If you want to expand your business to foreign markets, SEO optimisation is the thing you can’t do without, unless you plan to rely solely on ad spend. And with SEO optimisation come keywords and keyphrases, necessary to achieve success. From a SEO perspective, the first logical step in keyword translation would be to conduct international keyword research – but it could also happen that you already have a ready list of keywords which work just fine in your original market. Involuntarily, the question arises: would keyword translation be enough in this case? Can you do it? And, perhaps even more importantly – should you?
Multilingual keyword research – what is it and why does it matter?
Keywords are words and phrases that internet users type in search engines in order to find a desired product or service. They play a key role in website positioning and form a foundation of the entire SEO process. Translating and optimising your website is the first step of expanding your business to international markets. But is translating keywords enough?
It’s definitely an important part of the process, but you need to keep in mind that even if a certain keyword works in one market, it doesn’t necessarily have to be adequate in another market. That’s why translation may not do the trick – but localisation will.
With localisation comes research. Business owners have to know what is popular in markets they wish to enter. The recommended option is conducting multilingual keyword research, which is the process of identifying keywords used most often in a given market. One of its main benefits is that it helps your website rank higher in search results, attracting more customers in the process. It also comes in handy as a way of getting to know your potential customers better, which in turn leads to increased website traffic, translating into better sales results.
Why would you translate keywords?
By now we’ve established that translating keywords is not the solution. And it’s still true! But there are two situations in which keywords translation can be actually seen as a useful step.
First of all, when you enter a foreign market, it may just happen that you will collaborate with a foreign team. In such a case, it is advisable to simply translate the already available keyword list into the language understood by all interested parties – often English – so that they will be able to understand it, which in turn will help you to communicate freely and without unnecessary barriers.
Second of all, you need some kind of basis to begin the process of localisation. Therefore, you may translate keywords that you deem the most important, which you’ve already used in your original market. These could be treated as seed keywords, which are selected phrases used as a basis in keyword research. In your home market, you would usually think of phrases related to your offer (or use insight from market researchers). When expanding to new markets, the most general and searched for keywords will usually translate well across markets, and less obvious keywords may serve as inspiration for finding proper ones in each market. Translating them is therefore a good place to start – but it’s only one of the ways to kick-start the keyword research process.
Why it’s not enough to translate keywords
It’s always risky to implement the “translate & correct” method, since it can lead to similar versions of keywords that are essentially the same, like in the case of anti-dandruff shampoo, which could actually be used as “anti dandruff shampoo” (6,100 searches per month in the UK), “antidandruff shampoo” (300 searches) or “anti-dandruff shampoo” (only 100). But there could also be a phrase like “seborrheic dermatitis shampoo” (1,800 searches per month in the UK), which technically does not relate to the same disease, but one that has similar symptoms – and, therefore, may prove an adequate phrase for some anti-dandruff haircare products. If the original keywords were good and exhaustive from the start – that’s great! But you can never be too sure. If it turns out they were actually inadequate, merely correcting them may not be enough and can make you miss the mark entirely.
That’s why you need to remember about research. Considering synonyms, phrases, everyday language and terminology used commonly by market regulars will help you create a great keyword list and refine it, allowing you to implement the most effective keywords for different countries into your content and giving you a bigger chance to succeed.
Linguistic differences
While localising keywords, you need to keep in mind that each language is different – even if only slightly. That might pose a risk in itself, as certain translation outcomes may differ in meaning depending on context, region or differences between spoken and written words. Without international keyword research, you may miss cultural or linguistic nuances, typical for certain audiences. For instance, in China, a potato is called 土豆, whereas in Taiwan (where Chinese is used too), it’s actually 馬鈴薯. Another example is the Spanish word coger, which means “to catch something” – in Spanish, “to catch a bus” would be translated as coger el autobús, butin South America it would actually be: tomar el autobús. To give another example, in Portuguese, there are several words that stand for the term file, e.g. arquivo and ficheiro – their use depends on the context, of course. There is also the infamous case of trousers vs. pants. The first one is used commonly in the UK, and the second one, in America. The difference is that in Great Britain, “pants” is used for… underwear (so you can only imagine the potential confusion).
That’s why it’s so important to remember that language is never black or white. There are many intricacies and approaches, and localisation includes not only a language, but also a market in which this language is used. So it’s always better to trust professionals.
Different needs and seasonal searches
Think of it this way: people living in Alaska will probably search for warm clothes more often than people living in Mexico. Different customers may have completely different needs, depending on many aspects, such as culture or tradition, or even climate they’re living in, which is why certain phrases will work in one place, but not in another. The best solution here would be to work with a translator/copywriter who is also a native speaker – a person who was born in a given country and knows its culture inside-out. Thanks to that, they have the ability to tell you if certain keywords make sense in their country/region, or if they are completely out of place.
For instance, in many countries, it’s customary for children in school to change their shoes in autumn and winter, as to prevent floors from getting too dirty. There, it makes sense to promote slippers or sneakers typical for school, but the situation looks different e.g. in Greece, where the weather during those two seasons is not as harsh, so nobody really feels the need to change their shoes at all, and such marketing would make no sense.
Ways of searching for products and services
It would be a stretch to even say that people from the same region use the exact same keywords and keyphrases to look for certain products or services. Everybody is different, and so customers may use longer or shorter phrases, abbreviations, diacritical marks or even voice search. It’s really easy to implement incorrect keywords and minimise your chance to shine, whereas it’s almost impossible to guess correctly what will work well. International keyword research will help you establish the most popular words and phrases, no matter how unusual they are.
What should you remember about so that your hard work won’t go to waste?
So, what are the most important aspects of keyword translation that should be kept in mind?
Translating keywords to use them in a seed material for keyword research is a process, and it should begin with a thorough research of the target audience, their culture, what’s popular among them, and how you can stand out from your competitors. You can also never rely on machine translation. Hiring a professional translator – preferably a native speaker – is the best option here. Only then can you be certain that you can properly work on your seed keywords and that your content is suitable and will be interesting for potential customers.
Multilingual keyword research with Digibutsu
If you want to embark on a multilingual SEO journey, remember that international keyword research suited to a given market is the key to success. It may happen that you will feel lost and won’t know what to do next. Not to worry! We’re here to help.
At Digibutsu, we work with native speakers who know every single trend that is on top in their respective markets. Because of that, they are able to determine which keywords and keyphrases will actually be useful for your website, giving you the best possible outcome. We also help interpret the research results and implement them into your website.
Contact us, and we will do everything in our power to prepare the best content plan for you and your business.
FAQ
What is SEO keyword translation?
SEO keyword translation is a process of localising and refining keywords and keyphrases, so that they can be used in more than one market. It may start with translating a ready-made keywords list, then researching its relevancy for a given market and scraping completely new phrases.
How do I translate keywords in SEO?
Translating keywords is a useful ancillary step in the KWR process and in working with keyphrases in general. However, sometimes a more descriptive “explanation” of a phrase might be needed, when translation alone could be misleading. Thus, it’s best if the translation/description of keyphrases is done by a person familiar with the market and keyword tasks.
How to translate SEO keywords for different global audiences?
We can only reiterate that the translation of keywords is just an auxiliary stage in the process of generating seed keywords for keyword research. We need to consider multiple aspects that may vary between different audiences: context, tradition, popularity of certain products and services, competition, culture, climate and, of course, language. People may use slangs or mental shortcuts typical for their country or region to search for desired things. Thanks to international keyword research, you will be able to explore the market you’re interested in and understand it better, which in turn will help you gain customers.
