Link building is subject to the same linguistic, cultural and localisation challenges as any other aspect of international marketing. Links do not necessarily carry the same value across every market, and a tactic that works well in one country might [...]]]> Link building is subject to the same linguistic, cultural and localisation challenges as any other aspect of international marketing. Links do not necessarily carry the same value across every market, and a tactic that works well in one country might yield poor results in another.

The importance of links, however, is the same everywhere and therefore getting your global link building strategy right is an essential element of any international SEO project. Bastian Grimm will be speaking on international link building at the International Search Summit @ SMX Munich next month, and here he gives an insight into the topic and what delegates can expect in Munich.

What do you see as the major challenges for organisations targeting a multilingual audience?

“You have to get to know them; all of them – individually!” So what does it mean? Having done quite a bit of work within international companies I’d say the biggest issue is, to find out what actually works on a per-market basis. And to do so you really need to understand your audience which, obviously, differs for each country – and language. That being said, I think a successful multilingual SEO campaign needs a heavy preparation. So if you’re not simply replicating your strategy from another country (which you clearly should not do without further validation!) you have to accept that it’ll just take time, money, market-specific knowledge and a lot of work to successfully conquer another country or language.

What area of search do you see as most important for international marketers in 2012?

Usually companies operating in international environments are big brands – and updating / changing their websites does usually take quite a bit of time (not days, but months and sometimes even worse). Since Google continues pushing in new stuff like the hreflang=X property and because I expect them to continue doing so, I’d say one of the really important tasks for international marketers is going to be testing and validating new stuff before it actually goes live; which means you’d have to have multiple domains in multiple languages just for testing. This is quite a bit of work and might cause some headaches, I’d guess.

What are the biggest pitfalls to consider when developing a global link building strategy? Is it possible to have a global link strategy, when each market needs a localised approach?

It’s still the same problem as it used to be for years now: Markets do need their localised approaches; however this will cause problems with administration, handling all those different agencies and link-builders, etc. – it’s an administrative pain

And very generally speaking one needs to consider that almost everything is different on a per-country basis. Link profiles are very, very different. Looking – for example – at the amount of links, difference in deep- / start-page link ratios, types of TLDs linking-in, anchor-text distribution, geo-distribution in terms of IPs linking in, etc. – it all just differs. And that simply means you have to do a competitive analysis for each market you’re planning to build links for and  need to consider the industry as well.

What will delegates gain from your session at ISS?

I’ll try to come up with a cheat-sheet on what to actually consider when you start doing link-building in multiple markets. So the idea is to provide some kind of “what’s really important, where do I get it and what do I need to do with it?” kind of approach based on real-world data from various countries, which – I think – will be quite interesting.

And finally, why attend the International Search Summit?

That’s an easy one! There is only one truly international-dedicated conference – ISS. That being said I do like the broad range of topics but still all being focused on international search. So if you’re in international search marketing, be sure not to miss it! See you in Munich.

International Search Summit Munich will take place on Thursday 29th March, as part of SMX Munich. Full agenda and registration information is available on the website. All sessions at ISS are in English.

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Geo-targeting is a common problem for organizations with an international website, who are targeting multiple languages and regions around the world. Making sure the right user sees the right content at the right time is the goal – but achieving [...]]]> Geo-targeting is a common problem for organizations with an international website, who are targeting multiple languages and regions around the world. Making sure the right user sees the right content at the right time is the goal – but achieving that is not always easy. How do you ensure that all your UK customers aren’t seeing prices in dollars or that your Spanish users aren’t seeing product pages that are only available in Peru?

Well Google has recognised these challenges and has adapted the way website owners can signal the intended recipients of web content. It may appear confusing at first – it did for me at least – and does need careful implementation but Google is offering a helping hand to marketers struggling with geo-targeting and duplication issues.

There are several excellent explanations of what has changed and how it can be implemented on SearchEngineLand and SearchEngineWatch so I won’t replicate that here, but there are two scenarios where this new markup will apply:

• Websites targeting multiple regions with very similar content in the same language (e.g. the US, the UK and Australia in English)
• Websites that have fully translated content, targeting multiple markets (e.g. German, French and Spanish pages)

This change is mainly applicable to international websites hosted on dotcoms, with subdomains for each market rather than those on local domains, which clearly target a specific market. While local domains provide clear signal to both search engines and users that the site is locally relevant, and therefore, are is still a recommended strategy, Google’s changes will improve the targeting for dotcoms.

Google Webmaster Trends Analyst Susan Moskwa will be speaking at the International Search Summit at SMX West, where she will be discussing how to implement the rel=”alternate” hreflang markup and sharing examples of when to use it, as well as answering delegate questions.

The International Search Summit will be held on Monday February 27^th, as part of SMX West. It focuses entirely on international and multilingual search and social marketing and sessions will include Global Domain Strategies, Spanish SEO, Global Social Media, and The Other Search Engines.

Early Bird Rates expire on Saturday January 28^th.

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Data released by comScore has shown that Facebook is now the leading social network in Brazil, with a staggering 192% increase in the number of visitors in the past year. Brazil is the fifth biggest user of social networks globally, yet [...]]]> Data released by comScore has shown that Facebook is now the leading social network in Brazil, with a staggering 192% increase in the number of visitors in the past year. Brazil is the fifth biggest user of social networks globally, yet Facebook has until now struggled to compete with the popularity of Google owned Orkut, which had a strong presence in the South American country.

The figures are quite astonishing. In December 2010, Facebook had 12 million Brazilian users, compared to 32 million for Orkut, yet 12 months later Facebook has reached 36 million users, while Orkut only grew to 34 million. As well as increasing visitor numbers, user engagement on the site has also increased, with more time being spent on the site and more pages being accessed on each visit.

The comScore data doesn’t take into account visits from public computers and mobile devices so the exact numbers may be slightly different, and the growth rate of 5% for Orkut shows that it is far from finished in Brazil. However, this is a major win for Facebook, which is now the leading social network in all but 6 countries around the world.

Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, Vietnam and Poland still favour local social networks to the global leader. In a session at the upcoming International Search Summit @ SMX West, Michael Bonfils will lead a session on these major markets and provide insights into their leading networks, including Qzone, Vkontake and Cyworld.

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With 153 million users, Spanish is the 3rd most used language online, trailing only English and Chinese. However, the variations of this language, along with the cultural diversity of those using it are vast, making the job of the search [...]]]> With 153 million users, Spanish is the 3rd most used language online, trailing only English and Chinese. However, the variations of this language, along with the cultural diversity of those using it are vast, making the job of the search marketer all the more challenging.

Ani Lopez, a native Spaniard working as an SEO Manager at Cardinal Path in Canada, will be speaking on the topic of keyword research for Spanish speaking markets at the International Search Summit @ SMX West on February 27th in San Jose. Here Ani shares important insights and tips for marketers targeting a Spanish speaking audience anywhere in the world.

Does the Spanish language create any particular difficulties for search marketers?

Sure! All languages evolve over time, but some are more diverse than others. Spanish is one of these that, growing richer, make it more difficult to manage when targeting multiple markets.

Its distribution is pretty blurry and jumps across continents, cultures and media. For instance, Spanish is the official language in 21 countries and an unofficial but widely spoken language in many others: There is the same number of Hispanophones in the US as the population of Spain and Spanish  is the 3rd most used language online (153M users) after English and Chinese.

With types of Spanish, like formal or colloquial, plus regional dialects and varieties, the idea of just using ‘standard Spanish’ is something that I don’t to buy into. Even grouping them – trying to make it simpler – leaves us with too many variants: Caribbean, South American Pacific, Central American, Highland American and more.

The rapid growth of Spanish speaking internet users is spicing up the language a bit, but it is the diversity that Spanish has achieved due to historical factors, different cultures crossing its path, geographical reasons and such, which makes it so intricate.

What are the major challenges of targeting multiple Spanish-speaking markets online?

Writing Adwords copy in Argentinean for a market of Spaniards is not going to be successful unless, of course, you are deliberately targeting Argentinean people living in Spain. Incorrect localization makes potential clients lose confidence in your company and raises brand reputation issues.

Besides the fact that grammar and vocabulary may change, you get very different dialects and accents. These, of course, do not severely prevent understanding among the educated but – big warning here - very common words in one country/language group may have not only different meanings, but vulgar or absolutely inappropriate ones in others.

In this complex scenario the real challenge is localization, something which is nothing new to advanced international marketers, but it becomes even more critical for Spanish speaking markets. This doesn’t just apply to grammar and vocabulary, but also style or the way we phrase ideas. While Spaniards are more direct and succinct, Uruguayans can be more creative or indirect in their expression. With Argentineans you have to read/write between the lines.

Are there any characteristics that are consistent across all markets where Spanish is spoken?

Formal Spanish is a little easier to cope with as it maintains a bit more consistency across borders and cultures. That’s a small relief when managing content strategies for corporate sites.

Other than that it is hard to find consistencies across markets. If you want to sell sneakers (that’s trainers in the UK) to teenagers in Mexico the Spanish you use is going to be completely different than the one you should be using addressing Argentineans or Castilian users.

What opportunities can organizations exploit in those markets?

It depends on the region. Nobody doubts, nowadays, that Latinos in US are a big demographic target. Proof of that is that big companies in many different market sectors have already translated their sites into Spanish. Victoria’s Secret, Papa Johns, Best Buy and Citibank are all good examples.

A different story is what’s happening south of the US. Fortunately, Latin American countries are awaking from a troubled past and poverty has continued to decrease over the last 10 years. Nothing makes me happier!

Therefore, there is a market of 572 million people, of which Spanish makes up about ~66% and Brazilian-Portuguese,~33%. Of course every country in the region has its own particularities but opportunities are already there for those who want to expand.

What tips can you offer marketers trying to reach Spanish speakers in the US?

That is even more challenging. ‘Hispanic’ in US refers to people whose origin is Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Spanish-speaking Central or South American countries, or other Hispanic/Latino, regardless of race. It is truly a melting pot of different cultures which must be considered – although Mexicans do represent a majority.

H.G.Wells in his future history “The Shape of Things to Come” predicted that, in XXI century, English and Spanish would become interchangeable languages. Well, more than interchangeable, we now have a new variance on top of this complex linguistic situation: Spanglish. Living la vida loca!

First Tip: Start planning using Hispanic demographic data in the US, but don’t expect your audience’s behaviour to mimic this data.

Second Tip: Listen carefully to your analytics’ tools to find more reliable trends and outliers.

You’re speaking specifically on keyword research for Spanish speaking markets at ISS. What will delegates learn from your session?

I’ll be explaining how to use free online tools to help you localize Spanish correctly. When it comes to localization, there is nothing better than having native speakers do the work, but even they have to double check localization of words and expressions to make sure their Paid Search or SEO campaigns target the right Spanish audience and yield the desired revenue.

Finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
That’s an easy question to answer. Simply because it is the best summit for those who will have to get their hands dirty planning or executing international online marketing campaigns.

Three reasons to attend:

1) It is organized by a company that knows the challenges of internationalization.

2) It has high level presenters and presentations offering fresh data and real cases.

3) Last but not least, the size of the event makes it very easy for everyone to mingle and chat with presenters and attendees. This is what makes it very exciting for me, because I love to exchange information and experiences.

Early Bird Rates for the International Search Summit and SMX West are available until January 28th. Others sessions include Google: A New Markup for Multilingual Content, Global Domain Strategies and The Other Search Engines.

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The only conference for international marketers is back in London on 24th November – and for anyone working in the global SEO, PPC and social media space, the International Search Summit is one event not to miss.

And here are [...]]]> The only conference for international marketers is back in London on 24th November – and for anyone working in the global SEO, PPC and social media space, the International Search Summit is one event not to miss.

And here are 5 reasons why you’ll want to be there:

• Unique Content: ISS covers topics you won’t find anywhere else. It goes beyond the basics to explore the complex world of international search marketing and will leave you with a host of ideas and strategies to implement in your own organisation. Check out the International Search Summit London agenda.

