Building a connected brand at a global level means a lot more than planting your corporate flag all over the globe. On May 15, iCrossing’s Vice President of Search Strategy, Doug Platts, and Lionbridge’s Global Marketing Strategist, Emma Durant, presented on the key components of building a global brand. For instance, your local SEO strategy is based on understanding the nuances of how people search and customizing your content to their behaviors. When expanding this concept globally, you must account for language barriers and cultural differences. Find out more at www.icrossing.com.

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Building a Global Brand
in the Digital Age
A iCrossing and Lionbridge Webinar
Wednesday, May 15, 2013

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Welcome
Doug Platts
VP, Search Strategy,
iCrossing
@dougplatts
Emma Durant
Global Marketing
Specialist, Lionbridge
@ejdurant
David Deal
SVP, Marketing,
iCrossing
@davidjdeal
#ICINSIGHT

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Building a global brand in the digital age means more than
planting flags around the world

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Building a global brand means building a close relationships
with your audience wherever they are and whoever they are

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Building a global brand means building a connected brand
Visible Useful Usable Desirable Engaging

6. Defining a Global Strategy…

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Defining a global digital strategy
STRATEGIC VISION
GOVERNANCE EXECUTIONPLANNING

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Develop global digital governance
A “living & breathing” document based on evolving search landscape,
market dynamics and brand changes.
SEM
• How-to guide to avoid
cannibalization and
duplication of local
SEM listings
• Recommended use of
keywords, match
types, targeting tactics
SEO
• Process for site
structure updates and
template
developments
• Details of search
landscape
opportunities to
maximize SERP
ownership
Cross Channel Collaboration

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Propagate digital best practices
• Bid and optimization
approach
• Ad copy and landing
page testing
• Expansion of tactics,
including segmentation,
day parting, etc.
• Inclusion of industry
changes and emerging
channel opportunities
SEO SEM Search Synergy
• SEO fundamentals
• Keyword targeting and
expansion
• Structured data and site
template development
• Algorithm updates and
search landscape
updates
• Approach towards holistic
measurement
• How to conduct
cross-channel (SEO and
SEM) testing
• Multi-channel campaign
planning and integration
• Campaign and content
promotion

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Provide scalable solutions across multiple markets

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Avoid inefficiencies through ongoing monitoring & auditing
AuditChecklist
Too much broad match
Low Quality Score
Ad copy not relevant enough
Ad copy is poorly written
Landing page not relevant enough
Campaign structure not granular enough
Nothing is being tested
Matching to irrelevant queries
Hitting the daily budget caps
Bids are improperly set
AuditChecklist
Build up of technical errors
Content not optimized
Poor internal linking
Incorrect or missing HTML tags
No relevant landing pages
Keyword strategy not focused
Missing clear calls to action
Poor external link authority & relevancy
Lack of Social Media integration
Incomplete brand ownership

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Plan a local approach to inform a global strategy
Business Goals
Audience Goals
Discovery Objectives Strategic Planning Program implementation
Evaluation
Landscape
Brand
Agree on KPIs Cross-Channel
Keyword UniverseEvaluation model
Desktop/Mobile
Governance & Processes
Site Development
Link Amplification
Bid Strategy
Content Strategy
Attribution
Analytics & Tagging
Reporting
ROI

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Followed by budget allocation
Allocate “test & learn”
channel expansion budget
Prioritize core non-brand
& assess competitive spend
Fulfill brand
demand 100%

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Securing a global brand presence
Go beyond the engine’s daily budget feature:

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An efficient approach to non-brand
Keyword
Targeting
Optimized Content Strategy
Link Equity
Seasonality
Traffic & Conversions
Visibility
Social Signals
Language
Site Architecture
Competitive Presence
Hour of Day
Prior Visit to Site
Device Model
Location
Match Type
Referring Domain
Language
Natural Search Ranking
Competitive Presence

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Utilizing technology to test & learn
iCrossing’s Proprietary Toolkit
Multi Use
Strategy
Content Optimization
Link Building
Reporting
Technical
Apollo

