Multilingual SEO and keyword research explained

This week, genius International Expansion Consultant Veruska Anconitano explains the subtle nuances and complexities of multilingual SEO, plus how to tackle multilanguage keyword research.

By now, we all know that keyword research can make or break our SEO efforts. But how often do we think beyond just finding the most searched terms? It's really about finding the most relevant terms for our business. If keyword research is crucial for a single market, it's even more critical when we expand into multiple markets. In turn, multilingual keyword research and SEO brings its own set of complexities and opportunities.

In this article, I’ll guide you through tackling multilingual keyword research and SEO to help your business reach a global audience effectively. From the initial considerations to the effective step-by-step process of finding valuable keywords, this guide will provide you with so much more than "open a tool, find the most searched queries, and translate into multiple languages."

Contents:

• 5 tips for starting a multilingual SEO project
• How to do multilingual SEO keyword research
• 2 best practice multilingual SEO examples

5 tips for starting a multilingual SEO project

1. Understand the market

Knowing the market is essential for effective multilingual SEO. It's important to differentiate market knowledge from language proficiency. While these two aspects can influence each other, they are independent. Market knowledge is crucial for understanding social dynamics, current events, issues (including logistical and political ones), and any factors that can indirectly impact your SEO strategy.

Market knowledge allows you to grasp the nuances of a region, including significant cultural events that drive search behaviour.

For example, February is a unique month for search trends in Italy due to the Festival di Sanremo. This annual music festival is a significant event in Italy, causing other TV channels to halt their regular programming and prompting brands to create specific marketing campaigns. During this time (and for at least one month after), search queries related to Sanremo and apparently unrelated queries surge, reflecting the interest and engagement of the Italian audience.

In 2024, a peculiar search trend emerged in the Italian market due to a song performed during the Festival. The search query "cileni ripieni di zucchero" (which translates to "Chilean filled with sugar") gained sudden popularity. Despite this phrase referring to something nonexistent (and being misled by listeners), people believed it was a type of cookie. This unexpected interest led one of Italy's major cookie brands to create a mock campaign featuring these fictional cookies, even collaborating with the singer who popularized the phrase.

Without understanding the Italian market and the cultural significance of Sanremo, you might miss out on crucial search trends and fail to capitalize on them. For instance, if you were unaware of the festival's impact, you might not understand the sudden spike in searches for "cileni ripieni di zucchero" and would miss the opportunity to leverage this trend in your SEO strategy.

Why is this important?

• Relevance and Precision: Understanding the market allows you to create highly relevant content precisely targeted to the audience. This increases the likelihood of engaging users and improving your search rankings.
• Cultural Awareness: Each market has its own cultural nuances, preferences, and sensitivities. Knowing these can help you avoid mistakes that could alienate your audience and instead create content that resonates deeply with them.
• Timely Trends and Events: Awareness of local events, trends, and issues enables you to tap into timely opportunities. This can drive significant traffic to your site and increase engagement.
• Effective Keyword Research: Market knowledge informs your keyword research, allowing you to select keywords that are not only linguistically accurate but also contextually relevant.

By understanding the market, you can:

• Anticipate Changes: You can anticipate shifts in search behavioUr and adapt your strategies accordingly.
• Create Innovative Campaigns: You can develop innovative marketing campaigns that capitalize on current trends and cultural phenomena.
• Engage Your Audience: You engage your audience more effectively by addressing their current interests and needs.

2. Know your target users' search habits

Users in different markets search differently based on their habits, backgrounds, and familiarity with a product, concept, or service.

For example, in Japan, people often search using highly specific, long-tail keywords due to the complexity of the Japanese language and the cultural emphasis on precision; reviews also play a significant role in shaping users’ consumption. In contrast, users in the United States might use broader, more generalized search terms, given the strong preference for English from search engines.

But search habits go beyond that, and they also encompass habits of searching for certain things at specific moments. For instance, in the United Kingdom, people often search for "bargain holidays" around late January and early February, aligning with post-Christmas financial planning and the desire for summer vacation deals.

Similarly, during the Chinese New Year, searches for specific terms like "red envelopes" or "lunar new year decorations" surge in China and among Chinese communities globally.

