What is Marketing internationally?
Marketing internationally is selling products to different countries than the one you live in. Say you’re based in London and have only been selling to the UK but want to reach a bigger demographic, you would start branching out to different countries to sell your products there. So how do you know where to market yourself to? Always test the market before you dive straight in to selling. You need to know if marketing in a certain country is even worth it before putting in time, effort, and money.
Understanding Your Target Market
First things first, you need to know your audience. Who is frequently viewing your website now and do you need to change your approach to reach a new demographic? You should look at details such as age, gender, economic status as well as cultural preferences like language. Researching and segmenting your audience based on geographical location and cultural criteria will help you modify your marketing efforts. If you have a lot of engagement in Germany but not in Spain, you should choose Germany over Spain to branch out to.
Localising Your Content
Once you have figured out where’s best to market to, localising your content is the next step. Localisation includes translation, adapting your content and marketing materials, humour, idioms, and values. A tip is to avoid website translation platforms and instead speak to someone who is fluent in the desired language. This means that they know the ins and outs of the language including what’s normal to say and how to best word things. Localisation could also mean altering images in advertisements, adjusting layouts, and modifying content to meet local tastes and compliance standards. This is another reason that having someone who knows the culture comes in handy!
Why it’s important: Proper localisation enhances user experience and increases your brands relevance in foreign markets. It can significantly impact the effectiveness of your marketing.
Building a Local Presence
Having a local presence is key to engaging an international audience. Establishing a local presence can be achieved through partnerships with local businesses or partnering with an influencer with a local audience. Setting up a country specific domain on social media accounts and posting content accordingly to that location is also an effective way of engaging with local audiences.
Why it’s important: A local presence builds trust and shows commitment to the market. It also helps in understanding ongoing marketing trends and consumer behaviours first hand.
Navigating Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
Each country has its own set of rules and regulations when it comes to advertising, consumer rights, digital marketing, and data privacy (like GDPR in Europe). Making sure you are following the legal and regulatory implications is vital in building trust with customers and avoiding penalties.
Why it’s important: Non-compliance can lead to hefty fines, legal battles, and a damaged reputation, which can be disastrous for any business.
Utilising Digital Marketing Channels
In order to reach international audiences, digital marketing channels are critical. This includes search engine optimisation (SEO), pay per click advertising (PPC), email marketing and social media. For SEO and PPC, you should consider using local search engines and platforms that are popular in the target market.
Why it’s important: Digital channels offer measurable, cost-effective, and scalable methods of reaching global audiences quickly.
Monitoring and Adapting Strategies
International markets have ongoing change and are dynamic. This is why continuous monitoring of marketing campaigns and adapting strategies based on performance data and market feedback is essential. Keep an eye on what works well and what doesn’t. Be ready to pivot your approach as necessary.
Why it’s important: What works in one market may not work in another. Continuous optimisation ensures maximum ROI and effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Considerations and Challenges
Cultural sensitivity, economic fluctuations, language barriers, and technological differences are major factors to consider when marketing internationally. Misunderstandings can lead to marketing blunders; currency variations and economic stability can affect your pricing strategies and profitability. Language can be a barrier in conveying nuances in marketing messages, and the popularity and access to certain digital platforms can vary significantly between countries.
Why it’s important: With careful execution, your global reach can lead to significant growth and new opportunities.
Conclusion
Marketing internationally can be made simple if you understand why each step is important. Understanding your audience and the culture of the place you want to market to is key in growing and being successful in a new location. As long as you follow the legal implications and know what works well and what doesn’t, you can’t go wrong! To find out more on website internationalisation click here.
