Maximizing your international presence with global SEO strategies

Global SEO is not one-size-fits-all, and the approach will depend on your target audience. Businesses that benefit most from global SEO strategies typically include:

• E-commerce companies: Online retailers looking to expand into multiple countries need to rank highly in local search engines to capture international sales.
• SaaS providers: Software-as-a-Service businesses with users across different regions can benefit from a global SEO strategy that targets local search terms and keywords.
• B2B companies: For companies targeting businesses globally, optimizing content and landing pages for different regions is key to building credibility and generating leads.
• Startups with international ambitions: New companies aiming for fast international growth can use global SEO to quickly build visibility in multiple markets.
• Tourism and hospitality: Hotels, airlines, and travel agencies must rank in various countries and languages to attract international travelers.

Keyword research is at the heart of any SEO strategy, and global SEO is no different. However, instead of using the same keywords across all regions, you need to adapt them to match local search behavior. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs allow you to search for keywords by region, ensuring that you target the phrases that people are using in each market.

For example, the keyword "sneakers" is common in the U.S., while in the U.K., people may search for "trainers." A localized keyword strategy ensures that your content is relevant and reaches the right audience.

The structure of your website’s domain plays a critical role in global SEO. There are three primary options:

• Country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs): These are specific to each country, like .de for Germany or .fr for France. ccTLDs send a strong signal to search engines that your website is targeting a specific country, but managing multiple ccTLDs can be resource-intensive.
• Subdomains: Using subdomains like de.yourwebsite.com allows you to create country-specific versions of your site without having to manage multiple ccTLDs. While subdomains work well for separating content, search engines treat them as separate entities, so building authority for each subdomain can take time.

Subdirectories: With subdirectories (e.g., yourwebsite.com/de/), you manage one domain and simply add country-specific directories. This is easier to manage than multiple ccTLDs, and all authority is passed to the main domain, making it a popular choice for many businesses.

For global SEO to be effective, your content must resonate with local audiences. This goes beyond translation—content needs to be localized, meaning it’s adapted to the cultural and linguistic nuances of each region. For example, images, idioms, and references that work in one country may not make sense in another.

Invest in native speakers or local experts to ensure your content is relevant and culturally appropriate for each target market. This increases engagement and builds credibility with local audiences.

While Google dominates globally, some countries have their own popular search engines that require different optimization techniques. For instance, Baidu in China and Yandex in Russia have unique algorithms, and optimizing for them involves specific strategies.

For Baidu, factors like fast page loading speed, host location in China, and avoiding blocked content (such as certain JavaScript frameworks) are important. For Yandex, user behavior, mobile-friendliness, and local trust factors play a bigger role.