Getting International Search Wrong

1. international
MULTILINGUAL DIGITAL MARKETING SIMPLIFIED
Advanced Search Summit NAPA – 2021
Getting International Search Wrong

2. THE AGENDA
1. What I am NOT going to talk about
2. What I am going to talk about
What Are We Talking About today
@MichaelBonfils
Getting International Search Wrong

3. Me
What I am NOT talking about

4. What I am NOT talking about

5. People with Accents
@MichaelBonfils
What I am NOT talking about

7. Collectivistic or Individualistic Societies
@MichaelBonfils

8. Collectivistic or Individualistic
@MichaelBonfils

9. Comparing Country Behavior
@MichaelBonfils
www.hofstede-insights.com

10. @MichaelBonfils
Why Trust Matters in Attribution

11. https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2019-07/2019_edelman_trust_barometer_special_report_in_brands_we_trust.pdf
@MichaelBonfils

12. People Trust Search Ads Differently by Region
@MichaelBonfils

13. WORLD VALUES IMPACT TRUSTING
CONTENT
@MichaelBonfils

14. Colors That Ruin Everything
Eastern Europe: Power, Suppression and Communism MENA: Mourning and Loss
LATAM: Death and Mourning US : A Mens Color
China : A Womens Color
Asia: Exorcism and Infidelity

15. PSYCHOGRAPHIC CLASSIFIED BEHAVIORS OF COUNTRIES
United States
Britain
Germany
Japan
Russia
Switzerland
Mexico
Brazil
@MichaelBonfils

16. Translations
@MichaelBonfils
What I am NOT talking about

17. @MichaelBonfils
This is how you sound when you translate shit wrong

18. @MichaelBonfils

19. Machine Translation
Super Fast and Cheap
Often Irrelevant – Destroys Trust
Translation Source (English):
“Make sure you have the latest operating system on your device”
Machine translation (German):
“Stellst du sicher, dass du das neueste Betriebssystem auf deinem Gerät hast”
[Make sure you [informal] have the latest operating system on your [informal] device]

20. In August, 2020 VisitMexico.com used Autotranslate on their English Website
The Resort of Tulum
Villa del Carbon
@MichaelBonfils

21. • More Accurate Then Machine Translation
• Cheap and Quick
• Doesn’t always relate to the audience
• Translators are Not Marketers
Translation Done By a Professional
Translator
A professional translator is one who
practices translation as a professional service.

22. Why Translators Suck at Search Marketing
“Computer” Translated in Danish is “Datamat”

23. The Translation for Air Bag is
“Krockkudde”
There are MORE searches for “Air bag” in Sweden
than “krockkudde”.
Svengelska = Swenglish.
What about ENGLISH + Language?
Another Reason they suck at
search:
@MichaelBonfils

24. When Should You Use Professional
Translation?
• Translating English Keywords to Target Language*
• Creating Short and Long Form Content
• Transcreation and Copywriting
* REMEMBER Translators are NOT marketers
@MichaelBonfils

25. In case you didn’t know the difference….
Transcription / Transcreation Copywriting
English
Reference
Transcription for
local market
Topic and
Theme
+
@MichaelBonfils

26. Global Search Marketing People Aren’t
Translators
• Offensive
• Not translation Certified
• Expensive
• Time Consuming

27. When Should You Use a local Search
Marketer?
• You want to Create Content that speaks to the market appropriately
• They Know SEO and/or Search Engine Marketing Tactics :
• How keywords are used
• How their Market works
• Why the Competition succeeds
• The psychological behaviors of consumers in their market
@MichaelBonfils

28. So if they don’t translate, how do global search marketers
do their job?

29. They Start by Analyzing your Existing English Research for Reference
@MichaelBonfils

30. They will Utilize a Style Guide and Project Guidelines
@MichaelBonfils

31. They will analyze the Translation Project Briefs
@MichaelBonfils

32. They will Analyze the Master copy of the Origina
Language Of the Website
@MichaelBonfils

33. @MichaelBonfils

34. Romance Languages are articulated languages, there are words coming from English which do not have a
direct translation :
”legacy code" when used in technology is simply just “software”
They will think about Understanding Our Words that can NOT be
translated
@MichaelBonfils

35. They will Add Words that can NOT be translated
Words that Have NO English Translation or Equivalent
Wabi-Sabi (Japanese)
“Finding beauty in imperfections.”
There is no such thing as perfect.
Nothing.
But that’s the beauty of it! Our flaws
and imperfections are what make us
each unique, special, and beautiful.
@MichaelBonfils

36. They will continue to add Words that can NOT be translated
Words that Have NO English Translation or Equivalent
@MichaelBonfils

37. • Search queries are simple in Chinese compared with English terms; (no long tail)
They Will Find Short or Long Form equivalents
緣分 – yuán fèn
“Unexpectedly meeting someone you haven’t seen in a long time”
@MichaelBonfils

38. They Will Find Short or Long Form equivalents
Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften
“Legal Insurance”
German searches with one word make up
only 2 percent of the search. All other
search queries consist of at least three to
five words -aHrefs
• Search queries are complex in German compared with English terms; (Typically long tail)
@MichaelBonfils

