CHANGES TO YOUR WEBSITE TO INTERNATIONALISE

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We have to adapt our website to take advantage of the benefits that the internet offers us in the internationalisation of our company and make our business grow quickly by reaching international markets. Just a few years ago, this process was enormously costly, both in terms of time and money.

However, now, with all the advantages offered by new technologies and the 2.0 environment, we can successfully and easily reach other markets outside our borders.

It will be essential to work on adapting our website to this new environment. The content and form of our website are of fundamental importance, not only for the creation of the brand or image of our business, but also for our sales strategy.

If we think that by simply translating our website we will be ready to conquer other markets, we would be mistaken. There are some specific, absolutely basic issues that we must take into account before putting online the replica of our online business in another country. 

The exporting company's means of communicating its products and services in international markets have traditionally been international trade fairs, trade missions and prospecting trips. Likewise, the communication tools commonly used by the company are catalogues, samples, demonstrations, tastings, etc. 

In the last decade, the landscape has changed due to the rapid global spread of the Internet and its increasing use by commerce. The Internet brings new business communication tools, especially e-mail and the web. E-mail eliminates the costs of international communication and, at the very least, serves as the first means of contact between companies in different countries.

By setting up the exporting company's website, it will become a new communication tool for the exporter: thanks to the website, many potential customers will learn about the company and its products. The web is a must if you want to have an active presence in international trade.

Localisation versus translation:

Beyond adapting the text to the relevant language, the content must be localised in each market, even between countries with the same language. The approach to each country must be different, so it is necessary to study its particularities beforehand. What works well in one place may not work or may work very differently in another.

Relevant content: 

We have to investigate what type of content will interest the user the most and also learn about the culture of each place. Knowing, for example, the local festivities, will allow us to adopt tailor-made commercial strategies, work on special promotions and, thus, adapt our campaigns to the specific market.

THE EXPORTING COMPANY'S WEBSITE CAN BASICALLY HAVE TWO TYPES OF CONTENT:

• NewsThe general public, customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees, applicants for employment, etc.
• Salesare aimed exclusively at existing and potential customers.

A well-designed website should answer the following questions:

• Needs of my potential client?
• What do you want to find?
• How am I going to tell them?
• What is the message you are trying to communicate?

The key aspects of this are: the choice of domain, content and message development and updating.

BASIC RULES OF THE INTERNATIONAL WEB:

• Simple design.
• Fast charging on any computer.
• Information structured from most to least relevant to the potential customer.
• Translated into English and the languages of the markets where the company operates.
• Design, Colours: Although it may seem trivial, colours can have different meanings in different cultures and it is essential to keep them in mind when adapting the website. 

For example, in Western countries pink has feminine connotations, while in Korea it symbolises confidence. The same goes for green, which in some cultures has a religious meaning and in others is used to convey connotations related to nature. 

Social Networking: 

Nowadays there is no doubt that it is necessary to be present on social networks and of course including links to them on our website is something we cannot forget. 

It is also important to bear in mind that social networks do not work in the same way in all countries. For example, if we are in Spain, we are probably interested in integrating Tuenti, or if we have Brazil in our sights, we should consider the option of Orkut.  

Web positioning: 

The SEO concept is something that we must bear in mind if our business is on the Internet. Basically, we are talking about a series of factors that will influence the positioning of our website in search engines. At first, it is sufficient that the texts are written in the language of the country of origin, but as soon as the company tries to open up to other markets, it will have to carry out the relevant translation and adaptation.

Website search engines will be used by the potential customer to find the product or service he/she needs. Therefore, it will be necessary to register the company in these search engines.

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF SEARCH ENGINES: INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND THEMATIC:

• International search engines: These include Google, Yahoo and Bing. The most popular search engine is Google. The company has to try to position itself there among the first answers.
• Regional search engines: the website must be indexed in the regional search engines used by potential customers.
• Thematic search engines: There are search engines on the Internet that specialise in specific topics (textiles, furniture, construction, etc.) where it is interesting to register the website. There are also thematic and regional search engines.

In short, The leap abroad is a key aspect for many start-ups and entrepreneurs and the Internet is a tool that is of great help in achieving this.

But to be on the Internet, where a company is accessible and visible to people all over the world, it is important to take care of every detail and respond to the needs and particularities of each market.

To use ChatGPT for the task of internationalising your website, you can ask specific questions related to the changes needed on your website.

SOME QUESTIONS MIGHT INCLUDE:

1. What are the main cultural differences I need to be aware of when internationalising my website?
2. How can I adapt my content to be relevant in different international markets?
3. What strategies can I use to position myself in international search engines?
4. How can I make sure my website loads fast anywhere in the world?
5. What are the best social media channels to connect with my international audience?

These questions can help you focus your efforts on the most important changes you need to make to your website in order to successfully internationalise it. Remember that it is always important to consult with experts in international marketing and finance before making any decisions.

SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES OF CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TO YOUR WEBSITE TO INTERNATIONALISE IT ARE:

1. Localisation of content: In addition to translating your website content into different languages, you need to consider the culture of each country to ensure that your content is relevant and appealing to local users. For example, if you sell food products in Spain and decide to expand to Mexico, you should research the differences in cuisine and eating habits to ensure that your content is adapted to the needs and tastes of your new customers.
2. Design and colours: The colours and design of your website may have different connotations in different cultures, so make sure that your design and colours are appropriate for the international market you are expanding into. For example, the colour red is associated with good luck in China, but in some European countries it is associated with violence.
3. SEO and web positioning: Make sure your website is optimised for international search engines. For example, if you want to expand into German-speaking countries, it is important to research German keywords that are commonly used to search for products or services similar to what you offer. This way, you can adapt your content to improve its search engine ranking.
4. Social networking: Use social media to connect with your international audience and be sure to tailor your posts to each particular market. For example, if you are expanding into Japan, you should consider posting on Twitter rather than Facebook, as Twitter is more popular in Japan.
5. Information structure: Organise the information on your website according to relevance to each market. For example, if you are expanding into a country where your brand is less well known, you may need to put more emphasis on explaining who you are and what you offer rather than focusing on the details of your products or services.