Posts by Gemma Birch

Gemma Birch has been working in international search for 5 years and leads WebCertain’s marketing team. She is responsible for managing WebCertain’s online marketing activities around the world as well as organising and programming the International Search Summit,
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Key Considerations for International Content Creation

3D User Content Crossword

Good old content! Everyone’s favourite topic in 2013, developing content strategies, producing engaging and original content and getting it shared is consuming more and more of a marketer’s time. So thinking about doing all of that in numerous languages can be pretty daunting.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. Creating decent content in multiple languages is going to take time and cost money, but doing it right will bring rewards. Of course, you could pay a visit to Google Translate (don’t do it!! Ever) or use an agency to blanket translate everything you’re ever written but that is unlikely to help you achieve the results you’re aiming for. I’ve taken a look at just some of the things to think about when creating or localising content for different countries and audiences. (more…)

6 Key Insights from the International Search Summit Munich

International Search Summit Munich

Last week, it was time once again for the International Search Summit @ SMX Munich, which was a day filled with insights, ideas and tactics for the international web marketer.

My role there was organiser rather than blogger, so the need to pop out of the room to check the internet connection, call a speaker and make sure lunch was being served (very important!), meant I wasn’t able to hear all the speakers in full. But I certainly heard enough to share some of the key takeaways and insights from the day.

So here goes…… (more…)

The Many Faces of International Keyword Research

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Where would we be without keyword research? It’s indisputably the foundation of all search marketing and no doubt a part of daily life for most people reading this. International search is no different, and when done properly, keyword research can offer real value in a number of different ways; to inform international decisions and drive global performance.

I’m going to talk about several ways international keyword research can and should be used by any business with international ambitions or an existing global presence. (more…)

A Photo Is Worth A Thousand Links: SMX West

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In San Jose the last few days SMX West took place. Gemma Birch is there and reports back on some of the sessions for State of Search.

The phenomenal rise of Pinterest has confirmed that images are more popular and important than ever before. This final session of the day looked at how we can better use images across our online marketing efforts.. (more…)

Content Isn’t Just King, It’s Also Queen and Ace #SMXWest

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In San Jose the last few days SMX West took place. Gemma Birch is there and reports back on some of the sessions for State of Search.

Unsurprisingly, content features heavily on the SMX agenda. The 3 speakers on the panel shared some tips for planning and developing effective, quality content, as well as re-purposing content you already have. (more…)

Going Viral on YouTube #SMXWest

youtube-viral

In San Jose the last few days SMX West took place. Gemma Birch is there and reports back on some of the sessions for State of Search.

The first session of day 3 of SMX West was all about how to get your videos shared and viewed on YouTube. The speakers were Jake Larsen of ZAGG, Steve Young from SmartShoot and Jonah Stein of ItstheROI and each had some key takeaways. (more…)

Making a Success of International Speaking Opportunities

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You’ve pitched and been accepted to speak at a conference in a different country. Great! But what should you do to prepare and to ensure you (and your audience) get the most out of your participation? There are a host of tips given to speakers at events, all of which apply wherever you’re speaking, but there a few things to particularly consider if you’re speaking at a conference away from home. (more…)

Global Search Engine Headlines 2012

Web globe seach bar concept

I know, I know – over the last week there has been a steady flow of 2012 reviews and 2013 predictions , but as I’ve already spoken about in an earlier post, looking at the behaviour, developments and decisions made by the global search engines can give us useful insights into what they are focusing on, and therefore where we can (and should) focus our own international search efforts. After all, search engines significantly more data on global user behaviour than the rest of us.

So that I’m not writing this until 2014, I’ve only picked a couple of areas and I’m specifically looking at Google, Baidu and Yandex (*other search engines are available). (more…)

Quality Versus Quantity and Cost in International Web Translation

Quality bricks

Two things we’ve heard a lot about over the past couple of years are quality and content.  Panda highlighted the importance of both from Google’s point of view and let’s be honest, it’s not rocket science that providing quality content is going to be better for your brand and your users.

However, this notion often seems to be forgotten when it comes to translation. Accuracy and quality are often sacrificed for fast turnarounds and quantity, which are perceived as giving value for money – but do they really?

It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it – and the actual message of your content becomes irrelevant if it has been poorly translated. Spelling mistakes, grammar errors, context mix-ups all impact how well the content is received, understood and remembered.

If you’re going to spend time and money going into new markets and translating your website, you need to do it properly, otherwise it’s just wasted resources and a potential risk to the reputation of your brand. (more…)

SEO for Baidu: Optimising for China

China Flag and Map

With over 530 million internet users, China is a huge online market and one that is becoming increasingly attractive to businesses looking to grow internationally. It is also one of most, if not the most, complicated markets to target, with factors from language to bureaucracy, censorship to culture providing search marketers with some interesting challenges to overcome if they want to succeed there.

And we can’t even rely on our trusty friend Google to help us navigate the Chinese search maze, as its search share is less than 10%, but instead must look to home grown search engine Baidu to spread our message to the Chinese audience.

Baidu is the undisputed leader in Chinese search, and until recently claimed almost 80% of the search share. It took a hit in August this year when Qihoo, a local security vendor and internet provider, launched its own search engine and gained around 10% share almost immediately but it still handles 60-70% of all web searches in China. So if you want to succeed in China, you need to optimise for Baidu or you’re losing access to  around 65% of 500 million users ( you do the maths!) (more…)

Is Yandex Simply A Russian Google?

Yandex.Browser

On 1st October, Russian search engine Yandex announced the launch of its new web browser, Yandex.browser. Based on the Chromium open source technology (used to build Google’s Chrome among others), the cloud-based browser is very similar in look and feel to what we’ve seen before but incorporates many of Yandex’s already popular products and services, and of course its own search engine.

The decision to launch a browser has undoubtedly been driven by search, and the potential advantage Google was gaining over Yandex in the Russian search space as a result of Chrome. StatCounter data shows Chrome as the most popular browser in the country, with approximately 33% share and with Google as its default search engine, it’s no surprise that Google has begun, slowly, to eat away at Yandex’s majority hold on the market. And the search giant is serious about succeeding in Russia, one of the few markets where it trails a local competitor, having even run an offline marketing campaign there to promote Chrome but it is a still long way off beating Yandex, which stills holds roughly 60% share. (more…)

What International Marketers Can Learn From The Search Engines

Globe

Search engines guide what search marketers do – their rules, guidelines and incessant updates all play a role in shaping strategies and recommendations – and often result in a lot of headaches and expletives. But how often do you look at what strategies and tactics the search engines are using to grow their own business? After all, search engines are businesses- international businesses – that want to increase their customer base and make a profit (and we know they certainly do that).

Rather than just reacting to updates and additions to tweak campaigns and websites, monitoring what the search engines are doing and where they’re going can provide useful insights into what is going to be important and effective in global marketing.

Over the next couple of posts, I’ll take a closer look at what Google, Yandex and Baidu are focusing on and how that can help us with our own global efforts. Today, I’m specifically looking at their choices and strategy when it comes to international expansion. (more…)

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