Content creation is the process of identifying new topic ideas that appeal to your potential or existing audience, creating written or visual content around those ideas, and making that information accessible to your audience as a blog, video, infographic, or other format.
The Internet has opened doors to new markets around the world, yet without paying due attention to the preferences and culture of these new customers, marketers can miss significant opportunities. Content originally created for one type of audience often does not work in other languages, cultures or countries, even if it targets the same market.
How can marketers ensure that their content is ready to expand into new countries and markets?
You may think the answer is simple: by localising it. By localising content, you can match it to the cultural expectations of the audience. However, while localisation may be a good option, there is another option that works even better. This is the creation of content by native speakers of the language, culture or country to which the content is directed.
There are several reasons for this. Firstly, native speakers have a better understanding of the market where they come from, the preferences of the audience or the keywords that are used in their country to perform certain searches in search engines, which will make the user have a positive experience when visiting your website. Secondly, adapting content from one language to another can cause confusion even if the localisation is being done by a native speaker of the language. Creating content directly in the language in which it will be disseminated to users saves us from this type of problem.
What are the main differences between localisation and original content creation?
The process involved in both actions is not the same and it requires a different set of skills.
When the content is localised, it is usually found mainly in English. Thus, it will be advisable to identify the keywords of the content you are going to localise (it should be noted that although search engines are improving, the don’t always have the same level of understanding of other languages as they have in English, if sometimes you have to play around with differences to make your content attractive to search engines). Thereafter, it is necessary to check search volumes, add external related links and send the brief to the writers.
It is worth mentioning that, in addition, the search engines don’t roll out the algorisms at the same time. First English, then other languages. On the other hand, there are fewer or less expensive tools for international localisation: some very good tools available in English and not as good in other languages. You will have to be more flexible and be aware of the limitations of the words. And finally, because of all of the above, you need to be more creative when creating content in other languages.
When original content is created, the above-mentioned localisation issues disappear. However, the initial process is more complex and more detailed, consisting in identifying gasps in the market, making a list with your topics/ideas, searching traffic and volume, selecting your topic/keywords, checking the search results and writing the content briefly.
Why is SEO important for international?
The key to creating successful content for the international audience is to have a rellay strong SEO team and create a good SEO strategy. This strategy can help you achieve the following goals:
- It helps users find your website and your brand: SEO is the main source of traffic to a website, it can also help with brand awareness in new markets, but for that it has to be at least on the first page of the resource list.
- It builds trust and credibility: SEO strategies help to achieve a good user experience (search engines detect how many times our link has been accessed and the time users have spent on it, so they can rank our website depending on the user experience). This brings reliability and a certain authority in the market.
- It helps you understand your user: what are the search terms that users use and that direct them to your website, as well as other links they visit. In this way, you can identify new market opportunities.
- It increases revenue: knowing what customers are looking for and what your competitors are doing can increase conversions and returns on your SEO investment.
- It makes you more competitive: when you appear time and time again against your other competitors it makes customers understand that you are one of the top companies in that market and in that area.
Content creation also rely on good graphics and catchy images.
Great examples of content creations are:
- Blogs: celebrate milestones and achievements,
- Podcasts: interviews with influencers, tutorials
- Video: behind the scenes video, tutorials, presentation of new products
- Graphics: infographics to show data
- Content Offers: downloadable material such as presentation, whitebooks
A common characteristics is that they need to be engaging in order to reach and attract customers.
We recommend adding surveys, forms, quizzes. Use the data from these elements to generate user-generated content to show that you care of your customer’s opinion.
Is your company ready to go global? TIL can guide you on how to create native content in all the major European and Oriental languages. Reach out to us today!