• Expert Speakers: ISS is committed to delivering quality content from experts in their fields. Every speaker at the Summit works in the international space and will provide invaluable insights for you to take away and implement.

• Networking: ISS puts you together with other global marketers, working on the same kind of projects as you, and facing the same challenges. The contacts you’ll make and experiences you’ll share will help you view your international projects with fresh eyes and renewed enthusiasm.

• Interactive Sessions: We know you’ll have loads of questions about your international SEO, PPC, social, mobile campaigns and projects – and we want you to get all the answers. There are numerous opportunities for Q&A, as well as dedicated breakout sessions to enable smaller groups to focus on a specific topic that is relevant to them.

• Proven Success: It’s not a coincidence that many attendees attend ISS time and time again or that they’re happy to share the positive experiences they had at the show – check out our testimonials!

The International Search Summit will take place at the British Library in London on Thursday 24th November.

View a full list of sessions and speakers, and book your place at internationalsearchsummit.com/london

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International SEO will be a key topic at the upcoming International Search Summit on 24th November, where delegates will be guided through the challenges of marketing to a global audience by  international marketing specialists who have been there, done [...]]]> International SEO will be a key topic at the upcoming International Search Summit on 24th November, where delegates will be guided through the challenges of marketing to a global audience by  international marketing specialists who have been there, done it – and survived!

Annabel Hodges, aka @searchpanda, will be speaking on the international SEO panel, where she and her OMD colleague Martin MacDonald, will share strategies, tips and techniques for successfully optimising multilingual websites. We chatted to Annabel ahead of the Summit.

What are the common mistakes you see organisations making in global search campaigns? How can they be avoided?
The most common mistakes are I think still the simplest and most obvious. E.g. assuming that because two countries speak the same language, they must be similar in culture. France and French Quebec are worlds apart! Despite this, people continue to treat countries of the same language in a similar manner.  How to avoid this? Well I’m repeating myself in another of your questions here but I genuinely do think it still boils down to the most simply (yet often ignored) steps of international search. Understanding your audience. Do the research, learn the culture, get experts on board.

How can organisations achieve scale in international SEO to improve cost and time efficiency?
Working for a company like OMD, our life is made very easy as there are so many international colleagues in so many countries available to reach out to. I would say that one new country-targeted site done well is better than 100 international sites rolled out with no strategy. Both from a branding perspective and an ROI one. Poorly translated sites are far less likely to convert!

Don’t do everything yourself, look for commercial partners that understand your target market. This doesn’t have to be a huge investment or an entire company, even having one local member of staff can have huge impact. It may seem like a waste of money but the benefits should outweigh the cost.

What role, if any, do you think social plays in international seo?
I think social is big now and will be huge for the foreseeable future . Facebook has taken over the world but that’s not to say that other smaller social sites like Ameba in Japan or Tuenti in Spain should be forgotten.
More importantly, the world’s population is growing increasingly used to being social. No matter their choice of platform – ideas like infographics and creating digital content in general can be easily (and cheaply) used in a  global manner. Much more so than traditional media.

What is the biggest challenge facing international search marketers in 2011?
I don’t think the biggest challenges for international search are really any different to those faced by SEOs in the English language. Crucial over the next few months will be adapting to changes on the search landscape – from recent changes to GA tracking to increasingly frequent and impactful algorithmic changes such as Panda. It’s not the language that is important here, it is the wider strategy and understanding.

If you could give marketers working on global campaigns just one tip, what would it be?
It’s been said a thousand times before but: “Understand your audience”!
I’ve seen and heard too many stories of companies pushing forward into new counties without stopping to consider cultural/language differences or even simply tax/finance rules – and being hit hard.

Finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
ISS allows marketers from around the world to indulge in their more niche search concerns . Although the wider strategies are applicable to all, I think it is both helpful and reassuring to be able to hear and discuss specifics that relate to building up an international business. Personally I’ve always found real case studies to be really interesting and inspiring, particularly when dealing with international expansion and succeeding in search.

Find out more about the International Search Summit and Register at the best rates

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International SEO, Geo-targeting, Global Search Trends, International PPC and Multilingual Video Optimisation are just some of the sessions on offer at the International Search Summit London on November 24th.

Targeted at international marketers, the Summit focuses on the topics, issues [...]]]> International SEO, Geo-targeting, Global Search Trends, International PPC and Multilingual Video Optimisation are just some of the sessions on offer at the International Search Summit London on November 24th.

Targeted at international marketers, the Summit focuses on the topics, issues and challenges involved in creating and managing search and social media campaigns in multiple markets and languages.

The speakers at the Summit are all experienced in the international space and will share tactics, best practice, case studies and strategies for running successful global web marketing campaigns.

A full agenda is online and early bird rates apply until 31st October.

Kristjan Mar Hauksson, a regular speaker at the event,  answers a few quick fire questions on international search marketing:

Kristjan, what is the biggest challenge facing the international search marketer in 2011?
“In my experience it is their mistake of generalizing when approaching foreign markets, that is thinking that their experience in one market works in another”

In your opinion, what are the biggest opportunities available to organisations venturing into overseas markets?
“Realizing the potential!”

You’re speaking on Global Reputation Management at ISS. What are the biggest mistakes you see organisations making when it comes to managing their brand online?
“Churning out content without a clear strategy, both short and long term”

What do you think are the most effective online channels to use as part of a reputation management strategy?
“For distribution there are as many as there are countries, there are also as many as the audience groups you are targeting so I cannot say that there are any that stand out. But I can say that the strategy needs to be in place before you start and then choose the channels not the other way around”

If you could give just one tip to anyone embarking on a global search campaign, what would it be?
“Give it time and be patient. The ROI will come”

Finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
“Simple: Good speakers, good engagement with the speakers and relevant topics”

To see the full agenda, check out delegate testimonials and book your place, visit www.internationalsearchsummit.com.

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Twitter is now available in an additional 5 languages, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Hindi, Tagalog and Malay, meaning that the microblog is now available in a total of 17 languages.  It also plans to increase add six more languages: [...]]]> Twitter is now available in an additional 5 languages, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Hindi, Tagalog and Malay, meaning that the microblog is now available in a total of 17 languages.  It also plans to increase add six more languages: Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Polish and Hungarian.

