Exponential growth of people gaining access to the internet worldwide has prompted many businesses to establish an online presence internationally in an attempt to capture this growing population. Unfortunately, a having website in multiple languages alone does not equal increased sales. A site needs to be found by internet users. High rankings in country specific search engine results (SERP) will bring more targeted traffic and increase conversions.

Huge market potential in Japan and China

Over 90% of internet buyers will use search engines to find the products they wish to buy. Therefore it is of paramount importance that your business be found by these would-be buyers. As such, search engine optimization is a requisite. Although English is the dominate language of internet users, there are other big markets for multilingual websites. To give you an idea, there are over 600 million Japanese and Chinese speaking internet users looking to buy your products. Selling to these markets is not about just translating your content into their languages. It is about localization - translating the content and adapting your offerings to meet the needs of the locals. Different languages have different nuances. “Baby strollers” as called by Americans are referred to as “Baby car” in Japan. Additionally, there are 4 different ways to search for the same word in Japanese - romaji, katakana, hiragana and kanji. These subtle differences greatly influence online searches carried out by users of different nationalities and cultures who use an array of keyword phrases to look for the same product.

Keyword research is a continuous process

Multilingual keyword research should be an ongoing effort as it is essential to regularly consult with product teams to determine new keywords and industry terms. Trying to localize content without correct keyword research will not give your business the results you desire. An understanding of culturally sensitive content is a requirement, but if keywords/keyphrases are not established, your multilingual site will not be found by potential customers. To ensure high rankings, your business should always think of incorporating SEO before launching your multilingual website in Asian markets. Otherwise, performing a full linguistic analysis of the website and re-translating it using the correct terminology and key phrases become essential and incur additional cost.

People who buy online prefer to search for products in their own language

Using the right keywords in a foreign language offers many advantages. 93 percent of people search the internet in their native language, but there is also a significant difference in competition between English keywords and foreign language keywords. Whilst a commonly used keyword or keyphrase in English may yield result in the millions, those same keywords in Japanese or Chinese will most definitely garner fewer results and may not be the keywords you want to target. Using thoroughly researched key phrases will not only help your business rank at the top in local search engines but also reach a highly targeted Asian market.

Search engine optimization for your multilingual website can make sure locals find you. Research has shown that internet users not only prefer to buy in their own language but also conduct online searches using keywords in their native language in local search engines such as Baidu for Chinese internet users and Yahoo Japan for the Japanese.

SEO and content localization go hand-in-hand

Devising an SEO strategy for a multilingual website is more complex than many would think. There are many translation outfits that can provide proper translations for your content. But they fail to consider the SEO aspect of a web site. Small business owners with online businesses need to understand that SEO is an important driver of online success and growth. SEO and localization are two essentials that go together. Selecting an agency to spearhead your multi-lingual SEO strategy requires choosing an SEO consultant with a solid understand of that country’s culture, language and people. If you are looking to enter Asian markets feel free to contact us.