Language translation is just part of the equation: Why SEO matters

Our connected world has made it easier than ever for businesses to grow and expand their operations beyond borders. While reaching international markets provides companies with many opportunities such as access to new markets and revenue streams, reducing costs and recruiting new talent, it also adds a layer of complexity when it comes to language translation and localization.

Does your growth strategy include expansion on an international level? If so, translating just your marketing and sales material for local consumption is not enough. International success requires you to maximize the visibility of your products or services, and this extends to your website. However, translating web content for the region(s) you are entering is just one component. For consumers to find and feel comfortable with your website, you also need to localize content. And the best way to do this is to incorporate search engine optimization (SEO) into the translation process.   

Think global, act local 

Ensuring that people are routed to the right language- or location-specific webpage requires more than word-for-word translation of current keywords. This not only applies to regions where English is not the primary language, but other native English speaking countries as well. For example, let’s assume you manufacture sweaters and are gearing up to expand to the England, Ireland and Scotland. In the U.S., consumers will conduct a search using the term ‘sweaters’. However, in the U.K., consumers will most likely search using for the term ‘jumpers’. To achieve desired website traffic, country-specific keywords are essential for high ranking search engine results.  

International SEO, the practice of driving people to the correct website based on their location (multiregional SEO) and/or languages (multilingual SEO), cannot be underestimated. International SEO is all about addressing the needs of your target audience and providing the type of experience that keeps them coming back, which ultimately will have a positive impact on your bottom line. Let’s take a look at the nuances of multilingual SEO and multiregional SEO, and how, together, they can provide the best rankings and thus the most traffic to your websites. 

But first, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between the two. On the surface they may sound interchangeable. While related, proper execution of either or both relies on you first determining the countries you’ll be targeting, as well as the languages you plan to translate your website into for those regions. Multilingual SEO literally means what it implies – providing content in more than one language for the purpose of optimizing the site so that it is easily understood by consumers of different languages. Multiregional SEO is the process of optimizing website content so that it performs better to target consumers in various regions. 

• Multilingual SEO: What if your expansion strategy includes reaching beyond U.S. borders to target consumers in Canada and Switzerland? Although numerous languages are spoken throughout the Canadian provinces, English (56%) and French (20.6%) are its primary languages. But in Switzerland, where German prevails with more than 62%, followed by French at nearly 23%.You’ll obviously want those searching in German to be directed to your German website. While it may be advantageous to have a French site for French speaking Canadians and a separate site for French speakers in Switzerland, resources – at least initially – may prohibit this level of targeting. In this case, you have a choice. You can send those in Switzerland searching in French to the Canadian French site or alternatively the English website. As for the rest, the most logical choice will be the English site.
• Multiregional SEO: Let’s assume your growth relies on reaching Spanish speaking consumers. With more than 20 countries or territories where Spanish is the main or most used language, you’ll want to take a multiregional SEO approach that directs consumers to your Spanish website. Terminology between these countries may differ, and to handle that,  implementation of additional websites that capture local differences may be needed. To ensure you pop up on the search engine’s radar, you’ll need to incorporate the right terminology into your website copy and use keywords that are most prevalent. Terminology between these countries may differ, and to handle that implementation of additional websites that capture local differences may be needed.

The engines behind the scene

It’s no secret that Google is by far the largest search engine in the world. But what if your expansion takes you to countries where Google is not dominant? If you’re planning to take your business to other countries such as Russia, you’ll need to adapt for their most popular search engine – Yandex. By the same token, Baidu is extremely popular in China and Szenam has a sizable user base in the Czech Republic. When dealing with SEO, it will pay in dividends to do your homework first. 

Conclusion

Much can be written about why SEO can make all the difference between success and failure as you go global. But the one imperative is getting it right the first time. To do this, you need all-inclusive SEO and translation services. 

If you’d like to learn more about how BURG Translations helps you ensure high quality website translations, contact us today.