In today’s interconnected and rapidly evolving digital world, businesses are presented with unprecedented opportunities to expand their horizons across international borders. This phenomenon, which was considered a distant dream just a few decades ago, has now become a tangible reality. One of the fundamental pillars supporting this global expansion is multilingual search engine optimisation (multilingual SEO). This strategy has emerged as the linchpin of marketing efforts for enterprises seeking to amplify their online visibility and tap into diverse language environments and emerging markets.
So, what exactly does multilingual website and content SEO entail, and how can it empower your business? Let’s dive into this transformative approach to digital marketing.
The impact of multilingual SEO on your business
Conducting a well-executed multilingual SEO campaign in foreign markets holds the promise of numerous advantages for any enterprise with ambitions of international growth.
The first benefit consists in exploring new markets. When you engage in SEO campaigns in foreign markets, you have the opportunity to enter entirely new regions. Tailor your ads to users speaking different languages and you can reach a broader audience, and even attract organic traffic globally.
The second item on the list of pros is competitive advantage: implementing multilingual SEO strategies sets your company apart in international markets. Optimise your online presence for multiple languages and you can outperform competitors. This positions your business as the preferred choice for customers worldwide.
Thirdly, multilingual SEO will improve the user experience (UX). By providing content in users’ preferred languages, your website becomes more accessible. Users can understand product descriptions, access relevant information and navigate effortlessly, thereby fostering trust and engagement. Make sure you use location-specific keywords, and your audience will feel that you answer their needs and questions.
Last but certainly not least, international SEO allows you to tailor your content and marketing strategies to specific cultural nuances and preferences in different regions. This cultural relevance can significantly boost your brand’s resonance with local audiences, leading to higher conversion rates and customer loyalty.
Best SEO practices for international expansion
Optimising multilingual websites for search engines involves a strategic blend of on-site SEO, focusing on content and structure adaptation for various language versions, and off-site SEO, encompassing external linking to the website’s language variants.
| Exploring and identifying keywords: a fundamental pillar of SEO lies in uncovering keywords, a process that also sheds light on users’ most frequent search queries. This understanding of user behaviour within a specific language empowers website owners to fine-tune their content, offering comprehensive answers to common questions tied to their niche. By providing users with comprehensive information, you can keep them engaged for longer, reducing bounce rates and subsequently elevating your site’s search engine ranking. |
| Leveraging language-specific tools: for effective content optimisation on multilingual websites, it’s wise to employ keyword research tools equipped with language-specific datasets. These tools unveil the most commonly searched words and reveal your competition’s standing in the target market. Resources like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Moz or AnswerThePublic provide insights tailored to specific languages and regions. |
| Understanding search engine preferences: before diving into optimisation efforts, it’s vital to pinpoint the primary search engines in your target region or locale. Consider platforms like Naver, Baidu or Yandex (for South Korea, China and Russia, respectively). While these search engines share a common purpose, they often diverge in terms of available keyword research tools and search result algorithms. |
| Acknowledging cultural nuances and context: multilingual keyword research must acknowledge and adapt to cultural distinctions and linguistic subtleties. Specific terms, idioms, and product preferences may vary depending on language and region. A nuanced understanding of these differences plays a pivotal role in refining your keyword strategy. |
By implementing these SEO strategies for multilingual websites, you not only enhance your online visibility but also ensure that your content effectively resonates with diverse international audiences.
Structuring your website for international expansion
When planning to expand into foreign markets through search engines like Google, one of your initial considerations should be the website’s structure. There are various ways to approach the creation of new language versions, each with its merits, depending on your strategy and budget.
Choosing the domain approach
One common method is to incorporate language versions into primary domain directories. In this approach, specific language versions are given subdirectories, resulting in URLs like youraddress.com/en, youraddress.com/de, and youraddress.com/fr. This approach simplifies website management, harnesses the power of links pointing to the primary domain, and eliminates the need to purchase new domains. However, it’s worth noting that using directories may pose challenges in separating language versions and achieving distinct rankings for foreign users. Google’s crawler bots may continuously identify related content on other language versions of the website.
