Avoid These Mistakes in Multilingual and International SEO | Set a Strong Global Foundation 

A common mistake many companies make when expanding globally is assuming that the success and brand recognition they have in their home country will automatically carry over to new markets. They might see some initial website traffic from a new region and think that simply translating their existing content will be enough. However, this approach often ignores crucial differences in how consumers behave, the local laws, and how competitive the market is in that new country.

Every country has its own set of regulations, cultural norms, and what products people actually want. A website that does really well in Australia might struggle in Germany or Japan, not because the content itself is bad, but because the company didn’t properly adapt it to the local market. For example, an American website that promotes online casinos tried to expand to Germany, China, and Japan. But they didn’t realize the important legal differences – gambling was illegal or heavily restricted in those countries. So, their business model, which was okay in the United States, couldn’t easily work in those new markets.

Doing proper research on a new market means looking at more than just what people are searching for. It involves understanding which online platforms consumers use, whether your business model is even legal there, and the cultural signals that influence how people make purchasing decisions. Without this groundwork, businesses risk entering new markets with the wrong message or, even worse, running into legal problems.

Launching with a Weak Primary Site Structure

Translating your website isn’t just about changing the words; it’s also about how your website is built. If your original website isn’t well-structured, any technical problems it has will become even bigger when you add new languages. Too many companies try to do multilingual SEO before making sure their main website is technically sound.

We see this all the time – websites missing important headings (H1 tags), using themes that are so customized they make updates difficult, and having inconsistent ways of linking to other pages within their own site. Even how the website looks, like menus that are too crowded or buttons that are a fixed size, can cause layout problems when the text is translated into languages that need more space. For instance, German often uses long compound words that are much longer than English words. Similarly, Chinese or Japanese writing systems often need specific ways of formatting text.

Your tech team needs to think about being ready for international expansion right from the start. This means making sure your website’s content management system can handle different currencies, tax systems, and shipping options. It also means using tools that understand how words are formatted in different languages and can find text that’s embedded in things like callout boxes, images, and buttons.

Translation software can’t fix bad design. A clean layout with content that’s properly tagged makes translation more accurate and helps avoid accidentally leaving things untranslated – like text that appears when you hover your mouse over something or interactive menus that stay in the original language.

In the end, having a strong technical foundation for your website will make translating it into other languages cheaper and less complicated in the future. It will also lead to a better experience for users in different countries and keep your brand message consistent across all languages.

Skipping Keyword Research Before Translation

A common pitfall in translating websites for different countries is doing it before really understanding what keywords people in those markets actually use. Many companies mistakenly believe that if a piece of content performs well in English, a direct translation will do just as well in another language. However, the subtle differences in language and culture often make this kind of direct translation ineffective.

For instance, some markets will even use English words when they’re searching in their own language. Professionals in Germany might search for “SEO audit” in English, while professionals in France would prefer the French equivalent. Using a good keyword research tool can help you figure out if a term should be translated, kept in English, or maybe even replaced with a mix of both.

Another problem is keyword conflicts. One Australian company tried to rank for “MDR” – a cybersecurity term – in Germany, not knowing that “MDR” was already the name of a major TV and radio broadcaster there. Their efforts were wasted, and their website got lost in search results for the broadcaster.

To do effective international SEO, you need to do keyword research specifically in the local language, not just translate English keywords. This includes creating groups of related topics that match what local users are actually searching for and figuring out how they ask questions or express what they need in their own language.

Working with SEO professionals who are native speakers or local writers, rather than just general translators, can greatly improve your results. These people understand how to keep the tone natural while also effectively using the main and related keywords. Overusing keywords or putting them in awkward places – which often happens with strict translations – can be a red flag for search engines and can also turn off human readers.

The time you spend on proper keyword planning at the beginning will pay off in the long run with better rankings, fewer people leaving your site quickly (lower bounce rates), and a higher chance of turning visitors into customers.

Neglecting Localised Internal Linking

Internal linking is really important for both making your website easy for people to use and helping search engines find and understand all your pages. However, when companies expand to other countries, it’s often something they forget about. They might translate all their content but not update the links within their site, which can end up sending users to English pages or only offering basic navigation in the local language, like just links back to the homepage.

This mistake can be really frustrating for visitors and makes them leave your site quickly. Picture someone on a product page in French clicking a link for support and ending up on an article in English – it breaks their experience and makes them trust the website less. Also, search engines use internal links to figure out what topics are most important on your site and how everything is connected. If your internal linking isn’t strong or consistent, it will hurt how visible you are in search results.

For every language version of your website, you need to carefully plan out all your internal links. This includes the links within your articles, the calls to action buttons, the product sliders, and the links in the footer. Each one should be translated and point to the matching page in the user’s language.

As you figure out the best keywords for your new markets, it’s just as important to plan your internal linking strategy. For example, the product that sells best in Australia might not be the most popular in Japan. Adjusting your internal links to reflect what local customers are interested in will help you get more conversions and keep visitors engaged on your site.

Translation software won’t automatically update these links for you. You need real people to check them. Editors or “transcreators” who also understand SEO can make sure the text you use for your links (anchor text) matches the important local keywords and that all the links help reinforce how your website is organized.

Focusing Solely on Text Content

Multilingual SEO isn’t just about the text on your website; it also includes all the visual content like images, videos, and infographics. These need to be adapted for local audiences too. However, many businesses just keep their original images and videos without checking if they’re relevant or have the same impact in different cultures.

What you see affects how you feel. For instance, using a lot of stock photos with only Western people might make audiences in Southeast Asia or the Middle East feel disconnected. Having a local marketing expert quickly review your visuals can help you figure out if they are culturally appropriate and will resonate with the local audience.

Images that are meant to be metaphors or symbols often don’t translate well. An immultiage that represents opportunity in one culture might mean something completely different in another. Plus, if you don’t translate the alt text for your images, it hurts both website accessibility and your SEO.

Videos have similar issues. If a video has English narration but no subtitles, it excludes anyone who doesn’t speak English. Many businesses solve this by adding subtitles in multiple languages or by removing the voiceover entirely and using music with text on the screen.

For a more advanced approach, you could consider dubbing your videos in different languages or even creating videos specifically for certain regions. These kinds of formats tend to do well on platforms like YouTube, which prioritizes local relevance in its search algorithms. Even small changes, like adding subtitles or using different thumbnail images, can really improve how people interact with your videos.

Finally, it’s important to keep your visual assets organized. Whether you’re hosting your videos on YouTube or on your own server, make sure to structure your folders and playlists by language. This makes it easier for users to find what they need and helps search engines understand and categorize your content correctly.

Laying the Groundwork for Sustainable Global SEO

Expanding into new language or geographic markets isn’t just about translating words; it’s a strategic undertaking that demands careful cultural adaptation, precise technical execution, and a deep focus on the local user experience. The success of your international SEO hinges on every stage, from initial market research to aligning keywords with local search behavior and structuring your internal links effectively

Establishing this robust foundation early is particularly advantageous for small and medium-sized enterprises. It minimizes the need for costly rework down the line, ensures a consistent brand presence across diverse markets, and facilitates smoother scalability as your operations extend into new regions.

By proactively avoiding the common pitfalls we’ve outlined, your organization can cultivate a truly international digital footprint – one that demonstrates respect for local customs, adheres to technical requirements specific to each market, and ultimately delivers measurable and sustainable returns on your global investment.