17. Strive For
A Center Of Excellence…

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• For their area of focus, Center of Excellence’s should offer support
to the business lines. This may be through services needed, or
providing subject matter experts.
Support
• Standards, methodologies, tools and knowledge repositories are
typical approaches to filling this need.
Guidance
• Training and certifications, skill assessments, team building and
formalized roles are all ways to encourage shared learning.
Shared Learning
• A Center of Excellence should be able to demonstrate they are
delivering the valued results that justified their creation through the
use of output metrics.
Measurement
• Allocating limited resources (money, people, etc.) across all their
possible use is an important function of a Center of Excellence.
Governance
Drive Collaboration Through A Center of Excellence

19. 5 Things Everyone Is Talking
About…

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1. Local
Language
• Don’t use translators,
translating services, people
who can speak the local
language
• Use native speakers who live
or have recently lived in that
market
• Accept local nuances
(plural/singular)

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2. Regional
TLD &
Hosting
• Easier said than done
• If your single domain is
performing well don’t change
it unnecessarily
• Look to ensure content
optimization is in place and
asses this impact first
• Analyze competitor landscape

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3. Href Lang
Tags
• Again, easier said than done
• Two ways to implement, either
via page templates or XML
feeds
• Enterprise level sites have
challenges with managing
Href Lang at scale
• Prioritize key landing pages in
order to scale efficiently

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4. Local Link
Opportunities
• Supports local relevancy and
authority
• Utilize local partnership
opportunities
• Integrate cross-channel
campaign planning to
leverage digital assets
• Use offline activity to drive
online conversations

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5. In Market
Search
Engines
• Don’t assume Google is the
biggest
• Don’t assume the current
search landscape is correct
• Not all search engines are the
same & not all “Googles” are
the same
• Conflicting approaches will
need to be addressed to
avoid search engine penalties

25. 5 Approaches You May Not
Have Considered…

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• Your hardline to Google
• Geo-target specific folders
• If your site structure
allows, set up a GWT
account at a local market
level
• Allows you to keep a close
eye on local markets
1. Google
Webmaster
Tools

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• When creating content
for different markets
localizing the language is
only the first step
• Consider what
requirements/features
that local market will be
looking for to make your
site resonate at the right
level
2. Understand
Your
Customer

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• Explore further incremental
growth opportunities by
looking multi languages per
country
• This can be tested through
paid search strategies for
being visible for multi
languages
• If the opportunity is significant
enough build out relevant
content hubs in local
language
3. Multi
Language
Countries

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• As you evaluate local
market opportunities
consider markets where
competition is less
experienced, even if the
return is lower
• This will drive quicker
returns whilst visibility is
grown in higher
return/more competitive
markets
4. In Market
Competition

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5. In Market
Experience
• As well as evaluating in
market competition, also
asses your teams
experience
• Teams that are
experienced can be
prioritized to start
executing on work
• Whilst teams with less
experience can be
prioritized for education &
training

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Copyright 2013. Confidential – Distribution prohibited without permission
1st Time into SEO Localization
• Currently ranking
high in the US, poorly
globally
• No actual baseline
measurement
• No SEO agency can
help them across all
markets, not
consistent SEO talent
in each market
• No keywords list
vetted for traffic and
competition across
all markets
• Chose Lionbridge
and theWalk option
• Expect 30% uplift on
traffic for 30%
premium to
standard web
localization
• Hosting next
Customer Council in
Miami on
March 7/8
DECISION
COMPLICATION
SITUATION
• Launching a new
website
• Ranking highly on top
keywords is major
priority for 2012 across
numerous global
markets

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Microsoft Office SEO Pilot for China
• No simplified Chinese
keyword list or
SEO Metrics
• China SEPR
Report required
• Competitor
analysis required
• Need to build
keyword
list in country
• No actual baseline
measurement
• No SEO agency can
help them across all
markets required
starting with China
and scale this to
other markets in a
uniform reporting
structure for internal
steak holders
• Lack on knowledge
of Baidu
• Global Search
Performance Report
(GSPR)
• Create a keyword list,
originating in Chinese
(Mandarin)
• Support Keyword
mapping to existing
Office.com content
– Gap Analysis
– Recommendations to fill
content gaps, if identified
• Chose Lionbridge as
partner for this Pilot
• Success of China
pilot
in May has lead to
UK, German and
Russia markets
currently
being done
DECISION
LIONBRIDGE PROPOSAL
COMPLICATION
SITUATION
http://office.microsoft.com/zh-cn/

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In conclusion…
STRATEGIC VISION
GOVERNANCE EXECUTIONPLANNING

34. Q&A
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