Language Targeting

In today's integrated marketplace, reaching out to an international audience is no longer just a dream for small business, it has become a possibility. The World Wide Web presents a lot of opportunities but it is important to know which strategies to implement to take advantage of this. Multilingual SEO is undeniably one of the best methods of globalising your business while making it appear local.

But even in Multilingual SEO, there are two basic choices you need to make. Which is best for your company: geo-targeting or language targeting? In this section, we will discuss the benefits and challenges associated with language targeting.

Benefits:

Because you aren't specifically targeting one country or region, it doesn't matter where your host it located. It can be located anywhere in the world and it won't affect your business. It is also beneficial because language targeting is already multi-cultural in nature. When you translate your website in Spanish for example, your target market will include not only the people from Spain but Latin Americans as well.

This strategy is also relatively inexpensive. It shouldn't cost much to re-engineer your site and get your content translated. However, there is also a downside to this which will be discussed further in the next paragraph.

Challenges:

While your website can still rank well in other countries using their local language, take note that search engine algorithms are designed in such a way as to give importance to local websites instead of languages. Otherwise, a person looking for an auto repair shop in Australia might need to sort through hundreds of US-based or UK-based auto repairers before finding one in his area.

Another challenge involves the subtle intricacies of language. Word usage, spelling, and definitions may be different even among countries that use the same language. Culture plays a big role in the people's usage of language. Humour might also be different. What appears as funny and witty to one might be offensive to another.

If your company is simply interested in gauging the response of new customers to your product, service, or any other offer, language targeting is recommended. It introduces your business to foreign markets and gives you a concrete idea about customer behaviour elsewhere. It is highly recommended for companies that want a quick, effective, and relatively inexpensive way to expand beyond the local market.