Additionally, it involves considering design preferences, which can vary significantly from one country or market to another and between different languages.

Without understanding why people in specific countries search for certain things in a certain way and how to design for their expectations, implementing a comprehensive multilingual SEO strategy and conducting KW research is almost impossible. Making sense of search habits isfundamental to understanding how to approach different markets and languages.

Why is this important?

• Improved Relevance: Tailoring your SEO strategy to align with the specific search habits of your target audience ensures that your content is relevant to their needs and interests. This increases the likelihood of attracting and retaining users.
• Increased Engagement: Users are more likely to engage When they find content that directly addresses their queries and concerns. This can lead to higher click-through rates, longer time spent on your site, and increased conversions.
• Competitive Advantage: Companies that understand the nuances of their target markets can outperform competitors who use a one-size-fits-all approach. This knowledge lets you capture niche markets and respond to specific trends others might overlook.
• Effective Keyword Research: Knowing how different users search enables more precise and effective keyword research. This helps select keywords that are linguistically appropriate and contextually meaningful, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your SEO efforts.

3. Recognize the intent behind every search

Understanding the intent behind every search is essential because search intents vary significantly based on market and language. While the traditional four categories of search intent—informational, navigational, transactional, and commercial investigation—provide a basic framework, they often fall short of capturing the true motivations behind specific searches.

This is where implicit search intent comes into play. It reveals the deeper reasons why people are searching for something that may not be immediately apparent. Understanding search intent is intrinsically linked to knowing the market and users' habits.

A clear example is the term "Web Summit," which receives about 7,000 searches every month in Portugal, with a noticeable spike from July to November each year. At first glance, this surge in search volume is due to a growing interest in the event itself. However, a deeper analysis reveals a more nuanced understanding.

In Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, people are continuously exposed to promotional materials for the Web Summit, both online and offline, for several months leading up to the event. This constant exposure generates curiosity among the locals, prompting them to search for "Web Summit" to understand what it is and why it’s so prominently advertised.

Therefore, the search volume is driven not just by potential attendees or those interested in the event but by locals who want to be informed about what is happening in their city to avoid feeling left out.

Why is this important?

• Better Targeting: By understanding the deeper motivations behind searches, you can create content and campaigns that better address your audience's real needs and interests.
• Improved User Experience: Providing information that aligns with users' implicit intent helps deliver a more satisfying user experience, increasing engagement and loyalty.
• Optimized Content Strategy: Knowing why users search for specific terms allows you to develop a more effective content strategy that meets their underlying needs beyond surface-level queries.
• Competitive Advantage: Companies that grasp the implicit search intents of their audience can differentiate themselves by offering more relevant and insightful content, thereby gaining a competitive advantage.

4. Understand that language shapes perception and society

Language profoundly influences how we perceive the world and interact within it. This is particularly evident in multilingual SEO, where the use of a precise language is of extreme importance.

It's not merely about knowing a language but using the most effective terms to convey meaning accurately from one context to another.

The words we use shape society and each country has unique ways of using and interpreting terms, often making them idiomatic or specific to a particular culture.

To put things into perspective, think about a time when you travelled to a foreign country. You might have found that simple things like asking for directions or ordering food required more than direct translations of English phrases.

For example, if you were in Germany and wanted to order sparkling water, directly translating "mineral water" to "Mineralwasser mit Kohlensäure" might seem correct (though super hard to pronounce). Still, Germans commonly refer to it as "Sprudelwasser" or just "Sprudel”.

The same concept applies to keyword research—translating keywords from one language to another works until it doesn't, especially when done using tools. Basic translation might not capture local nuances and search behaviours, significantly impacting your keyword strategy and overall success. Even small differences can drastically alter the effectiveness of your SEO efforts.

An interesting example of linguistic differences is the term "ropa." In Spanish, "ropa" means "clothes." However, in Tagalog, spoken in the Philippines, "ropa" (derived from Spanish) idiomatically means "rag" or "old clothes." People who are not local may not recognize this subtlety, and translation machines won't either.

