International SEO is a fundamental part of a successful global digital marketing strategy. But simply localizing your website content (and keywords) might not be enough to rank for your high-priority topics in the marketplace. That’s where topic clusters come in.
You’ve localized your website for major global markets. You’ve performed language-specific keyword research, placed those keywords on the appropriate pages, and integrated them into on-page copy. Set up your technical SEO?
Now what?
Globally, search engines are shifting their focus towards entity-based optimization to determine which content serves the user. If you want to stay competitive in international search results for your target markets, you’ll need to adapt to this shift, too.
The best way to build entity-based optimization on an international scale is to develop topic clusters in language and link strategy. Here’s what you need to know:
HOW ENTITY-BASED SEO AND TOPIC CLUSTERS ARE RELATED
Google defines an entity as “a single, unique, well-defined and distinguishable thing or concept.” The search engine’s shift to prioritize entities – placing emphasis on context and relevance – means that it can better distinguish the intent of users’ search queries and deliver more relevant search results.
Building your brand as an entity will help more users find you when they’re searching for goods and services related to what you offer.
That’s where topic clusters come in.
Topic clusters are a way to architect your content. They can help you adapt to entity-based SEO and build optimization for your brand’s core topics.
A 3-STEP INTERNATIONAL TOPIC CLUSTER STRATEGY
Follow this three-step process to implement topic clusters for your international website.
1. Start with in-market keyword research.
As with your domestic website, language-specific keyword research within the market is the foundation of a successful content topic cluster strategy. Work with in-country digital marketing experts to identify the most popular and broadest (but relevant) keywords related to the services or products your company offers. These will be your primary keywords and the focus of your topic’s pillar page.
Next, identify long-tail keywords related to your pillar page topic. These keywords will be the focus of your supporting content, forming the cluster around your pillar page.
You will need to perform this step for every market you target – even other English-speaking markets.
2. Localize content (or create it from scratch).
Once you’ve identified your keywords, you need to determine if you have the right content to build each branch of your topic cluster for your target market.
If you have localized content that’s relevant to your topic keywords, you will need to edit your existing language copy to incorporate those keywords. This keyword integration should be performed by someone who understands both the language and the best practices for on-page content optimization.
If your English content is already relevant to the keywords in your identified market, you’ll need to localize and optimize it. For the most effectiveness (and efficiency), translation and keyword integration should be performed simultaneously. This ensures proper keyword placement without sacrificing flow and naturalness for the reader. It also helps you be successful from day one while remaining budget-efficient.
Not all of your domestic content will be appropriate for your in-market audience. To rank for keywords when you don’t have language-appropriate content or English content that meets the needs of your target market, partner with an in-market copywriter or marketing localization company to develop original content based on local search trends. This will allow you to capitalize on in-market trends and align with local consumer behavior. You’ll also be able to solidify your position over global competitors.
Depending on the markets you’re targeting, it’s likely that you’ll need to use a combination of these to flesh out your content topic clusters. Remember, in-market relevance trumps all. It’s better to start small, with highly targeted content, than to create a massive amount of translated content that may not resonate.
3. Link it all together.
After you’ve localized your content and started building out your topic clusters, the final step is to link your topic cluster content together. This tells search engines that there is a semantic relationship between your content and signals optimized topicality. Over time, this will lead to higher search engine result page rankings.
This approach also leads to a better experience for your users, making it easier for them to find related content on your website. Additionally, you’ll be able to guide them further along the customer journey from top-level content to mid or bottom-level content.
FINALLY
Approaching international SEO with topic clusters doesn’t replace keyword-based optimization. Instead, it works to optimize more effectively by improving domain authority and site visibility.
Whether you’re entering a new international market or want to improve your website’s visibility in your current market, topic cluster strategies will help take your international SEO strategy to the next level.
