When searching for new markets using digital, Google Analytics is probably the first point of call. The Location Report will identify which markets are delivering the greatest revenue, and the Language Report will identify which language is in dominant use. If you find the use of English is dominant and you wish to progress cautiously, then launching in English only would be a first step, to then move on and invest in localising the site once you see the results. The downside of Google Analytics is that the results it is showing you is based upon your web site ranking. Therefore a market may offer greater potential than it is showing if your website is not ranking well.
It is therefore wise to cross reference any single source of information. Other tools to do this, which in this instance are from Google, include Market Finder, Trends, as well as Keyword Planner.
Market Finder allows you to check demand for a product/service against the Google Analytics target market report. It gives you local keyword search data, popular search trends, disposable income, the volume of internet users, as well as the cost of digital advertising.
Google Trends allows you to identify seasonable trends within a key word set, helping you to advertise at the right times of the year and therefore get the greatest return from your spend.
Keyword Planner cross checks the keywords that Google Analytics is telling you are delivering a high search volume.
There is an opportunity through the right agencies to collaborate closer with Google, allowing deeper analysis into each market. The aim would be to identify a market where the search interest is high, but the advertising costs are low. Having identified demand within a market, there is then the ability to look at a market more closely to identify how often and likely the audience is to purchase from overseas using digital. Having identified strong consumer interest and willingness to purchase from international markets, thorough competitor analysis would need to be carried out.
Payment Solutions
Current statistics show that 67% of customers will abandon a cart if their preferred purchase facility is not offered. For the Chinese market this would be Ali Pay or We Chat. To realise the potential from any transactional website, the preferred mechanisms need to be integrated into the payment gateway. You then need to make sure this mechanism is clearly shown within your web site, not only within the checkout, but elsewhere on the site. If from your research your competitors do not offer such payment mechanisms, the availability of these mechanisms need to be highlight within all communication activity.
Delivery Proposition
Current statistics show that 56% of customers will abandon a cart if the delivery costs are higher than they would expect. Delivery is a key part of the purchase decision; how much, how long and the different delivery options available. A competitor review will be necessary to assess the standard, and if this cannot realistically be at least matched, using the likes of Amazon might be an initial solution.
Customer Service
Current statistics show that 51% of customers won’t use a supplier again if they have one particularly negative experience. It is therefore important to offer localised customer service support, as well as localised F.A.Q’s and buying guidelines. If budgets are tight, and perhaps you are at the early stage of establishing business within a market, multi-language help desks or real-time chat to translation services could be a practical option. However, local language customer support is best placed to deal with customer service issues.
Planning an International Digital Promotional Strategy
The Four-stage Funnel
The four-stage funnel involves moving customers through various key stages. Stage one involves reaching the largest addressable qualified audience. Stage two involves identifying those from stage one who have some intent to purchase. Stage three involves identifying those from stage two who have an immediate intent to purchase, and stage four is to care and nurture those who purchased. Stage four is the most easily accomplished, however, it is so often the most neglected. Even if their purchase experience was positive, considered communication that is not repeated too often, reminding them of the reason for their good decision does no harm. It also helps to save off competitors who catch your customers in their communication net.
Social Media Platforms and Display Channels
The use of social media as well as display channels play a key part in gaining a foothold within an international market in the form of brand awareness. Be aware however that platform usage varies considerably between markets. In Germany for instance, 79% of consumers use WhatsApp, whereas in China, 85% use WeChat.
Search Engines
Search engines are absolutely key in the first stage of the funnel process – reaching the largest addressable qualified audience. Where the facility is available, they may even enable the customer to be taken through to the purchase and remarketing stage. While Google is the world’s largest search engine, in South Korea, Naver is more popular, as is Yandex in Russia and Bai du in China. Therefore, not only is it important that research is undertaken to establish the usage of each search engine available, but your website must be optimised in-line with each, in order to benefit from organic ranking. An example of this would be the need to translate into simplified Chinese to gain maximum opportunity through Bai du in China. Key words from the analysis of key words searches through Bai du would be integrated into the translation.
Online Market Places
This is the action stage of the funnel process, where those who have an immediate intent to purchase are comparing range, price, delivery and terms of trade. It is therefore critical to select online market places that will deliver the greatest reach to the largest number of addressable customers within your category.
Ongoing Communication
Ongoing communication to cultivate a market needs to be carefully considered. Not only does the language need to be correct, but the imagery needs to sit comfortably with a culture. Timing of any communication also has to be considered, given different time and seasonal zones.
The more time spent looking closely at a market, the clearer the level of understanding regarding trends. Integrating suitable trends into a message in the right way will achieve greater impact from the communication spend.
Web Site Domains
Questions are often asked as to whether a company should have a separate web site for each market. The answer to this is to look at the organic strength of the core site in each market using the generic top-down domain (gTLD), such as ‘.com’. If it is weak, then it may be necessary to have a sperate web site using market specific domains. The latter involves more expense and daily management, however, it may be necessary in order to achieve the highest level of organic growth.
How to check International Marketing Impact
Orders taken in the marketplace is indicator of any marketing activity, however, turning interest into orders may take time, and there may well be reasons why high interest does not turning into orders. Other ways to check impact therefore include the use of KPI’s to identify upturns in activity on platforms such as Google Analytics which will show the number of visitors to web sites. Look at the number of contacts via social media platforms, as well as other softer indicators such as requests for samples or for contact, email sign-ups or downloads of documents.
How To Check What Devices Customers Are Using
Once again the likes of Google Analytics, or other more market relevant tools will identify the devices, as well as the number or each type of device used by customers searching for information.
How To Sell Bulk Buy Items Digitally Into International Markets
First of all look at the searches for bulk-buy/wholesale key words so that these can be integrated into the various platforms. Target the settings in display and social media campaigns in order to reach users. Linked in is an ideal platform to gain business to business awareness and contact. Amazon also have the Marketing Services Platform with a bulk-buy option, with a vendor and seller central site.
Please note the information above is not legally binding and is only an opinion.