International SEO Strategy

Focus on the Languages

Your answers indicate that your business offerings are the same for users across the web, but they speak different languages. Translating your content and indicating those translations to the search engines is the best route for you to take.

Action Items:

1. Translate your content. Don't machine translate; while manual translation is costly, it's the best for your brand and user experience.
2. Put your HREFLANG in XML sitemaps. This is not your only option, but it keeps code off your page, which will increase page speed.
3. Don't use a ccTLD. That is for Geo-targeting only.

Keep in Mind:

You don't need to mess with ccTLDs or geotargeting; all you need to worry about is producing good translations of your content and correct site markup.

Focus on the Country

Based on your answers, it sounds like you don't need to worry about translating your content! This is great news; translation can be a very time-consuming process. Since you noted your business offerings change depending on the country, you will need to develop either site sections or whole new websites dedicated to those countries.

Action Items:

1. Pick the URL structure for your international growth and stick with it.
2. Set up Google Webmaster Tools Geo-Targeting.

Tips:

• Don't use HREFLANG; you are not translating inside a country, so it's not necessary.
• Don't use IP detection for country targeting, but ask your customers to set a cookie.
• The content and marketing in each targeted country has to be different.
• Only use people native to the country for outreach in order to minimize cultural differences.

Options:

1. ccTLD
   example: domain.co.uk

   Pros

   • Most direct signal that the content is targeted at that country
   • Automatically set up in Webmaster Tools as geo-targted

   Cons

   • Must purchase domains and hosting
   • Must maintain separate sites
   • Sometimes tough to get at ccTLD if the business is not formally setup inside the country

2. Subdomain on gTLD
   example: uk.domain.com

   Pros

   • Easy to setup
   • Server can be located elsewhere (very small signal to search engines)
   • No purchasing necessary

   Cons

   • Not as strong from a domain authority perspective
   • Must follow the steps to claim and geo-target each subdomain

3. Subfolder on gTLD
   example: wwww.domain.com/uk

   Pros

   • Easy to setup
   • No purchasing necessary
   • Low maintenance

   Cons

   • Must follow the steps to claim and geo-target each subdomain

Take the Integrated Approach

Your answers indicate that you are going to need an integrated approach to international expansion. Not only does your audience in each country need to see different things, they also need translated content. This is the most complicated of the options, but we are here to help you through this.

Keep in Mind:

1. The site content in each country must be different.
2. Don't use IP detection for country targeting, but ask your customers to set a cookie.
3. Only use people native to the country for outreach in order to minimize cultural differences.

Action Items:

1. Pick the URL structure for your international growth and stick with it. Keep in mind that the structure needs to include both translations and geo-targeting. We recommend one of the following options:
   • ccTLD and subfolder: www.domain.co.uk/de/product
   • ccTLD and parameter: www.domain.co.uk/product?lang=fr
   • Subdomain and parameter: ca.domain.com/product?lang=fr
   • Subdomain and subfolder: ca.domain.com/fr/product
   • Subfolder and parameter: www.domain.com/ca/product?lang=fr
2. Translate your content. Don't machine translate; while manual translation is costly, it's the best for your brand and user experience.
3. Put your HREFLANG in XML sitemaps.
4. Set up Google Webmaster Tools Geo-Targeting.