Twitter, which last week, announced that it has 100 million active global users, uses crowdsourcing to translate its site, apps and support pages.

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Internet users prefer sharing content than creating it, is a key message to come out of the latest GlobalWebIndex report, which surveys web users in 27 markets around the world.

When asked “Which online activities have you done in the [...]]]> Internet users prefer sharing content than creating it, is a key message to come out of the latest GlobalWebIndex report, which surveys web users in 27 markets around the world.

When asked “Which online activities have you done in the past month”, almost 70% of respondents had watched an online video clip, 50% had managed a social network profile
and 35% had commented on a story, yet only 25% had written a blog post and less than 20% had written an article.

The growth of social media platforms has made it so easy to share and distribute content, which presents huge opportunities for those creating interesting, compelling and attractive content. Create good content and there will be plenty of people willing to share it

Other data in the report supports the importance of social sharing, with social networking growing across all global regions, although significant growth is now being driven by emerging markets rather than mature ones. Microblogging is also growing but, surprisingly it is not the advanced web markets like the USA and EU5 countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain & Italy) that are driving this growth, rather the BRIC markets, where 40% of users have been active on a microblogging site.

In contrast, blog engagement is either stagnating or declining across all markets, however the highest levels of engagement are also by users in the BRIC markets.

Perhaps most interesting to note, is the decline in contributions and interactions on Facebook, despite the social network continuing to grow its global user base. From sharing photos to installing an app to joining a group, there has been a global drop in the number of users active on the site and its different functions, with the most significant drop coming amongst young, college-educated users in the US, who were the early adopters of the network.

Brett Petersen, Senior Strategy Consultant at Trendstream, which produces the GlobalWebIndex, will be speaking at the International Search Summit @ SMX East in New York, on Monday 12th September where he will be sharing many more insights into global web usage and behavior.

Here, Brett answers a few questions about the Global Web Index data and its value to international marketers

What exactly is GlobalWebIndex?

The GlobalWebIndex is the world’s most in-depth, continuous research study into online consumer behaviour. Since 2009, the GlobalWebIndex has surveyed nearly 100,000 internet users across 27 different countries. The data is then provided in an intuitive online tool, as opposed to reports, to allow marketers and brands to customise the data to their needs by building their specific target audiences and analysing their online and social media behaviour.

There are many great sources of data and trends online, what is different and valuable about the GlobalWebIndex reports?

The GlobalWebIndex is unique in the fact that it is the only research study to survey online and social media behaviour across all types of internet capable devices within a single survey. Other research providers often survey mobile, PC, and tablet separately, but researchers cannot cross compare that data because the information is coming from different respondents that are surveyed using different methodologies. The GlobalWebIndex makes these comparisons possible, allowing marketers and researchers to get a much more accurate picture of the online environment. The fact that the exact same survey is asked in 27 markets also makes the data comparable across all GWI markets.

How can and should marketers use the data to improve their global web activity?

Having a detailed understanding of what your target audience is doing online is critical to developing not just a brand’s digital marketing strategy but determining the overall marketing mix to ensure that resources are allocated in the most efficient way possible. The GlobalWebIndex, however, goes beyond illustrating what consumers are doing online to also explain their motivations for doing (or not-doing) specific online activities. It also give brands a chance to add their specific brand to the survey to track how their customers behave online and determine the best ways to engage them and build brand advocates.

What is the most interesting or surprising trend you’ve seen over the past few years?

I think there are two overarching trends that occurring at the moment that are challenging how we’ve traditionally viewed the internet. The first is the localization of the internet. Instead of becoming a global network that drives convergence in online consumer behaviour and culture, the global internet is more a series of local internet, each with its own culture and norms.

The second is the move towards Post-PC era. This is a view that grown out of our research but is often challenged by others on the grounds that PC sales still outweigh mobile devices sales etc. While that is definitely true, the key question for us is where are consumers most likely to be engaged online because higher engagement results in better marketing effectiveness for our brands. Our research indicates a continuing shift towards higher online activity via mobile devices thanks to high-value packaged internet services that are available in real-time, no matter where they are.

Which global markets do you think marketers should be investing in now?

The markets to invest in at the moment depend on the scope of your campaign and brand strategy. Advertising in many newly industrialised and emerging markets is still underdeveloped and there is significant scope for marketing investment in these markets as their middle classes become richer. The bigger emerging markets such as China, Brazil, Russia, and India have escaped the worst of the ongoing economic downturn and consumer spending in these countries must rise to compensate for reduced demand from Western markets in the future. This is not to say that marketers should not devote significant time to Europe and North America because their consumer markets are massive and advertising will be more critical than ever as household budgets are squeezed.

Online marketing in emerging markets is particularly important because they do not have the legacy of developed media markets that exist in Europe and North America. Emerging market consumers are going online for everything in their everyday lives from entertainment to personal well-being, and this presents great opportunities for marketers to begin the long process of brand building in these markets.

Why attend the International Search Summit?

The International Search Summit is a vital resource for search marketers because , as GWI research indicates, the results from a search engine are still some of the most effective purchase drivers out of all advertising communications methods, not just online. Furthermore, the localisation of the internet demands that every online and search advertising campaign be tailored to specific local markets. The International Search Summit gathers the world’s most knowledgeable online and search marketing experts to deliver insights that allow agencies and brands to achieve country tailored campaigns as part of a broader international brand strategy.

Tickets are still available for the International Search Summit @ SMX East. Other speakers include Preston Carey from Yandex,  Jae Choi of NHN USA (Naver), Rishab Aiyer Ghosh from Topsy and WebCertain’s Andy Atkins-Krüger.

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South Korea has long been one of the most advanced web markets, with high internet penetration and fast connectivity.  It is also one of the few markets where Google has failed to make an impact, with local search engine Naver [...]]]> South Korea has long been one of the most advanced web markets, with high internet penetration and fast connectivity.  It is also one of the few markets where Google has failed to make an impact, with local search engine Naver holding over 72% market share.

