Introduction
The purpose of this article
For companies aiming for international expansion, multilingual SEO strategies are an essential challenge that cannot be avoided. In this article, we will explain four key points for successful international SEO strategies and provide specific implementation methods and points to consider.
Point 1: Proper setting of hreflang tags
What is an hreflang tag?
An hreflang tag is an HTML element used to communicate the relationship between pages for different languages or regions to search engines . By setting this tag correctly, search engines can display the most suitable version of the page to users in each language and region.
How to set hreflang tags
There are mainly three methods to implement hreflang tags:
- Implementation within the HTML head element
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="ja" href="https://example.com/ja/" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="zh" href="https://example.com/zh/" />
- Implementation in the HTTP header
Link: <https://example.com/en/>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="en" Link: <https://example.com/ja/>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="ja" Link: <https://example.com/zh/>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="zh"
- Implementation in the XML sitemap
<url> <loc>https://example.com/en/</loc> <xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/"/> <xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="ja" href="https://example.com/ja/"/> <xhtml:link rel="alternate" hreflang="zh" href="https://example.com/zh/"/> </url>
Points to note and examples
Important points to consider when implementing hreflang tags are as follows:
- Ensure bidirectional links : Cross-referencing is required between all language versions
- Include self-reference : Each page should specify its own language version
- x-default : Specify a default page when language or region does not match
- Use the full URL : Use absolute URLs instead of relative URLs
Point 2: The importance of branded searches
Branded searches refer to when users directly enter a company name, brand name, or product name into a search engine. In international SEO, the importance of branded searches is increasing year by year.
Why are branded searches important?
There are mainly four reasons why branded searches are considered important:
- Functions as a reliability indicator from Google
- A high number of branded searches indicates trust and high awareness of the brand
- Search engines evaluate this as a 'proof of trust from users'
- Leads to improved evaluation of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
- High conversion rates
- Users visiting through branded searches are already aware of the brand
- Significantly higher purchase intent compared to general searches
- Tends to have a lower bounce rate and longer site visit duration
- Average purchase price is often higher than regular search traffic
- Differentiation from the competition
- General keyword searches always involve competition with rivals
- Branded searches can almost exclusively achieve top rankings
- Directly linked to enhancing brand value
- Improved algorithm evaluation
- Increase in branded searches enhances the overall domain power of the site
- Easier to rank higher for related keywords
- Positively impacts local SEO that considers regional characteristics
Specific strategies to increase branded searches overseas
1. Coordination with offline strategies
- Participation in exhibitions and events
- Raising awareness locally
- Creation of direct business connections
- Gaining secondary effects such as press releases
- Industry media exposure
- Advertising in specialist magazines
- Responding to industry press interviews
- Providing technical contributions and white papers
2. Digital marketing strategies
- Social media use
- Disseminating information on major social networks in each country
- Influencer marketing
- Deployment of effective hashtag strategies
- Content marketing
- Regular distribution of highly specialized blog articles
- Publication of industry reports and case studies
- Deployment of how-to videos and webinars
3. Press release strategies
- Disseminating information to local media
- Utilizing press release distribution services in each country
- Providing information to industry news sites
- Collaboration with local PR agencies
- Disseminating highly newsworthy information
- Launch information for new products and services
- Information on local business expansion
- Publication of unique research results on industry trends
4. Branding strategies
- Consistent brand messaging
- Building a unified global brand image
- Localization that respects local culture
- Unified visual identity
- Adapting to local needs
- Product development considering regional characteristics
- Active sharing of local users' feedback
- Sharing Customer Success Stories
Direct search measurement and analysis
To maximize the effectiveness of branded searches, appropriate measurement and analysis are essential:
1) Indicators to be measured
- Search Volume Trends for Company Names and Brand Names
- Changes in search rankings
- Change in Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Behavior analysis of traffic from branded searches
② Use of analytical tools
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics
- Brand Mention Monitoring Tool
- Social media analysis tools
③ Implementation of the PDCA Cycle
- Regular effectiveness measurement
- Review and improvement of measures
- Consideration and implementation of new measures
An increase in direct searches cannot be achieved overnight. However, By approaching it from a long-term perspective, sustainable growth and stable customer acquisition can be achieved. It becomes an important factor. Especially in overseas markets, establishing a pathway from brand recognition to purchase is crucial, and an increase in branded searches is a key indicator of that success.
Point 3: The Importance of User Behavior
In Google's algorithm, User behavior signals It is a very important evaluation factor. Especially in overseas SEO, user behavior has a significant impact on search rankings. Search engines closely analyze how users browse the site and what actions they take, using this as one of the ranking factors.
A fast page display speed is positive for SEO.
Page load speed is a very important factor in SEO. Especially on sites where the initial display speed is slow, there is a high possibility that users will leave before viewing the content. In actual surveys, If it takes more than 3 seconds to load a page, over 53% of users will leave without waiting for it to display. The results show this.
