a platform for all businesses to reach their target audience globally which means you have an opportunity to bring forth their products and services. 

Therefore, impactful international SEO strategies can widen your horizon in the market share by also paying heed to those markets which are being overlooked by your competitors. 

Expert Tips for Staying Ahead with your International SEO Strategy 

Getting your International SEO strategy right is not as easy as it seems because the different countries you are trying to target will have different languages, cultures, and searching habits. You will need to cater to all of them, giving each aspect equal importance. 

Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency is also an effective solution while focusing on the international audience. 

Focus on the Domain Strategy 

Domain strategies have the power to target the markets and also impact the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) which further creates rankings. Domain strategies are strongly influenced by Geo-Targeting and are deeply affected by the domain authority of a site and also the backlinking profile. 

  • Choose a Domain name or extension which caters to the audience of the specific country you are going to target. You might also choose a domain consisting of country code. Example: domain. cc. Country Code Domain Strategy: ccTLD, which means Country Code Top Level Domain is visible toward the end of the domain name and implies a country. 
  • Subdirectory Domain Strategy: The Subdirectory Domain Strategy doesn’t consist of local ccTLD and must be a domain at a high level. A Subdirectory implies a language code or a country code that can be added to all domains. This type of domain strategy largely helps in keeping up with the SEO efforts regularly. This strategy is used by a few businesses for all those countries they are bound to target. 
  • Subdomain Strategy: Subdomain’s setting is at default in the CMS tools. It is separate from the root domain. Its keywords also function distinctly from the root domain. Subdomain concentrates on multiple domains while Subdirectory focuses on a single domain. 

It is advisable to analyze your competitor’s domain structures in the specific countries that you want to target. 

Usage of non-English characters in URLs 

It is highly recommended to exclude English characters in URLs. Avoiding the usage of any special characters can be replaced by using characters from other languages including Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian. 

For Non-English websites, it is better to avoid the use of English words and URLs. Using non-English words and URLs is better. 

Defining the type of international content to be provided  

Search Result optimization is extremely important and you can do that with location and geography. 

Some sites are available for both English and Chinese, also providing an alternative to juggling back and forth between the two languages. Other sites available provide customized experiences to the users depending on their location. 

To understand which method to use you must first analyze where the traffic is being generated from as you might be receiving traffic from countries unexpectedly without even optimizing for them. This could be a plus point and you must take complete advantage of it. 

Improve your keyword research method for International SEO 

It is essential to get the keywords translated the right way to avoid wasting your efforts with International SEO because of the difference in searching habits and culture in each country. 

Once you’ve translated the keywords professionally, make sure you analyze the search volumes, content plans, and competitors by using a keyword research tool.  

You can further get help from Google Translate to review whether your translated keywords hold any relevance for your target audience or not. 

Performing a competitor analysis once you have finished with International SEO keywords will help a lot. Analyzing which keywords work best for them and whether they can perform well for you shall be your next step. 

International SEO-Off Page SEO 

It is mandatory to have all your international pages in the language of the targeted location and audience. On-Page elements must be accurate with the removal of too many languages working simultaneously confusing the visitors on your site and sending wrong signals to search engines leading to bad ranking. 

Make sure that keyword translations are incorporated under the On-Page elements including Meta Description, Anchor Text (internal linking), Sub-headings and Header, Page Title, Navigation, URL, Page Content, and Images. You must also ensure to include your local address and contact number in the footer of the Homepage. 

International SEO- Focusing on local link building 

To make your website look authoritative you will need to focus on link building so that you can connect with other businesses and influencers locally. Building strong business connections will hold significance. You will need to build more connections about the region you choose to target. 

SEO agencies dealing with International SEO could prove beneficial to you. 

Lay your hands on International SEO 

Understanding and acknowledging what your customers or potential customers across the globe are looking forward to will enhance your International SEO strategy. 

You can further build your site customized according to your target customers depending upon their needs. 

International SEO and all the key points we have talked about will surely help you attain a global reach. Although, it could get highly expensive as you move ahead with it.