5 Steps to Globalizing Your Online Business with Digital Marketing

In what may seem like a saturated American market, going global may be the next step to grow your online business. But for small and emerging businesses, expanding internationally is a significant undertaking that comes with vast opportunities and undeniable challenges. It is necessary for business leaders to understand its full impact and get comfortable with learning about targeted markets, current local trends, cultural differences, language barriers and local competition.

Step One: Validating Your New Market

Before going global, the first thing to do is get comfortable with research. Decide which countries make sense for you to enter and which have the right demand for your product or service. For online businesses, you may want to use Google’s Market Finder, which is a free tool to look at search traffic for certain terms in different countries to help you make more informed decisions on where to invest your product. Use web analytics to check where people in other markets are already showing interest in your products. And don’t forget to search for legal or tax-related barriers in potential countries you’d like to enter.

Step Two: Localize Your Website

A critical difference to understand is the meaning of localization versus simply translation. You’ll obviously want to be sure that the website is translated to the language of the market you’re entering, but online translation services simply aren’t enough. Every country has specific nuances that make it crucial to have a native speaker translate your website in its entirety. Consider things like measurements, currency, addresses, dialects and specific cultural references when translating your website to the local language.

Step Three: Digital Advertising Across Borders

While it is possible for customers in foreign markets to find your company through organic search or word of mouth, the use of advertising can help to spread the word and expand your business much faster. Start with advertising on search results and make sure your ads lead to a landing page that’s translated in the local language. Consider display advertising on websites that your customers are visiting, and come up with a social media plan that is specific to that market. Keep in mind that some countries use different social media platforms that you could potentially tap into. Send updates and special promotions through email marketing and target your ads to people who have visited your site before.

Step Four: Create a Support System:

When expanding globally you’ll need to deep dive into how you can best serve your clientele. Identify potential issues with the market before getting too far down the line. Perhaps the internet connection is slow in your new potential market or your site isn’t compatible for mobile. Be sure to provide customer service information and format the phone number so that people in other countries can easily reach you and speak to someone who can properly communicate in the local language.

Step Five: Help Customers Purchase Your Product or Service

You’ll want to ensure that your website it set up properly to make online payments, in addition to considering the different payment methods in each country. Some customers may not have access to credit cards, and in that case it’s important to look into Paypal or other online payment solutions. Don’t forget to think of an e-commerce payment system that will automatically change currencies at checkout. The next step is to review your whole site from start to finish and look at it from the point of view of your customer. Go through each step in purchasing a product to gain a thorough understanding of the process to make sure there’s a clear path. Revisit this step on a regular basis to ensure the process runs smoothly and any glitches that arise can be solved right away.

So That’s It?

Of course there are other aspects of your company or product itself that you will need to consider when expanding internationally. A supply chain that is set up for success is going to play a major role in the state of your online business. You may want to source local suppliers and factor in shipping constraints. Consider extra costs that could accrue from shipping across borders and choose a reliable shipping company that has access to your specific market. Finally, establish positive relationships with customers through prompt and friendly customer service, providing clear, upfront directions about how your business handles exchanges and refunds, and always being mindful of cultural differences.

Now that you’ve got the knowledge, it’s time to master the skills. Have fun with the process, do your research, and enjoy the success that comes along the way!