Considering subdomains
Alternatively, subdomains can be employed. Under this strategy, one top-level domainhouses several subdomains, such as en.youraddress.com and de.youraddress.com. This approach effectively segments the website while still benefiting from links directed to the primary domain. The drawback here is that subdomains might acquire slightly less link power compared to language versions based on directories. This is particularly true if the primary domain doesn’t have a strong reputation. Subdomains are suitable when your website is already well-positioned in SEO rankings for the original language version but may not be ideal for new websites with multiple unindexed language versions.
Exploring multiple top-level domains
Alternatively, you can opt for multiple top-level domains (TLDs). This means that different language versions are hosted on separate websites, such as youraddress.com, youraddress.fr, or youraddress.de. However, this approach is more complex and requires ownership of several domain names. Additionally, you need to acquire links for each individual version, making it a costly and time-consuming choice. Nevertheless, we opted for it at Digibutsu, as it offers better separation of language versions and the opportunity to establish an SEO reputation over time. It’s most effective when you have ample time and resources to invest.
Global vs. country-specific domains
For global websites, it’s advisable to steer clear of country-specific domains like .fr or .de. Instead, opt for global domains such as .com or .info. These global domains are not tied to any particular geographic location, making it easier to distinguish between the different language versions of your website.
Your choice of website structure should align with your specific goals, existing SEO position, and available resources, ensuring a successful expansion into foreign markets.
Hreflang tags: enhancing multilingual website visibility
Hreflang tags serve as HTML attributes with a crucial role: informing search engines about a website’s language and geographic focus. When employed correctly, these tags aid search engines in determining which language version to display to users in specific countries or regions. Ultimately, this optimisation strategy bolsters the visibility and ranking of multilingual websites.
| Proper implementation of hreflang tags |
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| To make the most of hreflang tags, it’s essential to place them within the HTML head section of a website hosting alternative language versions. Accuracy in language and country/region codes is paramount; for instance, “en” denotes English, “de” signifies German, “sv” represents Swedish, and “pt” stands for Portuguese. |
Even with hreflang tags in place, it is advisable to employ language-specific URLs. For instance, “example.com/en/page” denotes the English version, while “example.com/fr/page” signifies the French version.
This dual strategy further refines language targeting and enhances search engine indexing, fortifying the overall performance of your multilingual website.
How hreflang tags shouldn’t be used
There are few common hreflang mistakes to steer clear of:
- Wrong language codes. Employ the ISO 639-1 format for all hreflang language codes. Carefully review these codes to ensure they adhere to the correct format.
- Relative URLs. Ensure that all hreflang tag links are presented as absolute URLs. Absolute URLs provide clear instructions to crawler bots.
- Page blocking. Ensure that pages with hreflang tags are accessible for indexing. Avoid the inclusion of “noindex” tags or executable code or frames that might disrupt the functioning of hreflang tags.
- No returning links. Ensure that each language version of your website contains links to all other available versions. Consistency in hreflang codes across sites is paramount for effective implementation.
- Inconsistent language encoding. Check whether the header language encoding aligns with the hreflang attributes. Inconsistent encoding can lead to confusion for search engines.
- “X-default” mistakes. Contemplate whether the “x-default” attribute should be utilised to indicate the default page when no hreflang tag is present. Analyse region-specific traffic patterns to determine the most suitable version for “x-default”.
- Canonical tag mistakes. Canonical tags should be utilised to specify the preferred version of your website for indexing. Verify that canonical tags direct search engines to appropriate pages and avoid employing self-referring hreflang tags.
- Different “en” variants for different countries. Avoid creating multiple domains for the same language. Instead, opt for unique content tailored to each region or incorporate region codes within hreflang tags to prevent issues related to duplicating.
- Default settings of domains in the same language. Consider region-specific domain variants to precisely target your audience. Analyse your target demographic and user experience to determine the best solutions for your website.
- Improper handling of dynamic content. Neglecting to account for dynamic content can lead to hreflang errors. If your website serves dynamic content based on user preferences or locations, ensure that hreflang tags dynamically adjust to match the content being displayed.
Failing to do so can confuse search engines and users, potentially impacting your site’s ranking and user experience.
By adhering to these guidelines and avoiding common hreflang tag pitfalls, you can optimise your multilingual website’s performance in search engine rankings and provide a more tailored experience to your diverse international audience.
Not sure if you’ve considered every aspect of hreflang implementation?
Enhancing Translation and Local Adaptation
To effectively allure new customers with a fresh website language variant, reliability reigns supreme. The deployment of machine translation and awkward phrasing can easily dissuade prospective users in the target language. Engaging with experienced translators guarantees precise and context-sensitive content translation.