Jae Choi, CEO at NHN USA, a branch of NHN, the company which owns and developed Naver will be speaking at the International Search Summit New York on 12th September, offering delegates a unique insight into the Korean market.

In advance of the Summit, we spoke to Kyle Choi , SEM Manager at NHN USA, to find out some more about the search engine and the opportunities available to marketers targeting a Korean audience.

Can you share the bit of background to Naver?
Naver was created by six former Samsung SDS search engine developers and the company was first established as ‘Naver Com’ in 1999, later merging with ‘Hangame’ to become the company it is today. NHN Corporation, which operates both Naver and Hangame, currently has 3,500 employees in our headquarters alone. In 2008, NHN become the first Korean internet company to reach one trillion KRW in sales ($900 million +) and has an annual growth rate of 10 to 20%. Naver has also recently solidified our leading position in the mobile search market.

Like Yandex & Baidu, Naver has developed a search engine specifically for its local market. What has made it so successful there?
Naver was able to achieve success in Korea because it provides search results that have been optimized for Korean users. ‘Comprehensive Search’ Naver’s basic search algorithm, does more than list search results; it pulls together multiple categories of results on one page which are optimized for the user. Naver invests a lot of attention into search modeling, and has invested time in developing ‘collection ranking’ and ‘multi-ranking’, to provide individual and relevant search experiences.  Naver displays daily trends on the top of the page in order to offer information that most accurately meets the users’ search needs.

What are the key characteristics of the Korean search market? What makes it different from other markets?
The Korean search market suffered from a shortage of web documents written in the Korean language. Since search quality depended on the quantity of web documents, securing Korean web documents was vital. This led to the development of UGCs as well as Knowledge Search. Naver’s Knowledge iN, which opened a new chapter in the history of Korea’s search market because not only did Naver’s Knowledge iN Service coin the term “knowledge search”, it created the knowledge search culture and documented knowledge that was locked inside the human mind. Knowledge Search is Naver’s equivalent to Yahoo Answers, which was actually developed based on Naver’s Knowledge iN, after Yahoo! engineers visited the search engine to benchmark their service.

Is knowledge of the Korean language required in order to advertise on Naver? What options are open to non-Korean speaking marketers?
Advertising in Korean language with understanding of Korean culture can bring the most efficient results. However, advertisers don’t need to speak Korean. NHN USA offers not only translation for keywords, titles and descriptions, but also localization consultancy to provide recommendations for localizing for the Korean market and all reports can be delivered in English.

Does Naver have any plans to expand into international markets?
Naver is different from Google because Naver aims at offering services that has been optimized for the region by providing localized search services. Naver launched a search service in Japan, named Naver Japan, which offers new services that aren’t available in Korea’s Naver, such as “Matome”, which was designed to reflect the Japanese culture, where people hold intense discussions while collecting material about a certain subject. NHN plans to expand its search service to regions that have cultural similarities, allowing us to demonstrate our expertise in providing localized search services.

However, as games are not as influenced by the market’s culture in the same way that search is, NHN plans to enter the global market with our game business and has set detailed plans to embark into the European market.

If you had just one tip for organisations targeting a Korean audience, what would it be?
Korean users are used to getting customized search services, so rather than providing a common globalized service, try to appeal to the Korean users by offering a more unique, localized service. It’s difficult to give one tip on how to target a Korean audience, since a country’s culture cannot be easily defined on paper.

Finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
ISS is very unique opportunity to meet professionals in the international search field and to share information about the global search market. For Naver, it is a great opportunity to introduce the search engine and the Korean market to a new audience.

Early Bird Rates for the International Search Summit will expire on Saturday August 2oth.  Other speakers include Yandex, Topsy, Autodesk and WebCertain.

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2011 has been a big year for Russian search engine Yandex. In May it launched an IPO which saw it achieve over $1bn in investment and it has seen its share of the 2nd largest search market in Europe grow [...]]]> 2011 has been a big year for Russian search engine Yandex. In May it launched an IPO which saw it achieve over $1bn in investment and it has seen its share of the 2nd largest search market in Europe grow to 65% -  more, in fact,  if you consider its recent partnership with rival search engine Rambler.

I spoke to Preston Carey of Yandex, ahead of his participation in the International Search Summit New York on September 12th to ask him what we should expect next from Russia’s biggest search engine and how it can help international advertisers succeed in Russia.

Earlier this year Yandex had a very successful IPO, raising over $1 bn in investment. What should we expect to see from the search engine as a result of this?

The proceeds from the IPO will mainly be focused on investing in technology infrastructure that will help to support our dynamic growth.  The Russian internet market and audience are growing quite quickly and Yandex’s investments in our infrastructure will continue to keep us as the leader in the market.

Yandex has recently agreed a deal with local rival search engine Rambler to power its search results. How will the deal benefit advertisers and users?

The recent partnership with Rambler will allow Rambler’s customer to easily expand their reach and efficiency in the market by making it simple and convenient to also place their ads on Yandex.  This partnership makes it simple for Rambler’s existing customers to expand their reach without needing to manage two separate sets of campaigns on each advertising source.  Users will benefit from the increased number of advertisers in the market which will bring more relevant and targeted ads to the users.

The agreement seems to confirm Yandex’s claims that it is focused on growing in its domestic market, rather than expanding into new ones. Should we expect to see much of Yandex outside of Russia in the coming months/years?

The domestic Russian market is obviously an incredible strength for Yandex and Russia is growing and expanding in exciting ways right now.  We spend a lot of our time and energy ensuring that we offer our users and our advertisers the best possible services in the Russian market.  That being said, we always are looking for additional growth opportunities and think that there may be other markets beyond Russia that align well with Yandex’s strengths.  We will also continue to improve our ability to support and build our relationships with large international brands and advertising agencies outside of Russia.

Yandex has also recently released an English language version of its webmaster tools, Yandex.webmaster.   How should advertisers take advantage of this?

