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Last week I explained about International SEO and related terminologies. If you missed that article, read it from here: http://digital-marketing-ashvyasseo.blogspot.com/2014/11/international-seo-multilingual-Multiregional-SEO-Tips.html. This blog post is second part of the International or multinational SEO. In this article, I will share some technical details which shows how to implement and successfully run a multinational SEO campaign. Let's explore step by step guide.
How To Practice Multinational/International SEO?
There are different ways to practice multinational SEO. It starts with selecting the right alternative of the URL aka domain. There are three options which are explained below with small tips to make decision easier.
1. CCTLD
Buy country specific domain like example.de. This is suggested only when
Use your current domain and add subdomain for each targeted location. For ex: de.example.com.
You can set targeted geographical area from Google webmasters easily. The benefits of using it will be:
Use your current website and add subdirectory in it, .i.e., example.com/de.
You can set the geo-target from the Google webmaster tool. It has the same benefits as a subdomain.
4. URL Parameters
Use url parameter for each targeted location, i.e., example.com/?location=france
This is not recommended at all from SEO point of view. Why? The important reasons are
Once you have decided the URL, then you can use different methods to serve the language/region specific users. The possible options are as below:
1. HTTP redirection
2. Javascript enabled redirection
I suggest to use http redirection as again search engines are not so good in dealing with javascript. Though it has started improving and handling javascript, still there can be some problems.
Once the redirection portion is done you have to specify the region specific landing pages. How to handle it? It's explained in brief below:
1. Rel="Alternate" Hreflang Annotation
In google, rel="alternate" hreflang="x" annotation is used to specify which page is served to which geographical location. This is recommended when you have a different version of the same content which is either translated or adjusted to serve the different regions. There are three ways to implement this markup:
HTML Link element in head section
In the head section of example.com add a link element pointing to the french version of a webpage which is example.com/de
Code: <link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="https://example.com/de" />
HTTP Header
This option is useful when you are publishing non-HTML files, i.e., PDF. You can use HTTP header to indicate the French version of a URL.
Code: Link: <https://example.com/de>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="de"
Sitemap
I find it quite easy and less chances of any issues. You can submit language version instead of any markup.
One thing to keep in mind that there are predefined hreflang values for languages and regions. So use the right value only. Beware of any silly mistake.
2. X-Default Hreflang Markup
It's important to keep in mind that, you won't be able to create different pages for each and every region or language in this world. What if a visitor come to your website for whom you haven't created any specific landing page. In such case, you have to create a general landing page and redirect the user there. For this purpose use xDefault hreflang attribute.
Code: <link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/" hreflang="x-default" />
If you are using different region specific URLs, then you will have cluster of code as below:
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/de" hreflang="de" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/" hreflang="x-default" />
Once the code is setup, you can create a separate account for each version of the site serving a predefined audience in both, GWT and GA. It will help you to monitor your efforts and fine tune it.
Hope this Blog added some value to your knowledge-base.
How To Practice Multinational/International SEO?
There are different ways to practice multinational SEO. It starts with selecting the right alternative of the URL aka domain. There are three options which are explained below with small tips to make decision easier.
1. CCTLD
Buy country specific domain like example.de. This is suggested only when
- You want to target a few regions only now as well as in future.
- You have enough resources to work on specific country wise domain. As CCTLD will completely new domain, you have to put extra efforts to get the authority for that domain.
- Some regions has its rules to get cctld, so you have to pass those standards to get the rules.
Use your current domain and add subdomain for each targeted location. For ex: de.example.com.
You can set targeted geographical area from Google webmasters easily. The benefits of using it will be:
- Easy to setup
- Your authority of the current site will be passed to it and vice verse
Use your current website and add subdirectory in it, .i.e., example.com/de.
You can set the geo-target from the Google webmaster tool. It has the same benefits as a subdomain.
4. URL Parameters
Use url parameter for each targeted location, i.e., example.com/?location=france
This is not recommended at all from SEO point of view. Why? The important reasons are
- You won't be able to set the geotarget from GWT
- Google [most search engines] are not good in dealing with URL with parameters
Once you have decided the URL, then you can use different methods to serve the language/region specific users. The possible options are as below:
1. HTTP redirection
2. Javascript enabled redirection
I suggest to use http redirection as again search engines are not so good in dealing with javascript. Though it has started improving and handling javascript, still there can be some problems.
Once the redirection portion is done you have to specify the region specific landing pages. How to handle it? It's explained in brief below:
1. Rel="Alternate" Hreflang Annotation
In google, rel="alternate" hreflang="x" annotation is used to specify which page is served to which geographical location. This is recommended when you have a different version of the same content which is either translated or adjusted to serve the different regions. There are three ways to implement this markup:
HTML Link element in head section
In the head section of example.com add a link element pointing to the french version of a webpage which is example.com/de
Code: <link rel="alternate" hreflang="de" href="https://example.com/de" />
HTTP Header
This option is useful when you are publishing non-HTML files, i.e., PDF. You can use HTTP header to indicate the French version of a URL.
Code: Link: <https://example.com/de>; rel="alternate"; hreflang="de"
Sitemap
I find it quite easy and less chances of any issues. You can submit language version instead of any markup.
One thing to keep in mind that there are predefined hreflang values for languages and regions. So use the right value only. Beware of any silly mistake.
2. X-Default Hreflang Markup
It's important to keep in mind that, you won't be able to create different pages for each and every region or language in this world. What if a visitor come to your website for whom you haven't created any specific landing page. In such case, you have to create a general landing page and redirect the user there. For this purpose use xDefault hreflang attribute.
Code: <link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/" hreflang="x-default" />
If you are using different region specific URLs, then you will have cluster of code as below:
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/de" hreflang="de" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://example.com/" hreflang="x-default" />
Once the code is setup, you can create a separate account for each version of the site serving a predefined audience in both, GWT and GA. It will help you to monitor your efforts and fine tune it.
Hope this Blog added some value to your knowledge-base.
Ash Vyas is
working in Internet Marketing field for 6+ years. Have experience in
handling projects of SEO, SMO, SEM, Content Marketing, Branding etc.Likes : Blogging, Learning, Networking, Traveling, Photography
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