39. They will correct Misspellings and different words of
the Same Language
比较 means “compare” but so does 对比
Singapore Chinese Vs Hong Kong Chinese
@MichaelBonfils

40. Coordinating Conjunctions in Arabic:
If you are writing content or ad copy for an ecommerce website targeting “kids and mothers” in Arabic it
looks like “ ‫الفطألا‬ ‫تاهمألاو‬
”
.
“
And mothers will essentially be one word – the equivalent of writing “kids andmothers”
When writing Arabic online it’s better to include the space i.e. “ ‫الــفطألا‬ ‫و‬ ‫تاــهمألا‬
”
even though this is not grammatically correct.
They will consider Grammar Variations
@MichaelBonfils

41. Will Utilize Google Tools for Additional Multilingual Keyword Research
https://trends.google.com/trends/?geo=US
Google Trends Google Global Market Finder
https://marketfinder.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en_us/
@MichaelBonfils

42. article name new url focus keyword ZH supporting keyword ZH Local search volume Translation
Reasons for irralevant to
the website page
Safe & Dry™ Ultra thin disposable nursing pads
https://www.medela.com/b
reastfeeding/products/brea
st-care/ultra-thin-nursing-
pads 防溢乳垫 防溢乳垫 120 anti-overflow breast pad
防溢乳垫怎么用 100 how to use nursing pads
防溢乳垫什么牌子好 40 which brand of nursing pads to choose
乳垫 40 breast pads
产妇垫 10 maternity pads
ultra thin一次性防溢乳垫 5 ultra thin disposable nursing pads
超薄防溢乳垫 5 ultra thin nursing pads
次性防溢乳垫 5 disposable nursing pads
Medela 防溢乳垫 5 medela nursing pad
孕妇乳垫 5 maternity breast pads
什么是防溢乳垫 5 what are nursing pads
一次性乳垫 5 disposable breast pads
美德乐防溢乳垫 5 medela anti-overflow breast pad
防溢乳垫五羊 5 anti-overflow pads for breast
产妇防溢乳垫 5 maternal anti-over breast pad
溢乳 90 leaking breast milk irrelevant
乳房漏乳 5 boobs leaking colloquial language
孕期漏乳 5 leaking breast during pregnancy not specific enough
Medela（美德乐）防溢乳垫 5 medela nursing pads too long for a keyword
母乳喂养垫 5 breastfeeding pads not specific enough
Medela’s “Nursing Pads” : Chinese Keyword Research for a Localized Article
@MichaelBonfils
Then Create the Keyword Research Output

43. They might start categorizing keywords via customer journey funnels
@MichaelBonfils

44. They might start analyzing those keywords for content competition per journey segment
@MichaelBonfils

45. They may Identify Supply and Demand in order to create a Global Content Strategy
CONTENT DEMAND
CONTENT SUPPLY
5.8%
GENERAL
READING
AROUND NEW
BORN FEEDING
AND CARING
6.3%
13.2%
9.4%
DISCOVERING
BENEFITS OF
NATURAL FEEDING
LOOKING FOR TYPES
OF FEEDING
SOLUTIONS
12.6%
10.8%
6.1%
7.2%
36.6%
49.4%
14.4%
12%
PLANNING
FOR BREAST
FEEDING
BUYING PRODUCTS
PANIC
SOLUTIONS
6.6%
2.4%
ROUTINE SETTING AND
USING THE PRODUCT
AWARENESS DISCOVERY ANTICIPATION ARRIVAL
OF TOTAL
CONTENT
% %
LESS MORE
100%
100%
NURTURING
BACK TO
WORK
2.1%
4.4%
LEARN & PREPARE 1ST , 2ND & 3RD TRIMESTERS NOVICE TO EXPERT 1-3 MONTHS REPURCHASE 6+ MONTHS
@MichaelBonfils

46. @MichaelBonfils
Opportunities Americans Don’t Get
What I am NOT talking about

