International SEO Services: What, Why, And How

June 30, 2024

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DataReportal shows,

8.10 billion people worldwide,
5.44 billion of them use the Internet,
62.6 per cent of the total population as of April 2024.

International SEO-Total internet users in this world — Total Internet Users Of This World

This vast online presence signifies a tremendous opportunity for businesses to reach global audiences, but not all websites can capitalize on this potential.
Many websites fail to monetize their traffic effectively due to their inability to reach the right audience. This is where international search engine optimization (SEO) services come into play.
International SEO is crucial for boosting targeted audiences and ensuring your content reaches potential customers worldwide.

(Table of Content) If you have time, please read the entire article or click on your desired section

The Growing Importance of International SEO

Each year, millions of people search for content that meets their specific needs. The digital content marketing industry is rapidly growing. In 2022, it made about

63 billion U.S. dollars,
this increased to 72 billion by 2023,
it will reach 107 billion by 2026 (projections).

Digital Content Marketing Industry Revenue

The digital content marketing industry is huge and can feel overwhelming. Content creators and businesses need to focus on reaching the right countries and audiences.
International SEO services can help you reach a global audience and promote your content, services, and products worldwide.

What is International SEO

International SEO service is a process of optimizing websites to rank well in search engine result pages (SERPs) across different countries or regions. It helps businesses attract diverse audiences globally.

I have been working for a US-based fabric company for many years. I am giving one example here. I am going to use some statistics/charts from Nike to make it clear how international SEO works.

International SEO- Traffic Distribution By Country

This statistic shows how this business is working for different countries. It is clear to us that this business does not have customers from different countries. If we want to make this an international business, we have to work on the international SEO of their webpage.

International SEO- Traffic Distribution By Device

I have collected this example by analyzing Nike. It shows that this company has done international SEO.

Since written content like blog posts or articles is an influential medium to collect customers, many international companies develop insightful content in different languages. The main objectives of this of type content are to transform knowledge and to increase their sail. These companies analyze their visitors according to using devices:

International SEO- Traffic based on Unique Device

International SEO-Behavior of International Clients

They also analyze from different perspectives to understand the behavior of their international clients.

They also focus on worldwide traffic channels:

International SEO- Worldwide Traffic Channels

For international SEO optimization, targeted keywords for target languages and cultures are important because each country is unique in its language and culture. Related keywords in specific languages make websites visible to the customers of these specific countries.

This strategy allows companies to tap into untapped markets, redefine consumer interactions, and maintain relevance in various international contexts. It helps businesses transition from local popularity to international success, showcase stability, and leverage the strength of foreign industries.

What are the Benefits of International SEO

International SEO goes beyond traditional boundaries. I am giving you a comparison to make it clear why you need international SEO.

Now, you may think—big companies are spending a lot of money on digital marketing strategy and even on SEO. What about small local companies?

Magic is here.

All companies, big or small, local or international, are equal to the Algorithm of search engines. It wants to understand USER INTENT. Search engines like Google and other international search engines try to send their visitors to the pages on your website that are mostly relevant to their intent. In other words, search engines offer those pages where customers can get their best answers to questions.

Therefore, the end result of international SEO optimization is to increase the company’s revenue. Arguably, there are some reasons that act to optimize the page. Finally, it brings more customers to the website, and revenue increases.

I will discuss the five benefits of international services here.

Increase visibility:

The main benefit of international SEO is that your business appears in local searches worldwide.

You can use country-specific domain names to increase visibility in SERPs. For example, if you use “.de,” it means this domain is for specially Germany, and people from there will find this page easily.

Increase site authority:

Increasing visibility leads to increased site authority. Your pages will gain strong and related backlinks and social mentions, which will scale up your site authority.

More Targeted Traffic:

When you develop your website for a specific language and culture, it attracts region-based traffic. Targeted keywords for specific local markets increase the chances of engagement and conversions of targeted customers.

Meet the competitors

International SEO tools give you chances to meet rival companies. It opens a new challenge for you, which can lead you to get foot steep to new markets. It also opens an opportunity to learn from others. You can use this knowledge in different target markets to attract more customers to your website.

Improving your branding

International SEO helps to brand your products worldwide. By improving user experience, it adds brand value to your products. It also allows companies to grow and expand internationally.

What are the differences between local and international SEO services

I am giving an example to clarify the differences between local and international SEO.

