International SEO for E-commerce

Table of Contents

International eCommerce SEO optimizes online stores to rank well in SERP results across different countries and languages. It involves tailoring your website and marketing efforts to cater to specific target markets outside your home country.

Many international eCommerce companies are going global, so international SEO helps you remain competitive. Proactive international SEO builds brand awareness and organic traffic in your target markets, laying the groundwork for future expansion.

As an eCommerce SEO pro, you must be well-versed in multiple countries’ cultural nuances, search behavior, and market trends.

What’s The Difference Between Local SEO, National SEO, And International SEO?

Local SEO:

Local SEO is the process of improving visibility for local businesses. By following local SEO strategies, businesses can improve organic traffic from customer searches and enhance their digital presence through local SEO services.

National SEO:

National SEO is an organic search engine marketing strategy that emphasizes promoting your organization’s website. These terms are highly searched for nationwide or at a national level.

International SEO:

International SEO is optimizing a website or blog so search engine crawlers can identify which countries you want to reach. By understanding the market nuances of your target markets, you can attract a broad audience.

6 Must-Haves for Your International Ecommerce SEO Strategy

1. The Right Domain Structure:

You’re using the right domain structure in your international eCommerce SEO strategy. Search engine crawlers get a chance to understand the geographical targeting of your website, which improves visibility. It provides localized content and currency options, boosting trust and conversion rates. Here’s the process for using the right domain structure:

Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs): Use ccTLDs like. Uk for the UK,.fr for France, etc., to explicitly signal the country targeting and benefit from localized ranking signals.
Subdomains: Utilize subdomains like uk.yourwebsite.com for each targeted country to maintain separate entities while leveraging the authority of your main domain.
Subdirectories: Employ subdirectories like yourwebsite.com/uk/ for each targeted country to consolidate authority and simplify management under a single domain.

Choose the domain structure that aligns with your business goals, budget, and scalability while considering technical implementation and SEO implications for international eCommerce success.

2. Hreflang Tags:

Sometimes, SEO pros ignore Hreflang tags in their international eCommerce SEO strategy, but it can be suicidal. It would help if you executed these tags effectively to signal search engine crawlers about the geographical targeting of your website. Here’s a step-by-step strategy to effectively implement Hreflang tags:

Analysis of Language and Region:

You must identify the language and regions you want to target with your eCommerce website. Identifying search behavior and preferences in each target market is crucial to customizing your content for ecommerce optimization

Go with the right Hreflang attribute:

It’s also crucial to decide whether you’ll use language-only, region-only, or language-region Hreflang tags based on your target audience and content structure.

Generation of Hreflang Tags:

You need to create a set of Hreflang tags specifying the alternate versions for each page’s language or region variation.
Use ISO language codes (e.g., “en” for English, “es” for Spanish) and region codes (e.g., “us” for the United States, “gb” for the United Kingdom).

Execution:

You must insert Hreflang tags in the <head> section of each relevant page’s HTML code.
Make sure to maintain consistency and accuracy in the implementation of the hreflang tag.

Verification:

You can use Google Search Console (GSC) to authenticate the correctness of your hreflang tags.
Check for errors or warnings and address any issues promptly to ensure proper indexing and ranking.

3. International keyword research:

So, the question arises: how do you conduct keyword research in a language you have yet to learn to speak? Carrying out the international keyword research process involves identifying keywords you want to optimize. It has some detailed steps that you need to follow effectively:

Research:

First, you must determine the countries and regions where you want to target your international SEO efforts.
Dig into each target market’s local trends, cultural nuances, and language preferences.
Track crucial factors like popular search engines (e.g., Google, Baidu, Yandex), language variations, and local competitors.

Compilation of Seed Keywords:

Compiling a list of seed keywords relevant to your products or services in each target language and region is crucial. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or local keyword research tools to generate initial keyword ideas.

Seed keyword translation:

It would help if you translated your seed keywords into the languages of your target markets using professional translation services or tools.

4. Translated And Localized Content:

Localization of your eCommerce store refers to removing barriers to purchasing. It offers content for their information and displays prices in their respective currencies. To complete your localization process, it is crucial to follow some steps:

Simply translating keywords doesn’t mean that they’re always right for you. Since your translations may not capture societal and cultural nuances,

You have to keep some points in mind, like:

Different dialects of the same language use other words to express the same concept.

American English:

In the United States, this baked item is called a “roll” or “bread roll.” For example, someone might say, “I’ll have a hamburger with a side of rolls.”
In the United Kingdom, however, the same baked item is often called a “bun.” For instance, someone might say, “I’ll have a bacon sandwich with a side of buns.”

Certain words and phrases aren’t used in certain languages:

In English, the word “schadenfreude” is borrowed from German and refers to the experience of pleasure or satisfaction derived from the misfortunes of others. It’s commonly used in English-speaking countries to describe this specific emotion.
Interestingly, the word “schadenfreude” is rarely used in German compared to in English. Instead, Germans might describe the concept using phrases or expressions that convey a similar sentiment without a word equivalent.

5. Canonical Tags:

Implementing canonical tags in your international eCommerce SEO strategy is essential for resolving duplicate content. You need to ensure proper indexing of your site’s international versions. Here’s the full process of executing canonical tags effectively:

Track Duplicate Content Issues:

You must conduct a proper site audit to identify duplicate content issues across different languages or regional versions.
These content issues may arise from identical product descriptions, category pages, or other content replication issues.

Choose the Canonical Version:

You need to determine the canonical version of each webpage. Various factors must be considered, such as content quality, language preference, and regional relevance.
These versions are the primary versions of the webpage that you want prioritized by search engine crawlers.

Execute Canonical Tags:

You need to insert a canonical tag in the HTML <head> section of each webpage’s code.
Use the rel=”canonical” attribute along with the URL of the canonical version of the page.

6. An International Digital PR Strategy:

A digital PR strategy encompasses a range of tactics that can boost the potential to drive business goals.

Sharing newsworthy press releases
Getting high-quality links from websites
Finding the unlinked mentions of your company
Adding your site’s website to directories
Growing network with journalists and editors

Conclusion:

International eCommerce SEO presents a complex landscape brimming with opportunities and intricate obstacles. While the potential for global expansion is undeniable, navigating the cultural, linguistic, and technical hurdles can be daunting.

Maximize your e-commerce site’s global impact with the unmatched expertise of our e-commerce SEO services, tailored to the best practices of international SEO. In this comprehensive guide outlining the essential practices for international SEO in e-commerce, we emphasize our company’s commitment to delivering top-notch services.

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Best Practices Of International SEO For Ecommerce Sites

What’s The Difference Between Local SEO, National SEO, And International SEO?

Local SEO:

National SEO:

International SEO: