International SEO aims to improve search visibility for websites targeting multiple countries. Key aspects include choosing the proper country-specific domain, hosting in locations close to target audiences, on-page optimization with tags and sitemaps for different language versions, and off-page link building from local directories and news sites. Resources for international SEO include guides from IANA, MOZ and Google Webmaster Tools.

1. International SEO
Optimizing for Websites with Locations Across the World

2. Agenda
• Overview of International SEO
• Choosing a Domain
• Hosting
• On-Page Optimization
• Off-Page Optimization
• Resources

3. Overview

4. International SEO aims to improve organic search
visibility for websites that are targeting multiple
countries.
This includes important things like:
• Choosing the proper ccTLD (country code top level domain)
• Hosting
• On-page and off-page optimization strategies
Overview

5. Choosing a Domain

6. Choosing a Domain
An important part of an international SEO
strategy is choosing the top level domain
based on your target country.
IANA - The institution that runs TLDs (Top-Level
Domains) and deals with the assignment of IP
addresses, ranges, ports, and related attributes.

9. Hosting

10. Hosting
Website Speed
– Your server’s proximity to your visitors affects
its speed
Local Search Engine Visibility
– Hosting your client’s site on a local IP can help
improve your visibility in that country’s search
engines.

11. On-Page Optimization

12. On-Page Optimization
• Hreflang Tag
• XML Sitemap

13. On-Page Optimization
Hreflang tags may not help you increase traffic;
instead, the goal of using them is to serve the right
content to the right users.
Hreflang Tag
*Note: Google uses the hreflang tag, while Bing uses language meta tags.

14. On-Page Optimization
XML Sitemap
Create a sitemap
listing out the
alternative versions of
each web page in the
languages you have
available.

15. On-Page Optimization

16. Off-Page Optimization

17. Off-Page Optimization
Link Building
The Value of a link is based on…
• Popularity
• Content Quality of the Site
• Anchor Text
• Number of Domains Linking

18. Off-Page Optimization

19. Off-Page Optimization
Ways to Build Country-Specific Links
• Local Directories
– Add your clients’ business to directories used in the
target country

20. Off-Page Optimization
Ways to Build Country-Specific Links
• Links from Local News Outlets & Bloggers
– Pay attention to citations of your business from local
newspapers and anyone sharing news or comments
about your clients’ products or services.

21. Resources

22. RESOURCES
Helpful Websites:
IANA www.internetassignednumbersauthority.org/
MOZ – Intl Learning Content Learning >
International SEO
MOZ – Intl SEO Checklist
Intl SEO Checklist
Google WMT
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/18
9077?hl=en

23. RESOURCES
International SEO Thought Leaders:
Ann F. Kennedy - @annekennedy
Michael Kahn – Performics
Bill Hunt – @billhunt