It’s a mobile ready world and a largely digital one, which means your brand (whether you’re a business owner or a freelancer) needs to have longer reaches. There’s certainly a place for hyper-local marketing and branding, but more and more professionals are seeing the appeal of catering to a more global market. If you think that will benefit you, it’s time to change your perspective and approaches.
Maybe you’re a real estate investor who’s become interested in overseas passive income, or maybe you’re considering shipping your successful gag gift to other countries. This is going to require an online branding strategy that reaches beyond Google’s SEO algorithms. Here are some tricks to get started, and options for those who are dipping their toes in foreign waters for the first time:
- Consider multi-language pages
Search engine optimization (SEO) doesn’t allow for duplicate content, but it’s not really “duplicate” if it’s in multiple languages. To cater to specific countries, considering picking up new domains (such as a .in for Indian markets) and then offering content in the popular language of the country. However, if you do this, hire a certified translator who understands the nuances of the language and can also help with native SEO.
- Make communication easy
Unless you offer around the clock phone support in every country you do business, you need to provide more than an 800 number. Live chat, instant messaging, email and getting in touch on social media sites are all great options to reach a global market. If possible, hire customer service representatives who are multi-lingual and can speak fluently to the markets you serve.
- Ditch the slang
It’s easy to tell when a post is written by a British person vs. an American (beyond the “z” and “s” differences). What you consider basic writing might actually be rich with slang that non-native speakers may not fully understand. If you don’t have separate language websites, keep the writing short, sweet and simple. This isn’t just a good approach for global markets, but for anyone looking to reach a bigger audience.
- Keep responsive design in check
Responsive design, and perhaps mobile readiness, isn’t just important for your local users’ experience. If you target developing countries or rural areas, their connection may not be quick or they may be using older devices. Make sure your website showcases beautifully no matter what the device or browser.