10 principles for successful international web presence | Susanne Dirks - eVorsprung Consulting
1. 10 principles for successful
international web presence
SUSANNE DIRKS
E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
2. Susanne Dirks MSc BSc
German living in Ireland
Academic background:
⊠Translation / Localisation
⊠IT / Artificial Intelligence
⊠E-Marketing / Web Technologies
⊠Business Development and Innovation
Experience:
⊠15+ years as in MNC environment in various international consulting,
business development and management roles
⊠Recent years, working with Irish SMEs, helping them use the Internet
to reach and grow in export markets
Contact data:
⊠sudirks@evorsprung.com, Ph. 086-2375131
E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
3. e-Vorsprung
Consulting
Helping Irish SMEs fully leverage the Internet for sales
and marketing with focus on export markets including:
ï Export market research
ï International (e-)marketing strategy
ï Export market content planning and development
ï Web presence localization, translation, trans-creation
ï International e-marketing and SEO
Helping Irish SMEs
leverage the Internet to
reach, enter, and grow
in export markets
www.evorsprung.com
E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
5. GLOBAL INTERNET POPULATION INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE VISIBILITY/SALES
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â⊠the Internet is international per se âŠâ
Source: internetlivestats, 2013
93.70%
2.80%
3.50%
6.30%
Example: www.irish-sme.ie
Ireland
UK&US
Other
ïInternational in theory,
but not in practice
6. AUDIT RESULTS OF âGERMANâ EI CLIENT
WEBSITES (2013) SHOWED TRANSLATED
WEBSITES PERFORMED POORLY
1.37
0.24
0.74
1
Best Worst Average score
KEY CONCLUSIONS
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â⊠all you need to do is to translate
your website⊠â
YES, translation is important âŠ
BUT: Translation is not a panacea
⊠No automatic visibility in export market
⊠No automatic competitive differentiation
⊠No automatic buy-in and trust
⊠No automatic support of processes
=> Translation is important, but only
one small part of the process
7. EXAMPLE 1: CLIENT WITH ENGLISH-
LANGUAGE WEBSITE OPEN TO ALL MARKETS
Ireland US UK
Visits 2572 630 91
Visits from
targeted market
73 % 9 % 47%
EXAMPLE 2: CLIENT WITH WEBSITE EACH FOR
IRELAND, UK, AND US
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â⊠my website is already
internationalâŠâ
International = YES:
Visitors (and sales)
from many countries
Internationally
successful = NO:
Brand-driven and
distributor visits and
sales only
International website = YES: Website per market
Internationally successful = NO: Poor visibility in
target markets
No investment in internationalisation,
BUT
massive unleveraged international potential
Investment in (poor) international website
that does not pay off
PLUS
Unleveraged potential
=> Lack of internationalisation
equals loss of business
opportunities
8. 10 principles for successful
international web presence
E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
Strategy
Business
Environment
Competitors Culture
Technology Content Language Optimisation
Support
Special
challenges
9. 1. Start with INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY
1. Countries
2. Products / services
3. Target audience/s
4. Channels
5. Differentiators and USP
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WHERE WHAT WHO WHY WHEN HOW
10. International Internet strategy typically
requires balancing conflicting requirements
Export market/s
requirements &
opportunities
Company
requirements,
status,
constraints &
goals
An Internet Strategy that:
ïŒAligns to the current overall
and/or home market strategy
ïŒ Meets export market/s
requirements
ïŒAllows for learnings from export
markets to feed into other markets
and overall strategy
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Export market visibility
requires an export
market focused Internet
Strategy !
11. 2. Prepare for a different micro and macro
business environment
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Macro
environment
Micro
environment
Internal
Company
âą Economy
âą Demographics
âą Cultural forces
âą Social factors
âą Legal structure
âą Political structures
âą Technology
âą Suppliers
âą Distributors
âą Competitors
âą Customers
12. Beware: Different business environment!
Example: Google Global Market Finder for âTractorsâ opportunity in Europe (extract):
Example: Different demand (online)
13. 3. Embrace your new competitors
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Get to know your new
competitors
Learn from your new
competitors
16. Learn from your new competitors
TYPICAL AREAS TO EXAMINE
Weaknesses and strengths of competitor
Specific business aspects, e.g.
⊠Terms and conditions
⊠Pricing
⊠Value proposition / USP
Specific web presence aspects, e.g.
