How to do keyword research for a global SEO strategy
You may be looking to take your business that one step further and break the international barrier, and that’s great! But there are a few things to consider beforehand. One of those things is keyword research.
Keyword research is at the heart of any SEO strategy. It informs the content you write and helps you know what terms to try and rank highly for in the SERPs. But how does the research change when it’s a global SEO strategy?
This step forward may seem overwhelming, but we’re here to break down how you can tailor keyword research for going international.
The basics of keyword research
Top Tips for Keyword ResearchIf you’re here, then you probably know just how much of an important role keyword research serves. However, it’s worth just having a reminder on the basics before we delve into global SEO strategy.
Performing keyword research means finding which keywords have the highest search volume and then building content around this. Content that targets keywords is likely to rank higher as more people are searching for those specific terms.
All SEO strategies involve keyword research, but the approach to this research may change depending on the type of SEO you implement. For example, local SEO would tailor keyword research towards the local area that it aims to rank highly in.
How does keyword research change for a global SEO strategy?
What does going global actually mean for your keyword research? Global SEO (or international SEO) aims to optimise your website to appear in the SERPs globally instead of focusing on one region. This is a good practice for businesses looking to expand their audience and create more opportunities for revenue.
So, if your target audience and ranking opportunity are expanding overseas, then your keywords may need to change. The research means identifying the foreign language keywords and aiming to optimise for these instead of the keywords in your current location. After all, you want to rank for clusters of keywords that your users are searching for in other countries so your site can be found.
So how do you tailor the ins and outs of keyword research to an international SEO strategy? Here’s what you should do:
Begin with your usual keyword research
The first step, of course, is to determine your keywords. Identify the ones you’d like to use so you aren’t overwhelmed with the hundreds of possibilities. Pick seed terms, ones with high search volume and that have potential internationally, not just locally.
Your usual keyword research can be done with tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner and many other useful tools. Check out our blog about 10 free keyword research tools that you can use anytime, anywhere with the bonus of being completely free!
Analyse your competitors
Understanding the global and international market can be done by conducting an analysis of your competitors. As mentioned above, keyword research tools can help you with this process. You can see what works well for those businesses in your target location and use your findings to adjust your strategy.
Translate and localise the keywords
Once you have your keywords, it’s essential to translate them. By doing this, you stay in alignment with international SEO best practices. By translation, we don’t necessarily mean a direct translation- it means finding an equivalent of your keyword in a different region, which may have to be an entirely different phrase altogether.
Localising your keywords means translating them in a way that’s understandable for an international audience so your site will rank highly for their user’s search queries. The localisation process means the differences between languages and cultures aren’t overlooked.
Check your translated and localised keywords
Once you’re happy that your keywords are translated and localised, it’s definitely worth putting them back through an international keyword research tool to check their accuracy and search volume.
If it comes back that they have a low search volume, then you may want to reconsider your choice of keyword and go for something that people are more likely to search for. Or, you may want to double-check the translation and localisation process to see if the words have been properly localised to the area.
Analysing the search intent behind the keyword helps you know what content people are actually wanting to find with this keyword. This is one of the key checks to see if the new keywords are going to work for whatever search query is typed. Helpful content that aligns with a user’s search intent is rewarded by the search engine, so it’s worth checking whether search intent varies between regions.
Consider search engine differences
Different search engines may be used more or less frequently in other countries, so optimising just for Google may be a risky move. Focusing on just Google’s algorithm limits your opportunity for ranking on the more frequently used search engines in other regions, so it’s valuable to include general best practices wherever possible. Use keyword research from other search engines, not just Google.
The do’s and don’ts of international SEO keyword research
- Consider specific local regions: each region has its own dialect, and understanding the local differences helps you address the regions that you aim to target. It especially feels much more personalised for an audience.
- Use a native speaker or translator: as mentioned, translating and localising keywords is a must, but a translating tool just won’t cut it. It’s best to use a person who knows this language and can apply all its nuances to the process.
- Geotargeting techniques: larger countries could have differences between their cities, hosting a diverse range of dialects that you can target by honing in on specific regions.
- Consider differences in seasonal trends: seasonal trends might range from country to country, so this is something to bear in mind. What works for one country in the Summer may not work for another, so it’s crucial to tailor your strategy based on the specific seasonal trends.
- Don’t ignore local regulations: discussing certain topics could be banned or deemed more ‘taboo’ in certain countries and ignoring this could have your site censored or even face legal issues.
- Avoid being generic: this shouldn’t be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Each audience is different, and so is each market, so applying the same strategy just won’t work.
- Neglecting specific local markets: linking back to the previous point, neglecting specific local markets leads to a generic approach- user consumption and demands are bound to differ from country to country (and even region to region!), so it’s worth keeping this in mind.
- Don’t overlook voice search: keywords can differ in voice search, and this type of search is becoming increasingly more common- this is why using a conversational tone with the correct localised language is best practice.
Want help with your SEO strategy? Contact Embryo today
Hopefully, you’re now ready to go global! We hope that from reading this blog you’ve gained the confidence necessary to navigate keyword research when you decide to spread to international audiences.
Our Embryo SEO team can help develop a strategy tailored to your industry needs and help you achieve the goals for your business, whether this be on a global or local scale. Whatever your need, we’re here to efficiently optimise.
Got a question that’s not covered here? Get in touch today!
FAQs
Answered by Dan McCartney
Will adding international keywords to my content harm my local strategy?
It’s possible that search engines might see you as less of a local business if you start to target other markets as a part of your strategy. Successfully adding international keywords under a global strategy however will broaden your reach, so relying on just a local audience becomes less high risk.
What is the best way to translate keywords into other languages?
We would always recommend using a human translator, especially for larger pieces of content. Tools which can translate for you may not always be the most accurate, which could harm your SEO.
Should I only target countries with a high search volume for my business?
This would be a good way to prioritise your project. If there is a higher demand in other specific countries then definitely target these first. Search demand doesn’t always mean conversions are higher there- so always collectively use your data to inform your global SEO strategy.
Is global SEO classed as a high-risk strategy?
Not necessarily, but have to be careful with how you scale. Gradually expanding into more counties as time goes on requires carefully following technical SEO practices as you migrate websites. When done right, a global SEO strategy is a great way to expand your keyword reach.
Do I need different domains for different countries?
No, you don’t need to do this. There are 3 options: CCTLD using country codes under different domains Using subdomains. Or, subfolders are a great way to prevent you from starting a new website from scratch each time you want to rank for searches in another country.
