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Away from guidelines and SOPs for
International SEO Strategies - towards
more individuality and culture

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International Companies
While these can be helpful
for setting a foundation, they
are often too simplistic and
overlook critical cultural
factors that can significantly
impact the success of a
campaign.
When it comes to
international SEO, many
Companies rely on generic
guidelines and standard
operating procedures.
To keep an overview & of
course the control!
The main limitations of
guidelines and SOPs include:
• One-size-fits-all approach
• Lack of cultural context
• Inability to adapt to unique
market dynamics
• Limited room for creativity
and innovation

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Importance of Individuality and Culture
Better understand
your target audience
Adapt your strategy
to local market
dynamics
Build trust and
credibility with local
users
Create more
engaging and
relevant content

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Strategies for a Culturally Sensitive Approach
Here are some strategies to help you develop a more individualised
and culturally sensitive international SEO approach:
Language and Localization:
• work closely with your international Colleges
• or work with native speakers or professional
translators
• Understand regional dialects and colloquialisms
• Use hreflang tags to guide search engines

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Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity:
• Research local customs, beliefs, and values
• Understand local consumer behavior and
preferences
• Avoid cultural faux pas and stereotypes

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Country-Specific Keyword Research:
• Conduct in-depth keyword research for each
target market
• Use local search engines and keyword research
tools
• Analyse competitors' keywords and strategies

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Examples local search engines

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Adapt Content and User Experience
• Create unique, locally relevant content
• Localise website design and user
experience
• Consider different browsing habits and
device usage

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Dream vs. Reality

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Dreamer
individual
Strategy for every
country
Critic
C-Suite
Realist
How do we make
this a reality?
Different perspectives
Plan calls with
the Manager
from each
country
transparent
communication
We go over
budget
Market
research
SEO Roadmap
Ressources
Time
plan milestones
monthly calls
conception
help with the
implementation
what resources
are available?
benefits
ownership
what
outcome is
expected?

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Take the challenge and take the absolutely ownership
If you want, be successful
internationally

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Good thing if you work international - you are
not alone
Team France Team USA Team Nordics Team Switzerland

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You all have one target:
Revenue

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Plan calls & listen
• Get to know each other only 15 min is enough
• Listen: What are the targets, important goals etc.
• Listen: Which are the importance local areas in the
country?
• Listen: What do they need? How is the knowledge?
• Resources
• Market research and check results with the country
teams

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Cons
Pros
Direct
approach
We went
over budget
Better
organic
rankings
Time, resources
sometimes the
Pareto principle is
more 80/20
conversion strong
landing pages by
target group
After all, we have
best practices,
why individually?
more hot leads
for sales
other priorities

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Internal Use Only
If it´s your Project, you
have the ownership
It doesn´t matter if your a consultant, agency or
in-house SEO
And that's exactly how you have to act,
communicate and plan the strategy - which,
according to your expertise, leads to sales.
There are no excuses here, like: I gave advice,
but they didn't implement it - instead we work
according to an SEO roadmap with milestones!

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Because we all know if the
pages aren't performing at
the end of the quarter - no
one asks why we haven't
implemented something -
but questions our expertise.

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Switzerland the country with more than one
culture
Case Study because it is important to see each country with all their colors

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The Regions
The German-speaking Swiss are
known for their punctuality,
precision, and strong work ethic.
They tend to be more
conservative, structured, and
formal compared to their French
and Italian-speaking
counterparts.
German Side
largest linguistic region
The culture is heavily
influenced by France, with
French being the predominant
language.
The French-speaking Swiss are
generally considered to be
more laid-back and open in
comparison to the German-
speaking Swiss.
They have a strong
appreciation for art, literature,
and fine dining.
French Side
The Italian-speaking Swiss are
known for their warmth,
hospitality, and zest for life.
They place a high value on family
and social connections.
Italian-speaking Swiss enjoy a
more relaxed, Mediterranean
lifestyle compared to their
German and French-speaking
counterparts, with a strong
emphasis on food, wine, and
leisure.
Italien Side
Ticino and parts of Grisons
#GlobalSEOClub @HollerVeronika

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Although these differences exist
It is essential to note that Switzerland, as a whole, has a strong sense of
national identity and unity. Swiss people are proud of their neutrality,
direct democracy, and the country's stunning natural beauty.
While the linguistic regions have their distinct cultural characteristics, they
share common Swiss values such as cleanliness, efficiency, and a
commitment to quality in all aspects of life.

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How can I use the differences for my:
Individual Seo Strategy?
Example: Switzerland

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the german side the french side the italian side
Needs an own
subdomain
Needs an own
subdomain
use swiss-german
or local vocabulary
and phrasing
Needs real
structured LP´s
with much
informations
is skeptical when
offers are made
too often
Is skeptical when
calling from
Germany
speaks German -
but is not German
Needs an own
domain
swiss-french or
local vocabulary
and phrasing
Loves interactive
LP´s
clear pricing
policy on the site
Love their language
and dislike spelling
mistakes
Like more
emotional content
use swiss-german
or local vocabulary
and phrasing
Love
communication
perfect for live
chats,
community parts
on the website
etc.
Love their laid-
back, warm-
hearted way of
life
Multimedia
content lovers

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Don´t forget Switzerland
speaks 4 languages
try to built LP´s also for
Romansh

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France the North and the South
Case Study

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France one of my biggest challenges
Influenced by the industrial and agricultural heritage
Proximity to Belgium, Germany, and the UK shapes the regional
identity. Generally cooler and wetter climate, influencing the
way of life and regional cuisine. Known for its hearty, rustic
dishes with an emphasis on dairy products, potatoes, and meats
Rich in history related to both World Wars, with numerous
memorials and battlefields. Regional languages and dialects,
such as Ch'ti and Picard, reflecting the area's cultural diversity
Strong connection to the arts, with notable cultural events like
the Lille International Film Festival
North
Mediterranean lifestyle with a relaxed, laid-back
attitude. Strong influence from neighboring Spain and
Italy. Emphasis on outdoor living due to the warm
climate Renowned for its cuisine, featuring olive oil,
seafood, and fresh produce. Rich in artistic and
architectural history, including Roman ruins and
Impressionist painters.Distinct regional languages and
dialects, such as Occitan and Provençal. Tourism plays
a significant role in the economy, with popular
destinations like the French Riviera and Provence
South
#GlobalSEOClub @HollerVeronika

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Step by step

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regulary Calls with your international
Teams
https://www.unfpa.org/data/world-population-dashboard
https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-
share/all/
https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023
01
02
03
04
Ressources for your market research

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Now it´s time for the SEO-Roadmap

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Create Milestones
2023 until
May
set up regulary
calls with the
Marketing
Teams
Market research
2023 until
July
2023 until
September
2023 until
November
2024
fix all technical iusses
set up
domains/subfolders
overwork the
content on the
global websites -
according to
culture, dialect and
colloquial language
Website
adapted to each
country's
specific cultural
and local search
needs.
Start with an
internationally
optimized web
presence that
chases the
competition from
the field

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Summary
Lists costs
What are the advantages
What profit do you expect?
What other resources are
needed
Talk to your international
teams and above all,
listen
arrange regular meetings
develops a concept
Present it to the C-Suite
create a SEO roadmap
with milestones
realistic goals
stay in touch

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I know it's hard work in the beginning - but the good thing about SEO is - it
works!
After the hard work - you can relax

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Thanks for your Attention!
My Name is Veronika
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