For eCommerce professionals or digital marketers, it’s important to expand beyond domestic boundaries, but sometimes that can seem easier said than done. International customers represent a very large market, and competition outside the US is often less
However, there are logistical and marketing issues to be considered. With logistics, eCommerce businesses have to think about things like how they will receive them payment from abroad, and how delivery will work.
On the marketing side, how do you targeting foreign consumers? Is this any different from the marketing tactics used in the US?
Here are some tips for marketers looking to expand their reach beyond US borders and increase revenue.
Translation
If you want to target a specific region or customer, you should think about translating content into the local language of the region where you want to sell. Spanish is a great example. If you’re targeting Central or South America, and want to expand to Spanish-speaking countries, you’ll need to create a new product page with translated copy.
However, don’t try to translate automatically. Instead, take the time to hire someone who can professionally translate for you.
If you’re creating duplicate content that’s translated in another language, you need to add a HREFLANG tag, which indicates to search engines that when your content is duplicated, you’re doing so as a way to offer it in another language.
New Website for Every Country
If you want to expand the reach of your eCommerce marketing to new countries, the easiest thing is to try and add some SEO pages to your existing site. However, this may not be the best way to do things. Instead, think about creating a new website for each country you want to target.
Consumers tend to prefer websites that are relevant to their country of origin.
If you’re building a country-based site, you should try and buy a top-level domain in that country.
Do Your Research
When you’re targeting customers overseas, and you’re crafting your site and content, you need to think about local cultural differences. You want to talk to customers and market them in a way that reflects their comfort.
It will take time upfront to research and determine how to go about it, or you can work with someone as a consultant who is from the specific region or area you are targeting. Researching at both the macro and micro levels can be good.
Targeted Ads
Most eCommerce professionals and digital marketers already understand the power of Facebook advertising and don’t forget that you can target your ads not only to specific audience interests and demographics, but also locations.
Finally, part of your strategy will likely depend not only on the above marketing techniques, but also on differentiating the products you offer based on the region you are targeting. You want to show the items that are most relevant or interesting to people in a certain area, and these may differ from the products you already show to your US-based audience.
Think about culture, priorities and seasonal demands.
