International SEO for businesses selling in more than one market.
International SEO makes sure the right version of your site shows to the right audience in each country or language. It covers site structure, hreflang tags, per-market keyword research and content that is localised, not just translated.
When it becomes a problem
- Customers in one country see your page for another country.
- Pages for different regions compete with each other in search.
- Your translated pages are thin or read like a machine wrote them.
- You are about to enter a new market and want the site ready.
How we approach it
- 01
Market and demand check
We research how people in each market actually search, because the best keyword in one country is often not the best in another.
- 02
Site structure
A clear structure, with a separate URL for each language or regional version, so search engines can tell them apart.
- 03
Hreflang
Annotations that tell Google which pages are versions of each other. Every version must list itself and all the others, and the tags must agree.
- 04
Localised content
Spelling, currency, units, contact details and examples that fit each market. Translated pages that are thin do not earn their place.
- 05
Per-market tracking
Rankings, traffic and enquiries reported by country, so you can see which markets work.
More markets mean more to maintain, so it is not always the right move. If most of your customers are in one country, we will say so. Google's guidance on localized versions of pages is the reference we follow, and our international SEO guide explains the basics.
Choosing a site structure
| Structure | Example | Good when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subfolders | example.com/au/ | You want one domain and shared authority | Needs consistent templates |
| Subdomains | au.example.com | Markets are run by separate teams | Treated as separate sites to manage |
| Country domains | example.com.au | You want a strong local signal | More domains to run and renew |
Google's localized versions guidance says each version needs its own URL and that alternates can be on the same domain or different ones. The best choice depends on how separate your markets are and what you can maintain.
Hreflang mistakes we fix
- A page lists the others but is not listed back, so the annotations are not reciprocal.
- A page does not list itself.
- URLs that are not fully qualified or that redirect.
- Language and region codes that do not match the page.
- Versions that differ in content so much they are not really equivalents.
Localising rather than translating
- Local spelling, units, currency and date formats.
- Contact details and legal information for the market.
- Examples, case studies and references that mean something locally.
- Keyword research in the language and market, not translated from another.
- Human review of anything customers will read.
Google notes that localized versions are only treated as duplicates if the main content remains untranslated. Our international SEO guide explains the basics.
Where we work
We work with businesses worldwide, with representatives in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Asia and Australia. That helps with time zones and with understanding how customers in those markets search. See where we work.
What you get
- A recommended structure for your markets
- Hreflang implemented and checked
- Keyword research for each market
- Reporting by country
Related pages
- SEO
Managed SEO that fixes what holds your site back and reports on enquiries, not just rankings.
- SEO consulting
Expert SEO strategy, audits and second opinions without a full retainer.
- AI SEO
Be found and recommended in AI search.
Start with a free AI visibility check
In 30 minutes we look at how your business appears in Google, on maps and in AI assistants, and tell you what we would fix first. See what happens on the call.
Sources
International SEO: common questions
Do I need hreflang?
If you publish the same or similar content for different languages or regions, hreflang tells Google which page belongs to which audience. If you serve a single market in a single language, you do not need it.
Should I use separate domains, subfolders or subdomains?
Each version needs its own URL, and Google can handle all three. Subfolders are often the simplest to maintain. The right choice depends on your resources and how separate the markets are.
Is machine translation enough?
Rarely. Quality, usefulness and accuracy matter more than word-for-word conversion. We recommend human review of anything customers will read.
Which markets do you work in?
We work with businesses worldwide. We have representatives in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Asia and Australia. See where we work.
How many markets should I target?
As many as you can serve and maintain well. Start where you already have customers or clear demand, and add markets when the first ones work.
Will translated pages be treated as duplicates?
Google says localized versions are only considered duplicates if the main content remains untranslated, so properly translated pages are not penalised for being equivalents.
Can you handle languages we do not speak?
We plan the structure and research, and we recommend native-speaker review of the content in each language.
Do I need separate social profiles per market?
Not always. It depends on whether your audiences and messages differ. We help you decide.