Muku is offering T-shirts in the local market, like Florida. As a content creator, he writes articles for his website, runs ads on Facebook, and creates videos for YouTube. For these, he needs to consider local fashion trends, targeted keywords, and cultural attitudes to image and language.

On the other hand, if he targets any region of the Arabic countries for this t-shirt print, he must think about cultural issues, language issues, type of images, and local trends. Otherwise he can not sell his products.

Therefore, moving from local business to international business does not only mean changing the locality. It means changing the whole perspective in terms of cultures, interests, and digital content.

How much does international SEO cost?

Statistics show that only 17% of small businesses invest in SEO. What are the reasons behind this? The reasons could be insufficient knowledge and investing a huge amount of money. I am giving here an example:

These organizations are the most famous as international seo agencies in the world. The highest cost of international SEO among these service providers is $5000 per month, and the lowest cost is $3000.

Ahrefs, SENrush and MOZ are the most influential SEO analyzing tools. Let’s see how they cost?

International SEO- Comparison of International SEO Tools — Comparison of International SEO Tools

So, It is clear that investing in international SEO is expensive. So, what can I do now if I want to do it for my company?

How to do international SEO at an affordable price for my small business

10 best way to do international SEO at an affordable price for your small business:

I am giving here some affordable tips and tricks on how to improve seo that small business owners can follow to afford their services without the help of a famous international SEO agency for their business:

DIY SEO Learning and Implementation

Online Courses: Many courses are available online in this issue. You can join a course to develop yourself.
Blog Post and Article: You can read blogs and articles on various topics. I especially want to mention SEMrush, Moz, Ahrefs, and Neil Patel. They regularly update the best practices of SEO.

Use Free and Affordable SEO Tools

Google Search Console and Analytics: You can start with two free tools from Google- Google Search Console and Google Analytics. You will get valuable insights from these tools.
Affordable Tools: Many affordable SEO tools are on the market. You can buy any of them and compare their plans.

Use Local SEO Strategies for International SEO

Local Keywords: You can conduct keyword research targeting the country where you want to rank. In this regard, you can use Google Keyword Planner to understand trending words, KD (Keyword Difficulty), and the volume of traffic. You can also use MOZ, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or other tools to do the same work. It would be best if you considered only which one is comfortable for you.
Google My Business: You can get help from Google My Business (GMB). You need to list and optimize your business for each target country.

Multilingual Content is the best

To rank on the first page of the international search engines, you have to create SEO-friendly content. You must create different type content in that specific country where you want to rank. You can hire freelance writers from Fiverr and Upwork.

Consider the Technical SEO

For technical SEO, you need to ensure that your webpage speed is as expected and that it is mobile-friendly.

Ensure Quality Backlinks

Guest Blogging: As you know, international link buildings are the backbone of a website. So, write a guest post for a renowned website in a targeted country to build backlinks. Guest posting will obviously improve your DA (domain authority).
Local Directories: There are a lot of directories in each targeted country. Insert your business into local directories in a respected country.

Social Media Platform Marketing

Ensure social media marketing in the targeted country to let them know you are there. You can create valuable content for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, and so on to engage with your target audience.

Collaboration with Local Influencers

To spread your brand, you can collaborate with local influencers. Sometimes, local influencers are affordable and have loyal followers in your target country.

Continuous Monitoring

Conduct an SEO audit of your website regularly. Adjust your plan and implement updated strategies if necessary.

Hire Freelancers and Small Agencies

You can hire freelancers and small agencies from different platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. You can hire them at an affordable budget. Work with them, consult with them, and give them time to work for you.

Conclusion:

In today’s global marketplace, businesses need a strong international SEO strategy. By investing in SEO tailored for different international target audiences, companies can improve their online presence in global target markets. It leads to growth and profitability of your business.

International SEO increases your brand’s visibility worldwide. It aligns your content with the cultural nuances and language preferences of each target market. This leads to higher engagement, better customer interactions, and more conversions. By leveraging local search habits, preferences, and trends, you can position your business as a local favorite while operating globally.

Global SEO practices help you build and expand relationships with new customer bases, becoming part of local commerce landscapes worldwide. The benefits include greater organic reach, easier entry into international markets, and better user experiences. This increases your market share and helps you tap into new markets.

Call-to-Action

Take action today—engage with our experts to evaluate your current digital strategies. We can design an international SEO strategy aligned with your goals or amplify your existing efforts with our consultation services.

