International SEO at SES London 2014 #SESLon

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International SEO- Breaking down the borders

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Musts For International Success

# 1 Geo-targeting

#2 Language

#3 Link Development

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Estimated 8.26 billion web pages

different indexes for different countries, i.e

google.co.uk and google.dk(or Yahoo...ehm...)

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You need to help the engines figure out WHICH index you want to be found in

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#1 geo-targeting

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Geo-targeting

Making sure your website is indexed in the right geographical index. Options:

- ccTLD, Sub domain or Sub Directory- Using Google webmaster tools- Using Hreflang Attribute

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- Little/or no benefits of links to main domain

+ Authority of links to the domain


country code TLD

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ccTLDs

Country specific TLDs such as .co.uk .de and .fr is the best sign you can give the search engine to which geographical index you want to be index and ranked in.

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If you have an office (or will have) in the relevant country and it is a growing businessccTLDs are recommended.

Especially if you also have a marketingbudget in those countries (or in housecapabilities).

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Having a marketing department in a country and still being on a sub folder is a bit like living at home with your parents at 30!


using subfolder

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When subfolders should be used

- Budget restrictions & no local marketing

- Sites that don’t have local offices (and are not planning to open local offices)

- Initial geo targeting & time restraints- Informational sites

+ benefit of link authority of entire domain!

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Often this is the first option you have available to you.

It’s a good start for growing brands.

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ASOS stages this well

www.asos.com/itwww.asos.com/es etc

When established move to ccTLDwww.asos.dewww.asos.fr

http://www.asos.com/it

http://www.asos.com/es

http://www.asos.de/

http://www.asos.fr/


using subdomains

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When Subdomains Should be Used

• Technically it’s a middle road between ccTLDs and sub folders but in my opinion NOT ideal

• Easy to implement and can have separate hosting BUT don’t benefit in whole of the link authority on main domain

That’s all I could think of. I would avoid it if you can.


webmaster tools

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For non geo specific TLD like: .com .net .org .info etc…

You can set target country in Webmaster tools.

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BUT don’t restrict yourself. Only to be used if you definitely DON’T want to show up in any other indexes

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25% of sites has wrong geo targeting settings! source: John Mueller Google


hreflang attributeThe new way of saying “It’s the translated page innit” or “it’s suppose to be indexed in this country”

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What is it?

The Hreflang attribute is simply a way of telling the search engine this is a different language version of a page.

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When to use Hreflang

• You translate only the template of your page, such as the navigation and footer, and keep the main content in a single language

• Your pages have broadly similar content within a single language, but the content has small regional variations. For example, English-language in the US, GB, and Ireland.

• Your site content is fully translated. For example, you have both German and English versions of each page.

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Guides on Hreflang

Google’s guide on hreflang

Can be implemented as a HTML link element in the header <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="http://www.example.com/en" > <link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="http://www.example.com/de" >

(must be implemented within HTML on BOTH URLs)

Or by Implementing Hreflang using sitemaps (recommended)

http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2620865

http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2620865

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Tool for creating sitemap

the Mediaflow created this tool to make it easier:www.themediaflow.com/resources/tools/href-lang-tool/

http://www.themediaflow.com/resources/tools/href-lang-tool/

http://www.themediaflow.com/resources/tools/href-lang-tool/

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BTW!The Hreflang attribute will NOT make your site rank higher!! And is not the same as canonical.

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Be Aware

Using hreflang and canonical together can have huge detrimental impact if done wrong


#2 language

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Target differently

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YOU Need to speak the language AND understand the culture!

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If you want traffic from Norway; Snakk Norsk for faen

Funnily enough the search engines also believes that a site that has content in Norwegian might also be targeting Norway. Simples. End of.

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Speak Their Language!

Don’t directly translate and for F#%* sake don’t use Google translate and think that’s it.

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21 ShadesOf Verve Search

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Don’t use the big BRANDS as a guide!


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Nike website NOWHERE to be found


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IP Detection/Redirection

• Several big issues with IP Detection but mainly the problem that bots usually crawl from US IP so therefore might never see your other content.

• Instead maybe use a javascript overlay that detects IP address and requests users to select relevant country!!!


#3 link

development

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Sometimes it seems like the algorithm is different from country to country.

Updates DO get rolled out at different times in the country specific indexes so in a way the algo IS different.

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If you are working in one of those countries that gets the search engine updates rolled out much later…you basically have a crystal ball into the future. Use it wisely!

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Link Development is very different in each country, what works in one country might not work in another

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Blogger Outreach still works well. Not over saturated and people are positive and open (not jaded).

Spain, Italy and Poland

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Scandinavia

There is little point in blogger outreach in Sweden (99% wants paying). Denmark is quickly following suit.

In Norway there are all sorts of legal rules for declaring something is done with marketing intent.

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Social Shares:

By getting socialshares to the pagewhere we have a linkwe are enforcingtrust and quality ofthat link!

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Attraction of links combined with promoting of content is one of the safest strategies

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#skateseeing campaign

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http://www.hotelclub.com/sk8seeing/brighton-on-a-skateboard.html

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http://www.hotelclub.com/sk8seeing/skateseeing-east-london-video.html



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Embed codes!

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The Potential of On Page Content Marketing

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UK vs Norway Competitors

97,000 links 2,000 links

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Blogging makes outreach easier

+ Rel=Author

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Thank you!

[email protected]

Date post:	14-Sep-2014
Category:	Marketing
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