This 'early exit' is an important signal for search engines. If users leave before viewing the content, it is likely that the page does not match the search intent or is judged to be of low quality.
Mobile users, in particular, are sensitive to display speed. When browsing on a smartphone, it is not always in a Wi-Fi environment, and the communication speed may be unstable. Therefore, reducing the weight of pages and optimizing them are especially important factors in mobile SEO.
High translation accuracy is positive for SEO.
High-quality translations have a significant impact on user behavior. People subconsciously judge the naturalness of content written in their native language. Taking Japanese as an example, when we see a site with unnatural use of particles or uncommon fonts, we subconsciously feel, 'Perhaps this site wasn't created by a Japanese person.'
This is the same in other languages, where native users immediately detect unnatural translations and grammatical errors. As a result, the site's credibility decreases, leading to early user departure. Such departures become negative signals for search engines.
On the other hand, with a natural translation, users can accurately understand the intrinsic value of the content. As a result, the time spent on the page increases, and deeper engagement can be expected. These positive user behaviors also lead to favorable evaluations in SEO.
AI Schliemannis positive in terms of SEO because the page display speed is fast and the translation accuracy is high.
Platforms that utilize the latest AI technology such as AI Schliemannhave a significant advantage in multilingual SEO. The reason for this is that it mainly satisfies two important factors.
The first one is Lightning-Fast Page Loading With an optimized technology stack and the use of a global CDN, we achieve fast page loading from any region in the world. This prevents drop-offs due to slow initial loading and provides users with a comfortable browsing experience.
The second one is High-quality translation The latest translation technology by AI goes beyond simple machine translation to achieve natural translation that considers context. With appropriate translation of technical terms and localization that takes regional characteristics into account, it can provide content that feels natural even to native users.
By combining these elements, users can comfortably view content, resulting in longer stay times and lower bounce rates. Such positive user behavior signals also lead to favorable evaluations in SEO.
In the operation of a multilingual site, it is not easy to achieve both high-speed display and high-quality translation. However,AI Schliemanneffectively solves these challenges and brings you closer to making your global SEO strategy a success.
Point 4: The Importance of Backlinks from Authoritative Sites
In search engines, links from other websites remain one of the important ranking factors. Especially in overseas SEO, Backlinks from authoritative sites Acquiring this greatly enhances the site's credibility and reputation.
The reason why backlinks from authoritative sites are important
Search engines view a site being referenced by other sites as proof of its value. Especially, being linked by authoritative sites proves that the content is high-quality and a reliable source of information. It will be.
For example, if an article about a technology is referenced by a renowned technical university's website or an industry-recognized specialist media, it means that the article's content is evaluated by experts and recognized as reliable information. Search engines treat such third-party evaluations as important indicators.
Approach to acquiring high-quality backlinks
To acquire quality backlinks, first, create high-value content worthy of being linked. This is fundamental. By providing unique research data, detailed analysis, and expert interviews, you can naturally acquire backlinks.
Building relationships with industry influencers and specialist media is also important. For example, by speaking at industry events, contributing to specialist media, and distributing press releases, you can demonstrate your expertise and reliability, increasing opportunities to gain backlinks from authoritative sites.
Points to consider for acquiring backlinks globally
A key point to be mindful of when acquiring backlinks overseas is, consideration of the culture and customs of each country and region. For example, in the U.S., data-driven objective analysis is emphasized, while in Europe, historical background and cultural context are also considered important.
Additionally, the dominant media forms vary by country. In some countries, blogs may be influential, while in others, news sites or social media might be more important. Understanding these regional characteristics and approaching each market appropriately is crucial.
About risky backlink acquisition methods
on the other hand, Artificial link building or acquiring a large number of backlinks from low-quality sites can actually be subject to penalties. In particular, the following actions should be avoided:
- Buying and Selling Links
- Excessive use of reciprocal links
- Backlinks from auto-generated sites
- Link building through spam comments
These methods may seem effective in the short term but pose significant long-term risks. Search engine algorithms are evolving yearly, improving their ability to detect unnatural link patterns.
Sustainable backlink acquisition strategy
For sustainable backlink acquisition, enhancing content quality and continuously providing real value is most important. Specifically, the following measures are effective:
Publishing detailed analysis reports on the latest industry trends and key issues. Sharing unique research data and findings. Providing expert interviews and practical case studies. By continuously delivering these high-value contents, natural backlink acquisition becomes possible.
Additionally, enhancing your presence in the industry through social media communication and community activities is important. When content is widely shared and becomes a topic of discussion, the likelihood of gaining backlinks from more authoritative sites increases.
These efforts may not yield immediate results. However, the accumulation of such steady activities leads to the construction of a high-quality backlink profile that is highly valued by search engines.
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