Yandex strongly recommends as a first step in thinking about SEO for Yandex that advertisers register and start using the Yandex webmaster tools.  These tools will tell you a wealth of important information not just about how Yandex is crawling your site but also about how search users are interacting with your site.  It will provide details on the top search queries that reach your site (both by impressions and clicks) and it will also tell you about how well your pages are doing in terms of click share, position, CTR, etc.  The tools have been warmly received by many of our top marketers who are using the feedback coming out of the tools to further improve their Russian sites.

What are the characteristics of the Russian market that make it appealing to international businesses?

The most appealing thing that I hear from our international customers is the current and future growth of the online advertising market.  This growth is being driven by the expansion of broadband throughout the country and is really bringing online the mass audience for the first time in Russia.  This expansion coupled with strong trends in consumers ecommerce and online shopping behavior make for very exciting times.  Looking out three to five years, Russia is going to be a major online market and the smart advertisers are getting in now to learn about what can be a complicated and challenging market for westerners.

If you could give just one tip to marketers targeting a Russian audience, what would it be?

The advice would be very similar to approaching any new foreign market – don’t assume that what works at home is going to work in Russia.  Find someone who knows the market who can help you learn and adopt your domestic practices.  That partner can be Yandex’s international account team who can help with translation and optimization or it can be an agency partner who has strong experience in Russia.

Finally, why attend the International Search Summit?

The International Search Summit brings together a unique group of experts in international search marketing whose combined perspective makes for an invaluable day of presentations and networking.

Preston will be speaking at the International Search Summit at SMX East on September 12th. Other speakers include Korean search engine Naver, social search engine Topsy and international search specialists Bill Hunt and Andy Atkins-Krüger.

Early Bird Rates are available until August 20th and passes for the Summit can be bought independently or in combination with SMX East passes.

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Today sees the start of the Yahoo-Microsoft Search Alliance roll-out into Europe, with Yahoo! organic search results in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Ireland being powered by Bing. This change has already been implemented in the US & [...]]]> Today sees the start of the Yahoo-Microsoft Search Alliance roll-out into Europe, with Yahoo! organic search results in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Ireland being powered by Bing. This change has already been implemented in the US & Canada, Australia & New Zealand as well as some Latin American markets.  Despite Bing technology powering the results, both search engines will continue to deliver their own search experience. Yahoo and Microsoft have as yet not given a date for roll-out to the rest of Europe.

The paid search element of the Alliance is already live in North America and Cedric Chambaz of Microsoft says testing is underway to ensure a quality transition experience is available to international advertisers. There is as yet no indication of when this service will be available in Europe.

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Baidu has announced that its Q2 net profit has almost doubled compared to the same period last year and is predicting a further increase in Q3. Baidu is benefiting from the increasing number of advertisers investing heavily in the world’s [...]]]> Baidu has announced that its Q2 net profit has almost doubled compared to the same period last year and is predicting a further increase in Q3. Baidu is benefiting from the increasing number of advertisers investing heavily in the world’s largest internet market, which passed 500 million users last week, and has grown its number of customers by 17%. As the majority of its revenue comes from search advertising the Chinese-owned search engine is constantly developing its product, including the recent launch of a new keyword advertising system.

Google’s decision in 2010 to pull its search engine out of the country, has also been of benefit to  Baidu, which now has 75.9% of search share in China, compared to just 18.9% for Google.

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International SEO, Geo-Targeting, Indexing International Social Signals and Search Marketing in Russia and Korea are just some of the topics on the agenda at the upcoming International Search Summit @ SMX East.

Taking place on September 12th in New York [...]]]> International SEO, Geo-Targeting, Indexing International Social Signals and Search Marketing in Russia and Korea are just some of the topics on the agenda at the upcoming International Search Summit @ SMX East.

Taking place on September 12th in New York City, the Summit will immerse delegates in a day of insights, debates and discussions on a range of international search and social media topics.

We’ll be welcoming back speakers such as Bill Hunt, a regular Medallion Award winner, and Yandex’s Preston Carey, as well as new faces including Korean search engine Naver and Rishab Aiyer Gosh from Topsy.

Check out the full agenda

The Summit is designed for anybody working on online marketing campaigns across more than one market or language. It focuses on issues specific to running international campaigns and provides a forum for delegates to share their challenges and find solutions.

Still unsure if ISS is for you? Here are five reasons to attend:

* Unique Content: ISS covers topics you won’t find anywhere else. It goes beyond the basics to explore the complex world of international search marketing and will leave you with a host of ideas and strategies to implement in your own organisation.

* Expert Speakers: ISS is committed to delivering quality content from experts in their fields. Every speaker works in the international space and will provide invaluable insights.

* Networking: ISS puts you together with other global marketers, working on the same kind of projects as you, and facing the same challenges. The contacts you’ll make and experiences you’ll share will help you view your international projects with fresh eyes and renewed enthusiasm.

* Interactive Sessions: We know you’ll have loads of questions about your international SEO, PPC, social, mobile campaigns and projects – and we want you to get all the answers. There are numerous opportunities for Q&A, as well as dedicated breakout sessions to enable smaller groups to focus on a specific topic that is relevant to them.

* Proven Success: It’s not a coincidence that many attendees attend ISS time and time again or that they’re happy to share the positive experiences they had at the show – check out our testimonials!

Super Early Bird Rates are only available until July 16th, so register now to secure the best rates.

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There were many great sessions and speakers at the International Search Summit Seattle earlier this month, but the standout speaker for many of the delegates was Bill Hunt, and he was nominated the Medallion Speaker on the day. [...]]]> There were many great sessions and speakers at the International Search Summit Seattle earlier this month, but the standout speaker for many of the delegates was Bill Hunt, and he was nominated the Medallion Speaker on the day. And not for the first time, as he also received the accolade at International Search Summit in San Jose earlier in the year.

Throughout his search marketing career Bill has worked with a vast range of leading global brands and understands the challenges and processes involved in achieving streamlined and efficient global campaigns better than most.

In Seattle, Bill’s session “Operationalizing Global Search” looked at how organisations can use their existing content and data more effectively to dramatically improve performance and lower costs.  Following the show, Bill answered a few questions to share some of his key tips.

