Boost sales with SEO and localisation
The importance of organic SEO in the growth of a business cannot be overstated, especially when expanding into a new market. 76% of internet users say they prefer purchasing products with information in their own language, and 60% rarely or never buy from English-only websites (CSA Research, 2020). As such, effective SEO keywords should be integral to your localisation strategy.
Website localisation involves a lot of careful and strategic planning; without proper preparation, simply launching your translated site could be doing more harm than good in terms of optimisation. Recognising that people tend to relate more to content in their own language, inevitably leads to a different approach. But how do we draw traffic, boost SERPs, and consequently bring new customers to our localised website?
The basics: What is multilingual SEO?
Identify the best localised keywords
Keywords are the key component to any searchable website. And they should not be treated as word-for-word translations of the keywords in your source (native) language. Many keywords, if translated directly, would not sound natural or colloquial in the target language. Therefore, it is essential that you do proper research in the language you are targeting. Naturally, we can help you with this. This List of 40+ Tools to Advance Your International SEO Process by Moz also offers useful information.
Once you have established your multilingual keywords, create a glossary of these terms so your translators will be aware, and use them appropriately within the copy. Translators can also help to identify new words, related terms, and synonyms in the target language — which can then be added to the glossary. Keep in mind, though, not to keyword stuff the content!
Optimise the site speed
Over 47% of internet users expect a page to load in less than 3 seconds (Google recommends 3 seconds max). So for your local website to rank high in search engines, you need to consider your site and page speed. Site speed is dependent on various factors ranging from website host, visuals, plugins, number of ads, over-crowded HTML or unnecessary CSS.
Additionally, internet providers have set separate standards for different regions when it comes to speed. You can tackle this issue by building a simplified version of your website when launching in a country where the internet is slower. The use of local servers or a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can also have a positive effect on how your pages load in each country.
Conclusion: SEO is localisation
Simply translating your copy won’t deliver the results you need to successfully enter a new market. However, applying good SEO will help your local content rank high on local search results. Our consultants can provide solutions to all technical issues related to website localisation and we offer a variety of options ensure both the launch, and on-going maintenance, of your site is smooth.
Finally, appealing to the local culture — whether by localising cultural references, using colour schemes and imagery that will better resonate with your audience, or even incorporating local idioms — will go a long way to boosting user experience and ultimately, your conversion rate.