Digital marketing internationally: 5 quick tips before you start
Entrepreneurs and small and medium businesses who want to grow their brand and reach more customers need successful international marketing.
It makes sense to expand your operations beyond your home country if you're trying to grow your business. Consider targeting other countries with similar economic standards and values as your own instead of limiting yourself to a single market.
These five tips will help you get started with international marketing that will help you reach new customers no matter where they are.
Plan Before You Jump In
An international marketing campaign can seem appealing without first considering all the necessary steps. You should, however, take the time to plan carefully and take your time before investing a lot of money into your new global marketing team or marketing agency. Developing a strategy beforehand will increase your chances of success if you want immediate results.
Discovering what people are searching for in your niche is one of the best ways to grow your international presence. By doing this, you will be able to determine which keywords and phrases to target.
This can be accomplished through a variety of methods, such as conducting surveys and analyzing trends on social media.
A great tool to start with is AnswerThePublic which allows you to drill down on what people are searching anywhere in the world.
Other tools such as semrush or ahrefs allow you to research keywords by location, language and other criteria. A handy tool when entering new markets.
Closer to home, if you have an already established business, you can:
use data from your existing marketing campaigns to determine what terms and phrases people are searching for in other countries
check your analytics for where your visitors are coming from (by country, language etc.)
if you have a search bar on your website, analysing visitor's search terms can also help you identify keywords international visitors might be using
You’ll also want to ensure that your website URLs feature the language people are searching for in their country. It's important to note not use country flags to represent languages - flags should only be used to represent countries eg. you are solely targetting Spain the country and not Spanish speakers worldwide.
This helps searchers understand where they will find a particular type of information or product on the internet. If you're just starting out, expanding into a new market that shares the same language as yours is the most cost effective way to get started.
Finally, using local language on websites is always beneficial because it makes visitors more comfortable and familiar with navigating your site before they start looking at products or services.
Measure and Track Your Success
Make sure you know what your metrics will be before spending any money on international marketing. Calculate how many people your ads reach, how many people view them, etc. Having this information is crucial to setting up an effective international marketing campaign.
Another essential metric to consider is where people click when they see your ad. If you’re trying to reach women in China, it would be beneficial to learn which of their social media platforms they visit first. Knowing this information can help you put together a more targeted campaign with better results.
Always Be Networking
Networking is the key to successful international marketing. In order to grow and expand your brand, you need to find people who can help you reach new markets.
Attend industry events
Meet new people and make valuable connections by attending industry events. Attend events relevant to your industry, new market, or niche, and bring plenty of business cards to hand out or use a digital card like tapt to share your details.
Build your online presence
Today's digital age requires a strong online presence for networking. Consider starting a blog or podcast to showcase your expertise, and make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and complete.
Be authentic
Networking requires authenticity. Build genuine relationships with the people you meet by being yourself. This will help you establish credibility and build trust, which can be invaluable in business.
Follow up
Keep in touch with someone after meeting them to ensure a lasting relationship. A personalised message or simple email thanking them for their time and suggesting a future meeting can go a long way.
Offer value
As a final note, always keep in mind that networking is a two-way street. Find ways to add value, whether you're sharing your expertise, making an introduction, or offering assistance. In this way, you'll be able to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
Don’t Forget Consistent Content Marketing
Content marketing is the backbone of your international digital marketing strategy. By creating consistently engaging, helpful content that people want to share, you’ll be able to reach more people with minimal costs and effort. With content marketing, you can create a viral message that spreads like wildfire across social media and other digital platforms. The power of great content will keep your brand in the limelight even if you don’t have a strong budget for advertising your business.
Conclusion
When it comes to international marketing, every market is different, with different consumers and different needs. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the different cultural norms that exist in different countries, and to plan your marketing strategy accordingly.