Imagine a clothing brand using "ropa" in its SEO campaign. In Spanish-speaking countries, it would be understood as stylish or fashionable clothes. But in the Philippines, it could be interpreted as old or second-hand clothes, completely changing the brand’s intended image. A better translation for "clothes" in Tagalog would be "damit."

This is a reminder that working with local SEOs is the only way to ensure your multilingual SEO is effective and reliable.

Why is this important?

• Improved User Engagement: Accurate language ensures content resonates with local audiences, improving user engagement and interaction.
• Better SEO Performance: Correctly idiomatic keywords align better with local search behaviours, leading to higher search engine rankings and more relevant traffic.
• Brand Reputation: Using the proper language prevents misunderstandings and potential offence, protecting your brand’s reputation in diverse markets.
• Cultural Relevance: Understanding and using culturally appropriate language fosters a deeper connection with audiences, making your content more relatable and impactful.
• Increased Conversions: Engaging and relevant content tailored to the local context can lead to higher conversion rates and better business outcomes.
• Competitive Advantage: Companies that go hyperlocal can outperform competitors by effectively reaching and engaging a broader audience.
• Societal Impact: Thoughtful language use can reinforce positive cultural norms and values, contributing to a more inclusive and respectful society.
• Cost Efficiency: Setting processes at the beginning can prevent costly mistakes and rework, leading to more efficient marketing and communication strategies.

5. Shift focus from volume to relevance in multilingual SEO

One of the biggest concerns about multilingual SEO (and marketing in general) is that search volumes can be significantly lower compared to those in the source market and language. This discrepancy often causes anxiety for SEOs, who may fear that lower volumes equate to less traffic and fewer opportunities. However, it's important to shift the focus from sheer volume to the relevance and appropriateness of the keywords used.

It's common to find keywords with very low or even zero search volumes in certain markets.

Nevertheless, they are valuable if these keywords are relevant to the business, attract the right audience, and offer a high ROI (determined by their relevance to the market).

These keywords can be effective across multiple channels, not just SEO. Different teams can utilize them for their campaigns, contributing to what is known as an "omnichannel strategy." A relevant term with low volume can become a foundation for creating engaging campaigns across various channels tailored to a specific language or market.

Why is this important?

• Targeted Audience: Focusing on highly relevant keywords to the local market attracts a more targeted audience. This increases the likelihood of engaging genuinely interested users in your products or services, leading to higher conversion rates.
• Quality Over Quantity: Prioritizing relevance over volume ensures that the traffic you attract is of higher quality. These users are more likely to engage with your content and take desired actions, which improves overall SEO effectiveness.
• Sustainable Growth: A strategy centered on relevance and appropriateness is more sustainable in the long term. It builds a solid foundation for continued engagement and growth instead of chasing high-volume keywords that may not deliver meaningful results.
• Efficient Use of Resources: You can allocate your resources more effectively by identifying and targeting the most relevant keywords. This ensures your efforts are directed towards the most promising opportunities, optimizing ROI.

How to do multilingual SEO keyword research in 3 steps

There's no universal approach to multilingual keyword research; it must be tailored to your niche, target markets, and overall objectives. However, this three-step process provides a foundation to ensure your strategy is comprehensive and culturally relevant.

Step 1: Analyze seed keywords in the source language

Start by compiling a list of seed keywords in your source language, typically English. These core terms should directly relate to your business, products, or services.

How to compile seed keywords:

• Identify Primary Keywords: Focus on the main keywords that drive significant traffic to your website.
• Expand the Keyword List: Include variations, synonyms, and related terms to create a comprehensive list.
• Analyze Performance: Evaluate metrics such as search volume, competition, and current ranking positions.

Example: For a business selling running shoes, seed keywords might include "running shoes," "best running shoes," "athletic shoes," and "jogging shoes."

Step 2: Generate keyword ideas in the target language

Identify which terms can be directly translated and which require localization to make sense culturally and contextually. Use your seed keywords and your knowledge of the product and the market to generate a list of equivalent terms in the target language(s).

Steps to Generate Localized Keyword Ideas:

• Translate Core Keywords: Start with direct translations and assess their relevance.
• Create Hyper-Local Variations: Consider local language nuances, slang, and idiomatic search phrases.
• Analyze Local Competitors: Investigate which keywords local competitors are targeting.