⊠Keywords
⊠Content strategy
⊠E-marketing tactics
⊠Social media strategy
⊠Customer support
⊠Best practice
EXAMPLE: BENCHMARKING AGAINST NEW COMPETITORS
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C
O
M
P
E
T
I
T
O
R
S
17. 4. Tune into local culture
CULTURE INFLUENCES HOW ALL
OF ITS MEMBERS:
Perceive
Think
Value
Act
E-MARKETING AIMS AT GETTING
PEOPLESâ:
A ttention
I nterest
D esire
A ction
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âThe web is not a culturally
neutral medium ⊠a website has to be
designed for a targetted customer segment
⊠Local adaptation should be based on a
complete understanding of
a customer groupâs culture âŠâ
18. Hofstedeâs 6 cultural dimensions:
Power distance
Individualism
Masculinity/femininity
Uncertainty avoidance
Long-term orientation
Indulgence
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Can and must be addressed via:
Web design, content,
features/functionality
Cultural dimensions as a guide
Ireland in comparisonâŠ
19. KEY PRINCIPLES
Minimal ambiguity
Clear navigation
Structured information
Predictable user journey
No pop-ups
No non-essential info
Explicit language
Clear images
EXAMPLE:
Example Russia:
Website design addressing uncertainty avoidance
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20. Standards and conventions:
When in Rome âŠ
WEBSITE FUNCTIONALITY
Measurements
Currency
Symbols and icons
Formats for specific text items
Word and text length
WEBSITE MARKETING
Overall look and feel
Layout and navigation
Colours
Pictures
Content
Bank Holidays
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21. Example Facebook: Consistent and modular design
accommodating different language requirements
FACEBOOK, ITALY FACEBOOK, ISRAEL
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29. E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
Google is not Number ONE everywhere
Differences
in software
platform
preferences
SEO / SEM implications
especially for:
- China
- Hong Kong
- Russia
- South Korea
- United States
30. Example: Germany Example: China
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Different countries,
different social network usage
Example: Russia
31. 6. Provide locally relevant content
ïArticulates your value proposition in âŠ
ïDifferentiates you from competitors in âŠ
ïMeets the content needs of âŠ
ïUses standards and conventions in âŠ
ïUses content formats preferred by âŠ
ïUses design, colours, graphics used inâŠ
ïBuilds trust with local users inâŠ
ïSpeaks the âlanguageâ of âŠ
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Your
Target
Market
40. Example KPMG: Dealing with local topics
requires strong local content
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Ireland (left)
Vs.
UK (right)
41. 7. Speak the right language
Search
Read
Listen
Evaluate
Order
Ask
questions
Write
reviews
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Only Œ of Internet
users are English
speakers
42. Question asked:
âDo you use a language other than
your own to read/watch content
on the Internet ?â
Considerable country variances !
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English language proficiency is lower than
you think: No translation, less reach
Top 25 global websites
(2015) support an
average of 30
languages!
43. Google Translate is not the solution
Food for Thought:
1.Who had the most
globalised website in 2015 ?
2.Did they use Google
Translate ?