47. @MichaelBonfils
January
Winter Sales Period, January 2021, Germany
New Year (Shogatsu), Jan. 1, 2021, Japan
New Year, Jan. 1-8, 2021, Russia
Les Soldes, Winter: Jan. 6-Feb. 2, 2021, France
February
Chinese New Year, Feb. 12, 2021, China
Seollal (Korean New Year), Feb. 13, 2021, South Korea
Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2021, Japan
Defender of the Fatherland Day, Feb. 23, 2021, Russia
March
International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, Russia
April
Ramadan, begins April 13, 2021, Saudi Arabia
Click Frenzy Mayhem, April 20, 2021, Australia
El Día Del Niño, April 30, 2021, México
May
Parents’ Day, May 8, 2021, South Korea
Mother’s Day, May 9, 2021, Japan
Eid al-Fitr, May 13, 2021, Saudi Arabia
Memorial Day, May 31, 2021, U.S.
June
EOFY Sales (End of financial year), June 2021, Australia
Father’s Day, June 20, 2021, Japan
Les Soldes, Summer: June 23-July 20, 2021, France
July
•Summer Sales Period, July 2021, Germany
•Ochugen, July 2021, Japan
•Prime Day, mid-July, 2021, U.S.
•Eid al-Adha, July 20-22, 2021, Saudi Arabia
August
•Onam, Aug. 12-23, 2021, India
September
•Labor Day, Sept. 6, 2021, U.S.
•Ganesh Charturthi, Sept. 10, 2021, India
•Chuseok, Sept. 20-22, 2021, South Korea
October
•National Day Golden Week, Oct. 1-7, 2021, China
•Flipkart Big Billion Festival, Oct. 6-11, 2021, India
November
•Diwali, Nov. 4th, 2021, India (also Nepal, Sri Lanka, and others)
•Singles Day, Nov. 11, 2021, China
•El Buen Fin, Nov. 19-22, 2021, México
•Children’s Day, Nov. 20, 2021, Brazil
•Black Friday, Nov. 26, 2021
•White Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, Saudi Arabia
•Cyber Monday, Nov. 29, 2021
December
•Oseibo, December 2021, Japan
•Christmas Period, December 2021, U.K.
Major Global Ecommerce Events

48. @MichaelBonfils

49. @MichaelBonfils

50. Funny Shit – Cultural Humor
@MichaelBonfils
What I am NOT talking about

51. 64% of consumers would
have a negative opinion of a
brand next to inappropriate
content.
Consumer Trust in Digital Marketing
(GroupM 23 countries / March 30, 2020
@MichaelBonfils

52. This IS funny in the US, but no where else:

53. This might NOT be funny in the US

54. This DEFINITELY wouldn’t be in the
US

55. Neither would this:

56. Techy
International
SEO Crap
@MichaelBonfils
What I am NOT talking about

57. @MichaelBonfils
Imagine if this was all just translated
• Localized Keyword Research
• Keyword Mapping
• Localized Title, Descriptions, URLs and everything else on the page

58. Getting Structure Right or Wrong
@MichaelBonfils
CC tld
NapaConference.co.uk
NapaConference.fr
Pros:
- Clear Google Signal to the Country
- Trust
- Developing Links and Signals are easier
- Potential to have .com and .cctld SERP Real Estate
Cons:
- Multiple Sites to Manage
- CRM Issues
- No History and No Link Juice
- Domain Name issues (finding one, translating one, misunderstanding one)
ladrape.co.uk

59. @MichaelBonfils
Subdirectory
Pubcon.com/UK
Pubcon.com/FR
Pubcon.com/CA-FR
Pros:
- You can use HREFLANG to explain to Google
- Master Link Juice
- You can use language targeting AND/OR country targeting
- No buying multiple domains or CRM issues
Cons:
- User Trust Diminishes
- CRM Issues
- Potential HREFLANG mess
- Link building difficulties
Getting Structure Right or Wrong

60. HREFLANG
@MichaelBonfils
“apple official website” in the US
“apple official website” in the Spain
Implementing hreflang HTTP headers
Implementing hreflang in your XML sitemap
https://ahrefs.com/blog/hreflang-tags/
HREFLANG BEGINNERS GUIDE

61. Creating and Fixing HREFLANG
@MichaelBonfils
Bill Hunt’s HREFLANG Discover tool
hreflangbuilder.com
Aleyda Solis HREFLANG Tag Generator tool
https://www.aleydasolis.com/english/international-seo-tools/hreflang-tags-generator/

62. Best you try to be friends with these two
if you really want to do Intl SEO…
@MichaelBonfils
Bill Hunt
Aleyda Solis

63. Global Schema Markup
@MichaelBonfils
MICRODATA that Tells Google Where you are located and What your site is all about
https://support.google.com/tagmanager/
Implement with Google Tag Manager
Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool:
https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool/u/0/
Bing’s Structured Data Markup Validator
https://www.bing.com/toolbox/markup-validator

64. Baidu, Naver and Yandex
@MichaelBonfils
What I am NOT talking about

65. Statistica 2017 https://www.statista.com/statistics/220534/googles-share-of-search-market-in-selected-countries/
But Wait … Google
Isn’t Dominant
everywhere?
Google Global Market Share
@MichaelBonfils

66. @MichaelBonfils
• Firewall and Connectivity
Analytics, Slow Connections, Factor in Site Speed
• Regulations and Red Tape
Painful Setup, ICP Licenses
• Google Analytics Might Not Fire
How do you measure results
• Getting On Baidu / 360
Prepay, different algorithm
• Wechat? What does that Have to do with anything?
Necessary part of the attribution
China’s Baidu

67. Baidu Vs Google

68. @MichaelBonfils
Korea’s Naver
Source: Search Engine Journal
Wait? Where is the SEO Part?????

69. @MichaelBonfils
Russia’s Yandex

70. Yandex Vs Google

71. @MichaelBonfils
What I AM going to talk about?

72. Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.
-Stephen Covey

73. Thank You
MULTILINGUAL DIGITAL MARKETING SIMPLIFIED
You Can Reach me at: Mbonfils@SEMinternational.com