Bill, What are the most common mistakes you see organisations making when it comes to managing global search activity?

The big mistakes I commonly see are:

1. Thinking that search is the same anywhere in the world.  They will often mandate change globally that won’t work or where there are not resources in the local markets to facilitate it.  This leads to a lack of communication and collaboration allowing countries to work on different paths but with the same content, which can lead to problems.
2.  Not integrating SEO best practices at the infrastructure level. They use Content Management System (CMS) templates but don’t look at the global implications.   Andy always reminds people about word length and direction and people are aware of it but they don’t apply that to search.  They don’t apply the same business rules to ensure key places are populated with the most popular, linguistically correct term.
3.  Not sharing their PPC keywords and performance trends.

How can localization processes be streamlined in order to utilize valuable content effectively?

Companies should map their localization process and find the intersections with search.  In my presentation I gave an example of a company that compared its German speaking markets.  They looked for words that were the same across all of them.  Of their top 20 keywords, 12 were the same.  They were able to share that content, keyword research and prioritized that content and pages to be edited since they would all benefit.  Just sharing the audit reports across markets cut down on costs allowing them to focus on the 8 keywords that were different.  This approach saved them $25k in potentially redundant localization costs alone.

In your session at ISS, you talked about the importance of centralized keyword management in global search campaigns. How can search teams use keyword data to maximize performance?

This is growing as an approach.  First it gives corporate a lens into the performance of the country and business unit level where they have not typically had it before.  We are not necessarily talking budget control or some power shift but the organization of data.   While all the words should be localized and not translated or used only in English, these can be used to inspire words not considered in the local language.  Also, trending words in one market might be a insight for another.   For example, in Japan we saw searches related to a new application of a product.  We started adding wider set of words to the campaign in Japan.  We then added them to other markets and this resulted in significant sales in multiple other markets.  We may not have seen this trend had we not shared data.

In addition, the global manager can see opportunities and budget needs by understanding local share of voice and opportunity, that may lead to additional budget and better alignment with global and regional activities.

When operating in multiple markets using local teams/agencies, what steps can organizations take to ensure consistency across all markets? And how can they benchmark performance?

Great question and it follows your first question.  I recommend a center of excellence.  This is where you standardize many of these issues and share the knowledge.

Communication and Guidelines – this is critical – the agency needs to follow similar process around the world.   Too many times companies use multiple agencies that don’t share templates or follow guidelines that are in place because either they don’t care or they are unaware of them.
Web and SEO Standards should be uniform and communicated globally.

As far as benchmarking – always start with a current state analysis.   The usual suspects can and should be evaluated:

1. Share of traffic from paid and organic (this is a great global benchmark to average against all countries)
2. Page Inclusion – too many times the problems start with no or few pages indexed
3. Click and Conversion metrics – paid and organic – this is a great diagnostic tool

While I like ranking reports for diagnostics they are a challenge in local markets if not generated there, since they won’t be accurate.  KPI’s and metrics should be the same for every market and use the same template.

Bill will be speaking at the next International Search Summit, at SMX East in New York on September 12th, where he’ll be on course for a hat trick of Medallion Awards.

The agenda for International Search Summit New York has just been released and other speakers include Preston Carey from Yandex, Maura Ginty from Autodesk and WebCertain’s Andy Atkins-Krüger. Check out the full agenda, and register at the Super Early Bird price, available until July 16th.

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Russian search engine Yandex isn’t resting on its laurels following its successful IPO last month but continuing to consolidate its leading position in the Russian market through a collaboration with fellow Russian engine Rambler.

From 23rd June, Rambler will be using [...]]]> Russian search engine Yandex isn’t resting on its laurels following its successful IPO last month but continuing to consolidate its leading position in the Russian market through a collaboration with fellow Russian engine Rambler.

From 23rd June, Rambler will be using Yandex to power its search results,  as well as joining the Yandex.Direct ad network, however it will also continue to show ads placed on Begun, an alternative advertising platform in which it has controlling interest. The partnership will enable advertisers to increase their reach and appear in front of new customers.

Figures from LiveInternet.ru in March 2011 show that Rambler’s search share in Russia had dropped to just 2%, compared with the 26% it held in 2005. This is in contrast to Google, who only had 5% share in 2005, which has now increased to 22%. The Silicon Valley search giant still has a long way to go to make any impact on Yandex, which has 65%.

Yandex has also been gaining ground in other Russian speaking markets, namely Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus. It is yet to overtake Google for the majority share in those countries, but its understanding and handling of the complex Russian language makes it an increasingly popular choice in Russian-speaking markets.

Yandex intends to continue to focus solely on Russian markets, and there are no plans for the engine to roll out into other markets. As Co-Founder Arkady Volozh said, “We still have huge room to grow. The Russian advertising market is projected to triple in the next several years”.  The partnership with Rambler is further proof of Yandex’s intention to dominate its home market – and Google now has an even greater fight on its hands to increase its presence -and revenue – in Russia.

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Microsoft Advertising is a brand that takes customer engagement seriously and values building relationships with its audience. However,  as a global brand this engagement needs to be tailored to each market and each audience – no mean feat!

Jenny Leahy, [...]]]> Microsoft Advertising is a brand that takes customer engagement seriously and values building relationships with its audience. However,  as a global brand this engagement needs to be tailored to each market and each audience – no mean feat!

Jenny Leahy, who leads the Web Marketing and Evangelism team at Microsoft Advertising, will be speaking at the International Search Summit @ SMX Advanced on June 9th, where she will share Microsoft Advertising’s experience of running multinational social media campaigns.

Here she shares a few insights into Microsoft’s successful strategy, as well as the challenges they’ve faced.

Jenny, what are the major challenges of developing a social media presence in multiple countries/languages?
The social media tools landscape is different in each country – there are some more “universal tools” but you really need to evaluate your strategy in each region and market before establishing your social channels. I find that marketers in the local markets, especially the smaller markets are often the most dynamic and creative marketers – but they are often running all of the marketing channels for the country. Social needs to go beyond the amplification of a message to the daily engagement with customers in a local language – I see the challenge in having an already over taxed marketer take on an additional channel.

