3 Tips for Keyword Research & Content Localization Success
Integrating SEO, localization, and content creation in a well-organized workflow is crucial. These are three tips to help you do it well.
A good location is a must-have for SEO.
Why?
Your content should be translated and localized for your market to help your audience find it in organic search results.
Localization lets them quickly understand the products and services you offer and take the steps you want.
Poorly translated content, i.e., content not created for local audiences’ best interests, is more likely to be challenging to rank well in organic search results.
It is possible to spend a lot on localization projects.
Consider the alternative: A cheap website that is poorly translated.
It would have harmful results, not only for SEO but also for your future business in this market.
The Right Word Matters
Keyword research must be done as the first step in a localization project.
The correct word will make it easier to connect with local audiences. This will improve your chances of success in local markets.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the word with the highest search volume.
This means it is the most used word in your local market by people interested in your industry.
You can translate the word “analytics” as “Jie Xi” or “anareteitsukusu.” Both are accurate Japanese translations.
Let’s suppose you want to get subscriptions for your Japan analytics tool.
Both of these words will be understood by the audience in the analytics industry.
If you’re targeting small-mid-sized business owners, particularly someone older, it is possible that they won’t search using [anareteitsukusu] in their search query. They may not be able to find your content if they search for a tool.
Many foreign website owners face challenges
Translators
Being a native speaker doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is proficient in writing the local language.
Writing skills are not for everyone.
It is not simple to find the correct person for a job when you can translate.
When asked to translate content, some people use translation software. This happens more often than you might envision.
Many companies prefer to hire in-house talent. This is because they are more familiar with the content.
However, the issue remains: they might not be a great writer.
SEO-wise, it is concerning that neither the translator nor the in-house staff understands SEO well.
Suppose a person is skilled at writing and has a lot of creativity with the localization work. In that case, sentences can get rewritten entirely, which could be against best practices for content optimization.
Translation Project
The translation project is generally held in its own right.
SEO and other teams seldom get the opportunity to give the required input to create optimized content that uses the correct keywords. Some companies have an internal team that reviews and edits the translations by outside agencies.
A company that cares about optimizing content is likely to do so. Local teams can quickly conduct keyword research and then optimize the content.
Although it may take longer for the content to be published on the local website, this is a reasonable time-frame for most businesses.
Content Maintenance
Another common problem is the preservation of local content.
After the content has been translated and localized using keyword research, it is often left as-is and not updated. However, the content is constantly refreshed, and new pages are created on the parent site.
Searchers’ interests and questions can change quickly. Words on the site, as well as the content, could become obsolete.
This shift could happen quickly and abruptly, even for traditional businesses, as many experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local businesses can update or add content to their site if they can adapt quickly to these changes.
This is one of the most notable challenges foreign businesses face to remain competitive on other markets.
Tips for Keyword Research and Content Localization Success
1. Create a Translation/Localization Process Incorporating Keyword Research & SEO
Although SEO shouldn’t be the sole responsibility of content editors or translators, it is helpful to have some SEO knowledge to launch local websites that perform well.
For them to use, create SEO guidelines.
2. Always monitor website performance
Monitor the performance of the site once it is launched.
As soon as you spot them, solve them quickly.
Review the content optimization if the pages are not ranking well.
If pages don’t rank well but get little traffic or conversions from search engines, you should review the translation/message and the user experience points.
You should verify that the form and any other conversion points work in your local market.
3. Talk to your local team & contact points
Keep in touch with your local team and other contacts to find out if there have been any changes in regional interests.
Ask them whether the content needs to be changed or updated. You may have seen recent activity from local competitors.
Please encourage them to give feedback that could help the business grow in their market.
The Takeaway
Integrating SEO, localization, and content creation in a collaborative workflow is crucial.
This will allow you to achieve greater efficiency and performance faster.
This collaboration will allow the business to understand consumers’ needs better and wants. It will also improve product innovation, engagement, and conversion.