How To Use SEO Translation to Grow Global Traffic

Many companies underestimate the need for SEO translation and miss out on significant opportunities. Only 10%–14% of companies consistently deploy generative AI in their marketing strategies and sales, showing that most organizations have yet to fully embrace advanced, scalable approaches to multilingual content and SEO.[1]

To truly connect with international audiences online, simply translating your website isn’t enough to expand into these global markets. Your content needs to be optimized for search engines in every language you currently or plan to serve to be discoverable across borders. This process, known as multilingual or international SEO, helps ensure that your translated pages not only make sense to users but also rank well in local search results.

From structuring your website and localizing keywords to crafting culturally relevant content and metadata, applying smart SEO practices to your translated site can significantly increase your visibility and engagement across global markets.

Here are some helpful SEO tips, specializing in AI marketing and SEO translation, to help you start boosting your multilingual content into new markets.

• SEO translation adapts your site’s search strategies to new target languages by treating translation as an SEO project rather than a straight linguistic swap.

• Conduct locale-specific keyword research and weave those terms into your meta descriptions, blog headings, and opening paragraphs to boost visibility.

• Tailoring content to local search habits and implementing an international SEO strategy makes your translated pages discoverable in new markets, driving more relevant organic traffic and customer inquiries.

You have decided to translate your website into a new language, aiming to reach new customers. However, some time has passed, and you are not receiving any queries from the website translation. With 5.52 billion internet users globally as of October 2024, according to Statista, the scale of daily searches processed by Google highlights the immense audience businesses can reach online.[2]

There may be someone behind a screen looking for your products or services in the new market you are trying to reach, but your website and translated content are invisible in that target market. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a combination of techniques that help your website rank high in search results of search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

Even if you have optimized your website for your home country, Google’s John Mueller emphasizes that well-translated and properly localized pages are essential for serving users in other regions and should be indexable, as effective localization goes far beyond simple translation.[3]

This is why SEO translation is a must if you want to be visible in different languages. A 2023 Statista survey found that overall content strategy was ranked as the single most effective SEO tactic by 16.7% of respondents, surpassing all other approaches.[4]

Isn’t it enough just to repurpose the content that was already optimized in the source language? Not quite— a case study in Multilingual magazine showed that moving from simple content localization to native keyword research and market-specific writing increased a company’s traffic tenfold within four years.[5]

SEO translation involves adapting your content so it remains search-friendly after being converted into a new target language. However, localization goes a step further by tailoring the messages to local customs, culture, and expressions, which helps the content resonate more deeply with specific global audiences.

This might mean replacing certain idioms or changing visuals to align with local preferences. Adopting both SEO translation and localization can boost visibility on search engines and create a better user experience for global customers.

Smartcat’s various Marketing Translation Plugins allow you to seamlessly integrate your existing marketing practices into your translation processes.

Conducting keyword research for multilingual website content is essential to ensure your translated pages actually match what people are searching for in each target market in different countries. Directly translating English keywords often leads to missed opportunities because search terms, slang, and terminology vary by region and culture.

For example, a relevant keyword that performs well in the U.S. may have a completely different equivalent in Germany or Brazil. Instead of relying on literal translations, focus on identifying localized keywords that reflect how native speakers search for your product or service.

To do this effectively, consider using region-specific SEO tools or working with native-speaking SEO professionals to gain organic traffic. These experts can help uncover keywords that are high-volume and relevant to local audiences. As you research, pay attention to:

1. Search volume and competition for terms in each language and country

2. Cultural context, idioms, and local phrasing that influence search behavior

3. Synonyms or alternate terms that are more popular in the target region

4. User intent, which may shift slightly even if the translation is accurate

Once you've gathered strong keyword lists for each language, incorporate them naturally into your translated content— including page headings, body text, meta tags, and image alt text. This ensures your content feels authentic while aligning with how real people search, boosting your visibility in local search results and improving your global SEO performance.

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How to SEO Translate Your Website Content:

To improve visibility in search engine rankings across different languages, it’s important to focus on creating content that follows the E-E-A-T framework : Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This ensures that translated pages reflect your brand’s credibility and value while maintaining searchability no matter the region. Some practical ways to apply E-E-A-T include:

1. Add author bios to show real expertise behind the content.

2. Link to reputable, local sources to increase authority and relevance.

3. Include testimonials, case studies, or certifications tailored to each market.

4. Use native-sounding language and cultural references instead of word-for-word translations.

This not only builds trust with users but also signals high-quality content and relevance to search engines, boosting your site’s ranking in global markets with SEO strategy.

Meta titles and descriptions — those short snippets that appear in search engine results—are also critical and should be customized for each language and region. To optimize them effectively:

1. Include localized keywords near the beginning of the meta title.

2. Keep titles around 60 characters and descriptions under 155 characters to avoid being cut off in results.

3. Write descriptions that are clear, engaging, and action-oriented, using a tone that fits your target audience.

4. Highlight the value or benefit users will get by clicking, such as "Free shipping in France" or "24/7 local support."

These small but strategic international SEO adjustments help ensure your translated pages stand out in search results and attract more international visitors. Let me know if you’d like a checklist version!

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International SEO also requires a solid technical framework to ensure your website reaches your desired audiences in global markets. There are specific technical elements that go beyond standard SEO best practices when you create multiple sub-domains for each language.

You’ll need to consider your domain structure. Country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), like.fr for France or .jp for Japan, send clear geo-targeting signals to search engines. If you use ccTLD with content in a different language than the domain implies, then search engines may ignore the geo-targeting cues. For example, this might happen if you leave Engish content on a .de domain.

