International SEODreams, Tears & GlorySMX Sydney – April 2011Tom Petryshen

Dreams take usto mystical places

Dreams drive us beyond expectations

But success in Global SEO

can be elusive

The road ahead is fraught with

pitfalls & disappointment

Where do we start?

Sub Folders(apple.com/au)

Sub domains(au.apple.com)

What are the options?What works best for smaller companies as they expand into new markets

Cc TLD(apple.com.au)

Works best for large, global businesses with strong brands and lots of links.

Best for smaller businesses trying to launch in new markets. May require more upfront & ongoing investment. Provides best opportunity for success.

Sub domains are treated as new sites. Not as effective as cc TLDs.

Googlebot is a True Blue AmericanIt does not follow IP based redirects and will ignore other country specific content.

Basic Sitemaps Work BestIKEA uses a simple sitemap which allows users and crawlers select the correct country.

Don’t Hide LinksImplementations like UPS make it difficult for crawlers to follow content.

Instead Use a JavaScript Light BoxFeatured on Useit.com, this light box lets users decide and does not affect crawlers.

Consider Opportunity Costs of Each OptionThere are pros and cons as well as different opportunities for each option.

Set Country Target in Webmaster ToolsDon’t let Google decide which country is the right one. Set the target in GWT.

Apple Sub Folder Case Study (Good)Apple’s implementation of sub folders works well.

Search Engines See Clear Division b/w SitesApple’s method internal linking and site specific anchor text help localise content.

IBM Sub Folder Case Study (Ugly)Finding results for a non competitive keyword on Google AU is a challenge.

IBM Sub Folder Case Study (Ugly)You have to know what you’re looking for to find IBM in Australia.

SAS US UK CA AUbusiness intelligence software 9 4 9 3business analytics 2 2 2 3risk management software 1 1 1 -enterprise risk management 6 9 6 -

IBM US UK CA AUbusiness intelligence software 6 2 3 4business analytics 5 3 4 6risk management software - - - -enterprise risk management - - - -

Using Sub Folders Can be Hit...SAS’ implementation out performs IBM’s results

SAS US UK CA AUbusiness intelligence software 9 - - 1business analytics 2 2 8 2risk management software 1 8 - -enterprise risk management 5 7 - -

IBM US UK CA AUbusiness intelligence software 6 - 2 3

business analytics 5 - 2 3

risk management software - - - -

enterprise risk management - - - -

Sub Folders can Result in Missed OpportunitiesNeither company performs consistently when pages from country is selected.

Numbers in red resulted in false positives (not the ideal page).

Markets are Inherently LocalCompanies must localise and give control to marketing teams to maximise results.

Cultures Have BiasesAll things equal (price, quality, etc.), people prefer to buy from local providers.

travelindochina.com travelindochina.co.uk

travelindochina.com.au

Markets Appreciate a Local PresenceIf you take the effort to localise your presence, both buyers and SEs will reward you.

• Search engines do not penalise local sites for duplicate content. However, it’s still important to localise content.

• Localise (spelling, colloquialism, slang)• Add some variety to your Titles and content• Mix it up (shoot for up to 10% difference)

What About Content Duplication?Localise content to benefits both users and search engines for top results.

• Host locally if latency is an issue for users• We have seen results faster in sites we host

locally then having all cc TLDs hosted out of a single data centre

• Why leave it to chance?

What About Hosting?If you use a cc TLD or use GWT, local hosting is not required, but...

Why Leave Success to Chance?Google’s best interest is not your best interest.

A local cc TLD is Critical in Competitive MarketsCheck your prospective markets to see what type of option ranks best prior to jumping in.

Email

External Systems

Internal Systems

CMS

Booking Application

Blog

Microsites .com.auMobile

Web Facing Systems

.co.uk

A Typical System ArchitectureMost internal systems do not provide any flexibility for marketers to localise

Booking Traffic

Internal Marketing System

Publisher and Marketing CMSBooking Application

Internal Systems

Email

External Systems

SMS

Content Publication

.com .com.au .co.nz Mobile

Web facing systems

A Better Approach: Distributed System ArchitectureNeed to separate mission critical systems from marketing functions and free marketers.

• Clear separation between business and marketing functions

• Faster time to market• Provides control for local affiliates• Ability to plug and play technologies

Key Benefits of a Distributed ApproachFree marketers from IT, and IT from content.

• Build a local presence first• Use PR & Social to drive links from high value

local sources• If you have link from your other sites, use no

follow from for first 3-6 months

How to Link New Sites?How and when you link is critical to initial success.

Don’t Cross the SignalsIf you over link from other cc TLDs, you risk cluttering the picture.

www.expedia.ca www.expedia.co.nz

• Markets are local• Consider language & culture• Use cc TLDs where possible• Create a flexible marketing friendly architecture• Be prepared to invest for the future

A Final Recap for SuccessIt takes more than just a dream to have success

The world is within your

reach.

ThanksTom PetryshenTwitter: @petryshen

Email: tom@amplify.com.auWeb: www.amplify.com.au

Wikipedia: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tompetryshen