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The Challenges of Multilingual SEO

Gary Muddyman - Conversis Andrew Bruce Smith - Escherman

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“It's the little differences. A lotta the same s**t we got here, they got there, but there they're a little different.”

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Agenda

• Where do we usually start?• Where should we start?• Implications for content adaption• Summary

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Where do we usually start?

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Where do we usually start?

• Sub-domain/folders/country level domains• Hreflang implementation• Assume it’s all about Google• Translate + launch + hope

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The same but different everywhere….

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Where should we start?

• Audience analysis is vital!• Understand the audience flight path• Segment by market/language/geo• What role does search play?• Is SEO the right thing to do?

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The basics

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The basics

• Keyword research• Google Market Finder is good place to start (but don’t rely on it)

• Test searches in country (or by proxies)• Never simply translate keywords• English often most searched for variant even in non-English

speaking countries

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Top language searches by city: 2015

• BerlinGerman 96.5%English 2.2%

• Madrid Spanish 93.8%English 2.5%

• Paris French 95.6%English 2.4%

• London English 97.2%French 0.6%

• Sao Paulo Portuguese97.6%English 1.6%

• Toronto English 97.1%French 1.7%

• New York English 98.4%Japanese 0.3%

Source: Google Trends

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The basics

• Competitive search research (fight the battles you have a chance of winning)

• Backlinks count (local links vital)

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Things to consider

• Lack of localisation is single biggest reason for failure of international SEO (even when technical implementation is flawless)

• Great content adaption + tech implementation is vital• Need to co-ordinate in-country managers + web devs + search

marketing

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Implications for content adaption

• Content isn’t just about words - fonts, images, etc all have impact on market and culture

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Localisation and Transcreation

• Ensure all graphics and copy are as persuasive and attractive to the audiences in your target countries as they are in your domestic market

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Understanding buyer behaviour

• Don’t assume that one category of buyers in one locale act the same as buyers in another locale

• Dangerous to fall into trap of believing stereotypes• Consult native speakers and residents with local expertise early

in the process

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Understanding buyer behaviour

• Just because a product works in one locale, it doesn’t necessarily follow that it will work in another.

• Ensure you understand local preferences and tastes.

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Before you even start …

• Build your English website with localisation in mind• Avoid:

• ‘Local’ humour Colloquialisms • Concepts Slang• Images with text Acronyms

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User journey

• Providing foreign language pages creates an expectation• A local language site that leads to a non-localised e-commerce

page rather ruins the aim!• Consider local language support/help lines

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Summary

• Not for the faint hearted!• Needs proper investment in resources• Proper planning and research pays dividends• Content adaption and SEO need to work hand in hand