The Small Business Guide to International SEO
The Small Business Guide to International SEO
Do you need international SEO?
Only if you serve customers in multiple countries or languages. If you're a local plumber in Austin, you don't need this.
The basics
1. Choose your URL structure
- Country-specific: yoursite.co.uk, yoursite.de
- Subdirectory: yoursite.com/uk/, yoursite.com/de/
- Subdomain: uk.yoursite.com, de.yoursite.com
Subdirectories are usually best for SEO.
2. Use hreflang tags These tell Google which language and country each page is for. Without them, Google may see your pages as duplicate content.
3. Translate, don't just machine-translate Google can detect low-quality machine translations. Hire native speakers or use professional translation services.
4. Localize everything Not just language. Currency, measurements, date formats, cultural references. A US-focused page won't convert UK customers.
5. Build local backlinks Get links from websites in each target country. A .co.uk backlink helps your UK rankings more than a .com backlink.
6. Use local hosting or CDN Site speed matters. Host your site near your target audience.
Run a free audit and see if your site is ready for international traffic.