How does Microsoft use social media to engage global users and build lasting relationships?
Microsoft Advertising focuses on a few social channels to drive engagement with marketers. We focus on our blog, twitter, Facebook and youtube.

What have you found to be the most successful tactics for growing a social media presence around the world?
Our event coverage in multiple regions has been our strongest tactic in growing our global audience. We use the major advertising festivals to drive traction in this area.

If you had just one tip for organisations trying to develop an international social media presence, what would it be?
Cheating…I have two:
1) Create a global framework (i.e. look and feel of social channels, structure of your handles etc.)
2) Build global, social communications cascades that focus on amplification that can be easily localized, allowing local markets more time to focus on 1:1 conversations.

And finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
Content is global, we have to learn how to build marketing campaigns and online experiences that don’t alienate individuals, but bring people together and into an experience regardless of their location.

There are still places available at the International Search Summit. Other speakers include search engines Yandex and Baidu, global brands Dell and Logitech and international search specialists Bill Hunt, Andy Atkins-Krüger and Shari Thurow.

Register now to secure your place!

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Social Media has now reached 96% penetration in The Netherlands, with global sites Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all growing rapidly in the country. It is still one of the few markets where a local social network is the most popular [...]]]> Social Media has now reached 96% penetration in The Netherlands, with global sites Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all growing rapidly in the country. It is still one of the few markets where a local social network is the most popular and Dutch site Hyves is still hanging on to its lead over Facebook.  However Facebook has seen a huge 76% growth in the past year, indicating that this lead may not last for much longer.

LinkedIn and Twitter have also seen significant growth (70% and 67% respectively) and The Netherlands tops the table for the highest penetration rates for both sites, globally.

English-speaking markets dominate  for LinkedIn with Ireland, the US, Canada and the UK making up the rest of the top 5, compared with Twitter which spans a range of continents and languages. Japan, Brazil, Indonesia and Venezuela all follow the Netherlands, with Turkey, Argentina and Singapore also making the top 10.

For more details visit comscore.com

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Kakao Talk, a Korean Mobile Messaging App, is to launch an aggressive international campaign to grow its subscriber base and compete with global giants Facebook and Twitter. The free messaging service, which currently has 9 million subscribers in South Korea, [...]]]> Kakao Talk, a Korean Mobile Messaging App, is to launch an aggressive international campaign to grow its subscriber base and compete with global giants Facebook and Twitter. The free messaging service, which currently has 9 million subscribers in South Korea, and a further 1 million around the world, is compatible  with Apple and Android Operating Systems and is currently used in 216 countries.

The app enables users to send text messages, as well as links, files and photos and is currently  available in Korean, English and Japanese. Kakao plans to set up offices in the US and Japan by the end of the year and  believes its success in markets such as the Middle East, where the app isn’t available in local languages, demonstrates the opportunities of going global in a mobile age.

Kakao Founder Kim Beom-su  is confident that the app can provide real competition for Facebook and Twitter, although he admits it may seem like a David and Goliath fight.

It certainly does seem an impressive goal, given the global dominance of Facebook in particular, but as the mobile web continues to grow, there may be  room in the mobile space for some alternatives.

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The International Search Summit Munich on April 4th covered a wide range of search topics – from in-house international PPC, to video optimisation, from display advertising to international SEO fundamentals, from search in Russia to international link building.

There were a [...]]]> The International Search Summit Munich on April 4th covered a wide range of search topics – from in-house international PPC, to video optimisation, from display advertising to international SEO fundamentals, from search in Russia to international link building.

There were a lot of tips and tricks to come out of the day and I’ve summarised some of the key takeaways below:

#1 Research your markets. This might sound obvious but it’s essential to conduct thorough research into your potential target markets to identify any possible obstacles and avoid wasting money. And don’t try to crack every market at once, start with one or two markets and then build your international presence from there.

#2 Just because an agency is well-known and has a presence in many markets, doesn’t mean that each local office has the same level of competency and knowledge. Test your agency in advance and verify that it has the relevant expertise to do your campaign justice in each target market.

#3 The best sources for links will vary from country to country. In the US for example, Social Media sites provide great link opportunities however these have much less value in other markets such as Germany.  In France, article directories work well for building links, but these just don’t exist in Poland.

#4  Interlinking your sites is a great way of driving more links – however don’t simply link just to the root domain but connect equivalent pages on your different country sites to develop deep links on the site, as well as a more relevant user experience.

#5 Display is on the rise. In the Middle East, for example, many users spend a lot of time on news sites/portals/ special interest sites where display has a great impact, yet search volumes in many countries in the region can be quite low. Different audiences use the web in different ways.

#6 Russia is a huge country – with 83 federal regions and180 ethnic groups. At the moment the majority of Russian web users are in the major cities – so target your marketing efforts at cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg,  at least to begin with.

#7 Ecommerce in Russia is still very different to in  Western markets. Although more Russians are using the web to research purchases and buying online using a credit card is becoming more common, the majority of Russian users still prefer to buy offline, or at least make an offline payment for goods ordered online.  It’s essential to be aware of the purchase preferences of your target market and offer the facilities to accommodate them.

#8 User Generated Content is an excellent way to create unique content in multiple languages. It generates regular updates which will assist search engine rankings, as well as increasing the number of local links, as they come from local users. However – be aware of spam and cloned content.

#9 By their nature, videos are able to tap into the emotional side of the brain which enables brands to engage with their audiences on an emotional level. Brands should be innovative and creative with video marketing  in order to maximise this potential.

#10 Plan video production carefully, to make it as easy as possible to adapt it for multiple markets – e.g. don’t have talking heads in shot as it just won’t work if you want to dub the video in other languages.

#11 ” Be Local”. This point was reiterated in almost every presentation. You need to understand the local market you are targeting and tailor all of your communications to be relevant to users/customers in that market.

The next International Search Summits will take place at SMX Advanced in London on May 18th and SMX Advanced Seattle on June 9th.  Registration is open for both events and full details can be found at http://www.internationalsearchsummit.com

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