International SEO @ Digital Sales

International SEO: The best approach to SEO is simple, copy the search engines, Google Do, You Do!!  Now, I’m focusing on Google within this piece, as they currently have the largest market share in Ireland and this article is on a website targeting Ireland.  However, do not forget to do your search engine market research before anything.

Anyway, there are a number of options when it comes to International SEO, but many of these very strategic decisions will depend on:

• your sector
• your business objectives
• the service or product you provide
• product or service margins
• your internal resources
• language
• your budget.

The decision you make now will really impact your organic lead generation – this decision and the repercussions can be very significant.  So, what are the technical and strategic options available for International SEO.  There are three options: Subdomains, Subfolders and then the premium option: Root Domain.  We are going to focus on Root Domain and why it’s the best option under certain conditions.

International SEO – Root Domain

Depending on your business objectives, resources and your budget, this is the best option.  Let’s say your primary business is Ireland (.ie), Britain (.co.uk) and the US (.com).  So, build one premium website and copy that site, uploading it onto your three difference domains.  Take Digital Sales – we have just launched: www.DigitalSales.ie and www.DigitalSales.com.

It may cost more to manage three sites but long term, what is one local sale worth??  What is the return on that ‘up-front’ investment?  What is involved if you launch three websites and you are targeting three local markets for International SEO?

Would I choose Root Domain if my business was an online shop?  No.  So, you’ve decided to go the ‘Root Domain’ approach to International SEO, what now and what should you do once you have made that decision to launch say three separate websites?

International SEO – Root Domains – What to do

1. Get the country and language code right for each site:

2. Make sure you undertake Keyword Analyses for each country and apply best practice On Page SEO for each website.  Making a direct copy may not work as the keywords and habits may differ.

3. Register your site on Google Search Console and Bing and make sure each website is pointed at the correct market.

4. Upload a .xml sitemap for each site and submit it within Google Search Console and Bing.

5. Host your website in the target you are targeting. If you have three sites, you will need three hosting solutions in three different countries – more cost and a little bit more management.  And get an SSL Certificate for each of the websites.

6. On the website contact us page, insert a local postal address and a local phone number.

7. Register the business on Google Plus, that implies three GMB accounts verifying your address, which is another positive signal, imbed the map into your contact us page.

8. If you have a page with testimonials, insert local cities within the text. So, don’t have a reference from Chicago on a .co.uk website.

9. Register your website on local directories, for each website, minimum 200 backlinks. See this very useful website for local SEO: https://www.brightlocal.com and Linking to local content.

10. Create great content and migrate that content to every site, updating your GMB (Google MY Business) for each account.

11. Write content in that countries language on each website and of course engage in content marketing.

Need help with your International SEO activity or strategies?  Contact Digital Sales…

International SEO – Contact Digital Sales

If you are a company that wants to build a world class website or needs help with your organic search position or generate online sales……do the necessary!!!…contact the Digital Sales team direct send us a mail at: info@digitalsales.ie, see our contact us page for our office locations.

Diarmuid Haughian – Business Development Director – Digital Sales

Dip. International Selling, Cert. Digital Marketing, MSc. BITS, MA Career Guidance