Thread by @semrush

The fastest way to fail at international SEO is getting your technical implementation right.
Forget about hreflang and ccTLDs and look at what really matters: a strategic approach to international SEO ⬇️

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There are 3 main things you need to pay attention to:
1. Google's level of knowledge of your target language
2. How mature the SEO and media market are
3. The unique user behaviors in each country

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This has brought in the likes of BERT and MUM, but it's also a driving factor on featured snippets and Panda.

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In territories where Google isn't as proficient in the native language, some old SEO tactics still work. Looking at how English-speaking markets have evolved will give you a clear roadmap of improvements and help future-proof your work.

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For example, in Spain and Germany SEOs are very technical, but many companies are still buying links.

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Launching a Digital PR campaign in markets where media depends on selling links to advertisers to survive is going to be harder, but not impossible. Use this information to set realistic KPIs and expectations with your team/client.

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Digitalization and the rise of eCommerce have happened at different paces in each country, which has a huge impact on your SEO strategy.

Here are some examples of what that means for your international strategy ⬇️

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In less mature markets, users start their search journeys with more generic queries before refining them. Keywords at the bottom of the funnel have lower volumes and are often not picked up by tools, which can be a great opportunity for strategic SEOs.

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In markets where e-commerce is still in its early days, you'll want to feature trust signals more prominently and adapt your accepted payment methods. Cash on delivery used to be very common in Spain and Italy 5 years ago.

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In summary: international SEO is all about strategy. Getting the technical implementation right is crucial, but it's absolutely not enough to actually succeed in your international expansion.

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You can read more about international SEO strategy in my latest blog post. If you've enjoyed this thread, follow me on Twitter and if you have any questions, feel free to slide into my DMs! riseatseven.com/blog/internati…

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