Local adaptation stands as a pivotal factor in conversion rates. Consequently, it proves advantageous to tailor your content while considering cultural preferences, idiomatic expressions, and local conventions. Beyond conversion, local adaptation fosters trust and heightened user engagement.
Is machine translation always inadequate?
The quality of machine translation is expected to remain inferior to that of texts crafted by skilled linguists for at least some time. However, what can you do when faced with a substantial e-commerce platform and a limited budget for human translation? While working with professional translators is recommended, machine translation can emerge as the optimal solution for extensive projects – as long as the machine-generated content undergoes thorough review and proofreading.
In scenarios involving high-value products or services, where linguistic errors are less tolerable due to potential damage to customer trust, and in the realm of multilingual SEO, accuracy becomes paramount. Most search engines prioritise precise matching of user queries with indexed sites. Incorrect machine translations can hinder search engines from comprehending your content.
Hence, even when considering machine translation, we advocate for the involvement of human linguists. Our trusted collaborators (both freelance and from companies in the linguistic branch) specialise in post-editing machine translations. With a synergic approach, we enhance the content crafted by them by enriching it with relevant phrases.
Another available solution is keyword-enriched machine translation – a semi-automatic approach that ensures favourable positioning in search results, which, however, may slightly affect the user experience.
Together, we will consider available options
that suit your needs best!
Strategic link building for multilingual SEO
Incorporating effective link-building strategies is a vital component of multilingual website SEO, especially in fiercely competitive industries. When crafting your link acquisition plan, consider the following key factors:
Language relevance
Prioritise backlinks from websites that use the same language as the specific version of your site. These language-aligned links hold greater value in the eyes of search engines and contribute to enhanced market positioning.
Quality backlinks matter
Focus on obtaining backlinks from high-quality content websites that operate in relevant languages. This can encompass local portals, blogs, forums, and international industry-specific sites.
Build relationships with webmasters
Establishing connections with other webmasters in your industry offers opportunities for link exchange. This can involve collaborative efforts such as guest blogging, joint event participation, or content sharing.
Vigilant link monitoring
Once you’ve acquired backlinks, conduct regular monitoring of linking websites. Assess their quality to prevent unwanted bot traffic or potential harm to your website’s credibility through associations with subpar sites. Unwanted links can be disavowed using tools like the one provided by the Google Search Console interface to safeguard against negative SEO effects.
Leverage local and industry directories
Listing your website in local and industry-specific business directories for each language version enhances search engines’ understanding of your company’s operations and target regions.
Link building is an ongoing, systematic process that necessitates a strategic approach. Emphasise link quality and steer clear of questionable practices, which can have detrimental effects on your website’s reputation. The acquisition of valuable, organic links is pivotal for successful multilingual SEO.
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Additionally, consider the language of the domains from which you gain backlinks. As far as search engine optimisation is concerned, the most authoritative links typically originate from domains in the same language. However, this doesn’t imply that you should entirely dismiss links from websites in other languages. Trustworthy incoming links can indeed vary, contributing to a well-rounded link profile.
Unlocking multilingual SEO success with expert strategies
In the dynamic landscape of digital marketing, mastering multilingual SEO is imperative for businesses eyeing global expansion.
From crafting an effective website structure to optimising hreflang tags and strategic link building, the journey to multilingual SEO excellence demands meticulous planning and execution. Understanding the nuances of language, culture, and search engine preferences is vital for success.
While machine translation can offer cost-effective solutions, it’s essential to complement it with human expertise to ensure precision and enhance user experience. Our team of SEO and affiliated linguistic experts jointly specialise in machine translation post-editing and keyword optimisation, providing tailored solutions to propel your multilingual SEO efforts.
Remember, multilingual SEO is a long-term endeavour, and ethical practices are the foundation of sustainable success. Invest in high-quality, organic backlinks, and prioritise language alignment to maximise the impact of your SEO efforts.
Join us in elevating your multilingual SEO strategy
At Digibutsu, we’re committed to empowering your global reach through our expertise in multilingual SEO. Our seasoned staff stands ready to optimise your content, improve your rankings, and boost your international presence.
Contact us today to explore tailored solutions that align with your unique requirements and unlock the full potential of your multilingual SEO strategy.
