5 common mistakes that can ruin your international SEO strategy
If you have already implemented an international SEO strategy on your website, there are some common errors that you should avoid to guarantee that your efforts are successful.
Below we present you with the five most common errors in an international SEO strategy and how to avoid them.
Not having an effective international SEO strategy
The first error is to dive into the multi-language website world without having first come up with an SEO strategy based on prior research - both internal and external.
If you don't have an effective strategy, it can affect your ability to pull traffic to your website, and you could waste time and money on non-competitive target customers. Read this article to find out how to create a good international SEO strategy.
Choosing incorrectly the languages into which you want to translate your website
A common mistake is to assume a translation into English or French will suffice, since it's the second or third most widely spoken language in the country you want to expand your business into: this phenomenon does not necessarily also have to be reflected in the online environment.
To avoid this, ask yourself the following questions before choosing the languages you're going to translate your website into:
- Which is the most frequently used language to carry out searches in Google in the country to which I want to direct my business?
- Which idiomatic particularities exist in that country? For example, the English used in the United States is different to that used in the United Kingdom. This is why you need to take it into account when you're translating your SEO,
Translating your keywords literally
It's not enough to do prior keyword research in the native language of your website and translate them literally, completely ignoring the demand in the country you wish to target.
This type of error is closely related to the previous point. The best option is to research the language used in conjunction with a professional who is a native speaker of the language you're translating into and a specialist in marketing and internationalisation.
Not seeing beyond Google
Did you know that Google is not the most frequently used search engine in every country in the world?
For this reason, it is important to study the use of search engines in the countries which will be the target of your strategy. For example, Yandex has about 62% of the share in Russia, and Baidu about 51% in China. Once your choice is clear, you should adapt to the SEO optimisation criteria for each of them.
Internet and marketing regulations for each region
Every country has its own legislation regarding content published on internet platforms. Some apply extremely stringent regulations.
The countries with the most Internet restrictions include North Korea, Burma, Cuba and Saudi Arabia.
Now that you know the most common errors of an international SEO strategy, it's time to identify them on your own website and to correct them. If you need a professional translation quickly, take a look at our automatic AT Website Translator, and…launch yourself fully into the international market!