Server location can also influence search rankings, as search engines factor in the IP address of your hosting server. Many businesses rely on CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) to manage geographic distribution efficiently. This allows them to improve speed and performance for international users without setting up servers in every region.

Implementing hreflang attributes is essential for multilingual or multi-regional sites. These tags tell search engines which version of a page to show to users based on their language or location. It also helps to avoid duplicate content issues and ensure the right content is served to the right audience.

Schema markup can provide additional clarity by localizing business information—such as addresses, phone numbers, and currencies—within your HTML. This improves visibility in local search results and supports better user experiences.

Your CMS should support multilingual and multi-site configurations effectively. In many setups, child pages may have fewer customization options than parent pages, which can limit local optimization if not addressed early in the setup.

Lastly, be mindful of tool compatibility. Some SEO tools perform well with English content but may struggle with double-byte characters or non-Latin scripts used in languages like Japanese, Chinese, or Russian. Properly encoding these characters in sitemaps and file names is crucial for successful indexing.

“Successfully implementing international SEO requires continuous monitoring of content rankings across localized versions. Google advises using different domains for localization, with each domain needing separate monitoring in Search Console. A top-10 ranking for an English-speaking audience does not guarantee similar performance for other language versions.

The search engine must be notified that the website is localized. The specification details how to implement multilingual support. All pages that have localization should be marked up with hreflang markup. There are many services that help to check hreflang markup, for example https://hreflangchecker.com/ .”

Localized URLs do not impact search ranking when a page is already localized and marked in the sitemap with hreflang. However, for unique, region-specific content without localization, using localized URLs can sometimes be beneficial.

Web vitals are a critical consideration for global websites. Websites must adapt to regional differences, such as the prevalence of 2G internet and older iPhones in some areas, or the blocking of services like Google and Microsoft in others. Additionally, complying with regional data privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and LGBD often involves cookie blocking. In every scenario, a website must deliver content quickly and adhere to web vital standards.”

To reach a global audience, your website must follow international laws. Different regions have different laws that govern how websites handle user data, provide access, and manage digital content. Understanding and following these laws helps you avoid legal penalties, build user trust, and reach more people.

Privacy laws are a top priority. The GDPR applies to any business collecting data from people in the EU and requires clear consent, transparency, and data rights. The CCPA covers users in California, giving them the right to opt out of data sales.

Canada’s PIPEDA and Brazil’s LGPD also focus on user consent and responsible data handling. To comply, websites need clear privacy policies and consent tools like cookie banners.

Accessibility regulations ensure websites are usable for people with disabilities. In the U.S., the ADA encourages compliance with WCAG standards, which include alt text, keyboard navigation, and readable design. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) and Accessible Canada Act (ACA) also enforce WCAG-level accessibility. These laws aim to make digital content inclusive and barrier-free.

Websites must also follow copyright laws, meaning you can’t use content like images or text without permission. Cookie laws—such as the ePrivacy Directive in the EU—require user consent for tracking technologies. In the U.S., rules vary, but some laws like CCPA require opt-out options.

If you handle health data in the U.S., HIPAA applies. You must secure all personal health information (PHI) using compliant tools and encryption.

By following global compliance standards, your website can stay legally sound, build a trustworthy reputation, and offer a better experience for users everywhere.

Effective international SEO requires strong coordination between global and local teams. All teams aim for better organic performance, but resources, budgets, and expertise vary by region. A hybrid approach, with central teams providing tools and analytics and local teams handling content, keywords, and link-building, ensures consistent SEO success across markets.

1. Define clear roles and responsibilities between central and local teams to avoid overlap and confusion.

2. Share core resources like page templates, diagnostic tools, and analytics dashboards to reduce duplication of effort.

3. Localize strategically, focusing local teams on high-impact areas like keyword research, content creation, and link building.

4. Provide flexible frameworks that adapt to regional team sizes, skill levels, and time constraints.

5. Establish regular communication channels (e.g., monthly syncs, shared documentation) to align goals and share insights.

6. Track performance by region to identify what’s working locally and scale it globally where appropriate.

Smartcat’s Website Agent is an essential piece of the translation process for localizing your content. Smartcat uses AI translation combined with human reviewers to maintain linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance. Our Global Content AI platform centralizes your workflow and offers advanced capabilities for efficient SEO translation at scale, ensuring high performance in international markets.

Companies all over have used Smartcat’s integrations to translate and localize their marketing materials. The Google Sheets integration helped the Babbel team create a continuous translation workflow when it came to localizing their marketing copy. It meant they could work in their usual digital environment, i.e., adding copy in the sheets that are required for web pages, digital ads, visual assets, videos, and more.

1. David Edelman and Jason Heller. "A Practical Guide for Marketers Who Want to Use GenAI." Harvard Business Review, December 2023, https://hbr.org/2023/12/a-practical-guide-for-marketers-who-want-to-use-genai

2. Statista. "Number of internet users worldwide as of October 2024." Statista, 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/262946/most-common-languages-on-the-internet/

3. Matt G. "Southern." "Google’s Stance On AI Translations & Content Drafting Tools." SearchEngineJournal, 2023, https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-stance-on-ai-translations-content-drafting-tools/519515/

4. Statista. "Most effective SEO tactics according to SEO professionals worldwide as of 2023." Statista, 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/633151/effective-seo-tactics/

5. Gabriela Dinu. "Building a Multilingual SEO Program." Multilingual, December 2022, https://multilingual.com/issues/december-2022/building-a-multilingual-seo-program/