Example: For a French website, "running shoes" might translate to "chaussures de course." However, locals tend to use "chaussures running". A European French expert can quickly identify these additional terms.

Step 3: Validate your keyword list

After generating local keyword ideas, validate them to ensure they have sufficient search volume and manageable competition. Involving local experts or specialists is crucial to avoid ineffective keywords.

How to Validate Keywords:

• Check Search Volume: Determine the monthly search volume for each keyword in the target language and country.
• Assess Competition: Analyze the competition level for each keyword.
• Evaluate Relevance: Ensure the keywords are highly relevant to your business and the planned content. Keywords with high volume but low relevance will not drive meaningful traffic.

Example: Using a tool or, even better, searching directly on Google.fr will validate that "chaussures running" has a substantial search volume and a competition level.

Note: As explained above, it is common for local keywords to differ significantly from the original seed keywords and have lower search volumes than those in the source market. This is perfectly fine. The primary focus should be on the relevance and appropriateness of the keywords. Considering the variations in market dynamics, such differences are to be expected and make sense.

2 best practice multilingual SEO examples

Example 1: Amazon

Amazon doesn’t need any introduction, but how they’ve managed their multilingual SEO in different markets and languages is a perfect example of maximizing SEO and other channels with a unified goal: making the users happy while being relevant.

Let’s begin by comparing Amazon.fr and Amazon.ca. Although both sites are in French, they cater to two distinct countries: France and Canada. Many companies mistakenly choose Canadian or European French for their localized versions, assuming mutual comprehension. However, Amazon made the right decision from the start by creating separate sites for each audience. This acknowledges that the French in Canada differ significantly from the French in France, ensuring a better user experience for each market.

Amazon has optimized for both country and language, considering user habits and terminological differences. Consequently, menu terms and page content vary between the two sites, exemplifying a hyper-localized approach to multilingual SEO that precisely meets the needs of specific customers.

This is Amazon.fr

This is Amazon.ca:

The menus differ significantly between the Canadian and European French versions. While both highlight top trends to cater to user interests, the product categories show notable variations. Content is tailored to market preferences and search volumes: for instance, in Canada, the category is labeled "Électronique, ordinateurs et bureau," whereas in France, it's called "High-Tech."

Amazon France:

Amazon Canada:

Additionally, the Canadian website features more subcategories than the French one, which substantially impacts SEO. On Amazon.fr, the "Fabriqué en France" category shows a strong focus on local products, enhancing SEO content and pages to align with local culture and expectations, thereby increasing engagement and conversions.

Subcategories on Amazon.ca:

Subcategories on Amazon.fr

Example 2: Rakuten

Rakuten is another example of multilingual SEO done well. The two versions of the popular marketplace, the Japanese and the American, are entirely different and don't mirror each other.

Rakuten Japan strongly reflects not only what users expect to see in e-commerce, a lot of visuals and colours, but most of all, a lot of information packed into one page. Deals, special offers, and latest arrivals are prominent, while the categories are on top of the page, somehow hidden. This allows Rakuten to focus both on very short and very long queries but mostly on sections that Japanese customers want to see on a website: user expectations and cultural norms shape how Rakuten presents itself in Japan.

In stark contrast, the American website is extremely minimalistic to be readable and easy to use. It focuses on traditional e-commerce SEO categories and pushes to the extreme a concept Americans love: cash back and savings.

Finding the key to multilingual SEO success

Optimizing a multilingual website involves many considerations beyond just keyword usage.

Several factors must be considered to ensure your site is fully optimized and resonates with users from various regions and language backgrounds. Brands aiming to expand their organic reach should focus on creating localized versions of their websites that reflect users' preferences, expectations, language, and culture.

Engaging local experts who understand the language and the cultural nuances is crucial for organic success and developing a multilingual SEO strategy that supports the local team’s efforts. Understanding what it takes to run successful multilingual projects—from language and cultural knowledge to deep market insights—is essential for effective strategy and avoiding critical international SEO mistakes that could damage your website's performance.

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