Google’s Martin Splitt Shares Key Tips for Website Internationalization

Google’s Martin Splitt recently provided invaluable insights into internationalizing websites for a global audience. His tips are essential for businesses and webmasters aiming to improve their site’s performance in various countries and languages. From optimizing site structure to effectively using hreflang tags, Splitt breaks down the fundamentals of making your site accessible to different markets.


Key Points:

  • Pick the right setup: Choose between local domains, subdomains, or subdirectories for organizing international content.
  • Use hreflang tags: Implement hreflang tags to guide search engines in displaying the correct language or region-specific page.
  • Provide user-friendly options: Don’t force redirects—give users the choice to select their preferred version.
  • Focus on quality: Only target countries that matter to your business and provide high-quality, localized content.

1. Setting Up Your Site for Internationalization

Choosing the right setup for your international site is the foundation of success. Martin advises webmasters to think carefully about their options:

“The most common and recommended way to deal with international sites is to either use local top-level domains like .de or .it, or use subdomains or subdirectories. Each of these comes with their own pros and cons, so make sure to pick carefully and pick whatever works best for your specific case.”

When considering how to structure your site for international audiences, it's important to understand the benefits and challenges associated with each option. Here’s a closer look at the three main approaches:

  • Local Top-Level Domains (TLDs): Using country-specific domains (like .fr for France ) signals to users and search engines that the site is relevant to a particular country. This method can improve your site's ranking in local searches but requires managing multiple domains.
  • Subdomains: Example: fr.example.com. This method offers a more centralized approach but may carry less local ranking power than country-specific domains.
  • Subdirectories: Example: example.com/fr/. This is a simpler method that keeps all your content under one domain, making it easier to manage. However, it may not have the same country-level targeting as local TLDs.

Selecting the best option for your business depends on the complexity of your content and your goals for reaching specific countries.


2. Leveraging hreflang Tags

To ensure search engines show the right page version to users, hreflang tags are crucial. As Martin highlights:

“Hreflang helps Google and other search engines to link the different versions of a page for different countries and make sure we show the right one to searchers.”

Hreflang tags guide search engines in serving the correct language or region version of your site based on the user’s preferences.

  • Best practices include:
    • Valid codes: Use valid language and country code combinations, like en-GB for English in the UK.
    • Reciprocal links: Ensure that all language versions link back to each other. For example, the French version should reference both the English and Japanese versions.
    • Self-referential tags: The default language page should also include a hreflang tag pointing to itself, improving consistency.

Example of hreflang Implementation:


    <link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://example.com/fr/" />
    <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/" />
    <link rel="alternate" hreflang="ja" href="https://example.com/ja/" />

This ensures search engines understand which version of your site to show users in France, English-speaking regions, and Japan.


3. Providing Language and Country Choices to Users

A critical part of user experience is allowing your audience to choose the version of the site they want to browse. Martin advises against forceful redirects:

“Do not automatically assume or forcefully redirect your users to a specific version. By linking to different language or country versions, you give users a choice and help Googlebot and others discover these versions as well.”

Instead of using auto-redirects based on location, provide clear links to other language or country versions. This can be done with a simple dropdown or banner that gives users control over their browsing experience.

This approach not only improves usability but also aids in SEO by making alternate versions more discoverable for Googlebot.


4. Focus on What Matters: Quality Over Quantity

While it’s tempting to go global all at once, Martin’s bonus tip emphasizes the importance of focusing on markets that truly matter:

“Pick the locales and countries that really matter to you and you’re willing to support properly. Instead of lackluster translated pages, make sure you have content that is useful to the different audiences in the countries you care about.”

Internationalization should be done thoughtfully. Instead of trying to cover every possible country, focus on regions where your business has the most impact. Provide high-quality translations and localized content that truly resonates with your target audience. Poorly translated or generic pages can damage your brand’s reputation and may not perform well in search.


Implications and Benefits of Internationalization Tips

The guidance shared by Martin Splitt provides clear benefits for businesses seeking to reach global audiences:

  • Improved SEO: Using proper site structures and hreflang tags increases your chances of ranking in local search results for multiple countries.
  • Better user experience: Giving users the power to choose their language and region creates a smoother, more personalized experience, reducing bounce rates.
  • More focused marketing efforts: By narrowing down your target regions and offering high-quality content, you can build stronger relationships with users in key markets, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Following these tips will not only make your website more accessible to a broader audience but also help maintain a consistent and professional user experience worldwide.


Start Optimizing for a Global Audience

Internationalizing your website doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By following Martin Splitt’s tips—choosing the right setup, implementing hreflang tags, giving users options, and focusing on quality—you can significantly improve your site’s global reach.

Take action today by reviewing your site’s international strategy and optimizing it to better serve the regions that matter most to your business.

Want to learn more? Explore Google’s full documentation on internationalization best practices and stay ahead in the global market!


References:

The article is based on YouTube video by Google Search Central. you can watch the full episode here

Previous Articles

Google Shopping Gets a Major AI Upgrade.

Internet Archive Restores Wayback Machine in Read-Only Mode after Series of DDoS Attacks.

Google Trends: Advanced Search and Comparison Features.