We are ready to work with you. Feel free to contact us.

Questions and Answers on International SEO

Q1: What exactly is international SEO?

A: International SEO is all about optimizing your website so it attracts visitors from various countries and languages. It works for the search engine ranking of your website.

Q2: Why should my business care about international SEO?

A: If you want your business to grow globally, international SEO is key. It helps you show up in global search query results overseas, brings in more traffic to your website from different regions, and ultimately boosts your sales and conversions from a global audience.

Q3: How do I get started with international SEO for my site?

A: Getting started with international SEO involves a few steps:

Do keyword research for each country you’re targeting. Use hreflang tags to tell search engines which language and country you’re aiming for. Decide if you’ll use country-specific domains, subdirectories, or subdomains. Content creation that resonates with local audiences. Get backlinks from local sites. Make sure your site loads fast and is mobile device -friendly everywhere.

Q4: What are hreflang tags, and why are they important?

A: Hreflang tags are bits of code that tell search engines what language and country a page is for. Hreflang tags help search engines to show the right version of your page to users. They work depending on their language and location.

Q5: How is international SEO different from local SEO?

A: International SEO targets audiences in different countries and languages, while local SEO focuses on reaching people in a specific geographic area.

Q6: How do I pick the right keywords for international SEO?

A: Picking the right keywords involves:

Using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to see what people are searching for in different countries. Understanding how local search habits and language quirks play a role. Checking out what your competitors are doing in each market. Considering cultural differences and local trends.

Q7: What should I keep in mind for multilingual SEO?

A: For multilingual SEO, make sure to:

Properly use hreflang tags. Create high-quality, localized content. Avoid using automated translations; hire native speakers. Keep your branding and messaging consistent across all languages. Regularly monitor and analyze your performance in each language.

Q8: How can I target multiple countries using just one website?

A: You can target multiple countries with one site by:

Using url structures like subdirectories. Example: For France- xyz.com/fr/

Using subdomains. Example: For France- fr.xyz.com

Sometimes a mix of both, depending on your strategy and technical setup.

Q9: Should I go for country-specific domains (ccTLDs) or subdirectories for international SEO?

A: It depends on your goals and resources:

ccTLDs (like example.fr for France) can boost local search rankings but are pricier and harder to manage. Subdirectories (like example.com/fr/) are simpler to handle and help consolidate your SEO efforts, though they might not be as powerful for local search.

Q10: How do I avoid duplicate content issues with international SEO?

A: To avoid duplicate content:

Use hreflang tags to indicate the target language and country. Implement canonical tags to show the preferred version of a page. Don’t rely on machine translations; create unique, quality content for each language.

References

Bennett, James D. “Support for international search terms.” U.S. Patent No. 8,171,041. 1 May 2012. (https://patents.google.com/patent/US8171041B2/en)

Moura, Rita, and Beatriz Casais. “Search Engine Marketing to Attract International Digital Traffic.” Digital Marketing Strategies and Models for Competitive Business. IGI Global, 2020. 74-102. (https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/search-engine-marketing-to-attract-international-digital-traffic/253609)

James, D., Bennett. (2009). Support for international search terms – translate as you crawl (https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150278365A1/en)

May, Anthony D. “Multinational Corporations and SEO Discounts.” Available at SSRN 4323302 (2022). (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368228840_Multinational_Corporations_and_SEO_Discounts)

Singh, Nitish. Localization strategies for global e-business. Cambridge University Press, 2011. (https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7KwgAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Localization+Strategies+for+Global+E-Business:+Optimizing+international+websites&ots=30C6ksDzBo&sig=lAx4zwDcJJ1en4r4un7oUKpSz4w#v=onepage&q=Localization%20Strategies%20for%20Global%20E-Business%3A%20Optimizing%20international%20websites&f=false)

Author’s Bio

I hold a Master’s degree in History from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and in Anthropology from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. With years of research experience in health, I have transitioned into a passionate Content Writer, AI Content Editor, SEO Specialist, and Data Operator.

Since 2012, I have served Fabrics World USA as a Content Creator and SEO Specialist. My goal is to ensure my clients are 100% satisfied, both in profitability and company growth. Combining my education and experience, I prioritize benefiting my customers.

My research tenure at Heidelberg University and BRAC University enhanced my analytical skills and understanding of human behavior, which I continuously apply to my work.