44. Do it right: Translation quality is a reflection of
your attitude to quality and customer service
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45. A big part of translation is planning and
prioritising
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Decide
at start
Scope
Messages
Style
Formats
Ensure
always
Quality & consistency
Keyword focus
Fresh content
Standards & conventions
Avoid
here
Think
carefully
Keywords
Taglines
Ads
CTAs
Non-text content
Google Translate & Co
Translator wannabes
Mixed-language approaches
Creating valid,
fresh,
persuasive,
relevant quality
content for local
users and search
engines
46. Donât forget to âtranslateâ English content
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Website text and SEO text needs to reflect the âlanguageâ used
by your target market
⊠Official language
⊠National âdialectâ
⊠Words
⊠Spelling
⊠Usage patterns
Search:
UK: 77%, US: 14%
Search: UK: 23%, US: 86%
47. 8. Make your website easy to find
âą Give local signals for search engines
âą Optimise your website for local search engine/s
âą Select best keywords for search engine marketing: SEO and PPC
âą Be seen in the âright placesâ online
âą Decide, where and how to âsocialiseâ
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48. Local signals for search engines
ï Domain URL and domain strategy
ï Webmaster Tool settings
ï Sitemaps and hreflang tag
ï Server Location
ï Website â content and metadata language
ï Currency and address formats
ï Inbound links
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49. Donât confuse Google with your domain
strategy
CLIENT EXAMPLES
ï§ Client example 1:
ï§ Target markets: 4
ï§ Domain names: 2
ï§ Generic top-level domains: 2
ï§ Country code top-level domains: 5
ï§ Country subfolder: 1
ï§ Client example 2:
ï§ Target markets: 3
ï§ Domain names: 2
ï§ Generic top-level domains: 1
ï§ Country-code top-level domains: 2
ï§ Country sub-folders: 2
DOMAIN STRATEGY
Domain name
ï§ Meaningful
ï§ Works internationally
ï§ Available internationally (if ccTLD approach)
Approach:
ï§ Consistency is key: Country-code OR subfolders
ï§ Decision criteria:
ï§ International strategy â countries
ï§ Domain name availability
ï§ Resources for SEO
ï§ Domain history of company
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50. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
health shoes (IRL)
gesunde schuhe
bequeme schuhe
extra breite schuhe
weite schuhe
Monthly search volume
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0! Search volume for the Google Translate term
Search terms are thinking patterns
that often DO NOT translate one-to-one
Example: Selling âwide fitting shoesâ in Germany
52. Competitive differentiation of keyword
varies between markets
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Keyword Irish search result
(google.ie)
German search result
(google.de)
butter
Page 1 (Place 5) Page 5 *
* Organic search results only, Google ads shows earlier
** First product in the listing
Example: Kerrygold in the search engine results
53. E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
Monthly search volume (Google)
English termUK Germany German term
house exchange 14,800 1,600Haustausch
home exchange 4,400 0Eigenheimtausch
house swap 5,400 NANA
home swap 4,400 0Haus Swap (Google Translate)
flat exchange 110 2,400Wohnungstausch
apartment exchange 10 10Apartment Tausch
The business environment influences demand
and search
Example: Checking market for âhouse exchangeâ in UK and Germany
54. 9. Plan for the long haul
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74.7 % say availability of
after-sales support in
own language influences
their buying decision
ï” Web presence in export markets requires time, budget, resources
ï” Initially â localisation, on-page SEO, e-marketing for launch
ï” On an ongoing basis â off-page SEO and other e-marketing tactics
ï”A website is for life, not just for Christmas
ï” Fresh content
ï” Internet is a 2-way channel
ï” Enabling and answering incoming queries
55. 10. Face up to special challenges
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56. Provide answers and options for queries
ï”Rich and localised information on website, e.g.
ï”Sitemap
ï”FAQs
ï”Brochures
ï”Downloads
ï”Product selector/configurator
ï”Delivery tracking option
ï”Product availability information
ï”Options for getting answering specific questions
ï”Choice of contact options
ï”Interactive and instant contact options
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57. Building trust: Basics
Contact data
⊠Address, phone number, email, fax etc.
Provide information about company
⊠About us
⊠History
⊠People
⊠Achievements
Provide locally expected or legally mandated
information
⊠E.g. Germany: Impressum
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59. 10 principles for international web
presence at a glance
1. Start with strategy
2. Prepare for a different business environment
3. Embrace your competitors
4. Tune into local culture
5. Be tech-savvy
6. Provide locally relevant content
7. Speak the right language
8. Make your website easy to find
9. Plan for the long haul
10. Face up to special challenges
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60. E-VORSPRUNG CONSULTING
2. e-
Marketing
localisation
1. Website
localisation
Successful
web presence
in export
market
International web presence involves addressing two
main requirements: Local impact & local visibility
61. Next step, the âproper wayâ: Internationalisation project
Phase1
âą Strategy review
& development
of international
web presence
strategy
Phase2
âą International
web presence,
optimisation &
localisation
planning
Phase3
âą International
web presence
implementation
Phase4
âą Internet
marketing
strategy and
approach for
export markets
Phase5
âą e-marketing
implementation,
incl. ongoing
refinement and
skills transfer
Launch of SEO-optimised
export website/s based on
strategy developed
International e-marketing
Strategic web presence internationalisation
62. Alternative next steps: Testing the waters
ï International strategy and market research/prioritisation
ï (Foreign market) Website audit
ï Mini website for foreign markets
ï Adwords campaign/s for foreign market/s
ï Localised approach using external platforms
ï Local presence on Social Media
ï Joint distributor e-marketing initiatives
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