Story Based Question
You’re managing an SEO campaign for an international brand, and one of your target markets is Spain. While conducting keyword research for your Spanish site, you notice that certain terms in the Spanish language aren’t quite aligning with what local users are searching for. For example, a term like “buy shoes online” doesn’t seem to be working as expected. After some research, you realize that people in Spain are using slang like “comprar zapatos por internet” instead. You start thinking, How do I adapt my keyword research for local idioms and slang so I can make sure my content truly resonates with the local audience?
Exact Answer
To adapt keyword research for local idioms and slang, conduct region-specific research, use tools to identify slang variations, analyze competitors, and refine your keywords by integrating local phrases that reflect how people speak in that region.
Explanation
Adapting keyword research to account for local idioms and slang is essential when you’re trying to reach a specific audience in an international market. People may use words or phrases that are completely different from standard terms, even if they refer to the same thing. Here’s how you can tailor your keyword research for these local variations:
- Conduct Region-Specific Research
- The first step is to research how people in your target region talk. Even though two countries may speak the same language, the words they use can differ significantly. For example, in Spain, people might say “ordenador” for computer, while in Latin America, the term “computadora” is more common.
- How to Implement: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush and enter region-specific domains (e.g., Google.es for Spain, Google.mx for Mexico). This will help you understand local search behavior and pick up on common slang and idioms that might not be obvious from a general keyword search.
- Use Localized Tools to Identify Slang Variations
- Tools like Google Trends or Answer the Public can be very helpful for identifying regional variations and slang. These platforms will show you what people are actually searching for in their specific region, so you don’t just rely on traditional keyword searches.
- How to Implement: Use Google Trends to compare search terms in different regions and identify popular slang or idioms. For example, you might find that “zapatos deportivos” (athletic shoes) is more commonly searched in Spain, while “zapatillas” is used more frequently in Argentina.
- Analyze Competitors and Local Content
- Take a look at what your competitors are doing in the local market. They may already be using the correct terminology or slang. By analyzing their content and keyword strategies, you can gather insights into what language works best with local users.
- How to Implement: Review top-ranking pages for your target keywords in the local market. Pay attention to their use of regional slang, local phrases, and colloquialisms. Use these findings to guide your keyword choices and content strategy.
- Refine Your Keywords Based on Local Phrases
- Once you’ve identified the correct local terms, refine your keyword strategy by incorporating those idioms and slang into your content. This ensures your website speaks the same language as your audience, both figuratively and literally.
- How to Implement: If “comprar zapatos por internet” is more commonly used in Spain than the standard term “buy shoes online,” then make sure to target that specific phrase in your content and SEO strategy. Use it in your blog posts, product descriptions, and other parts of your website to increase relevance.
- Test and Iterate
- Keywords can evolve, so it’s important to keep testing and updating your keyword list based on performance. By tracking how users interact with your content, you can see if certain slang or idioms are more effective in driving traffic and conversions.
- How to Implement: Regularly monitor keyword rankings and traffic performance. If you notice that one variation is underperforming, adjust your strategy and replace it with other local terms that may be more effective.
Example
Let’s say you’re running an online store that sells running shoes and you’re targeting both Spain and Argentina. After conducting initial keyword research, you realize that your keyword “buy running shoes online” isn’t performing well in either market. You suspect that local idioms might be influencing the search behavior.
- Region-Specific Research:
- You use Google Keyword Planner and see that in Spain, users search for “comprar zapatillas de correr por internet” more than “buy running shoes online.” In Argentina, the search term “zapatillas deportivas” is more common than “running shoes.”
- Identifying Slang:
- Using Google Trends, you find that in Spain, people also commonly search for “zapatillas de deporte” instead of “zapatillas de correr,” and in Argentina, “zapatillas” is often used alone instead of “zapatillas deportivas.”
- Competitor Analysis:
- You check out the top-ranking pages in both countries and notice that your competitors in Spain are using terms like “zapatillas para correr” and “zapatillas deportivas.” In Argentina, their content uses “zapatillas de running” and “zapatillas deportivas.”
- Refining Keywords:
- You update your keyword list to include the more popular terms in each market. For Spain, you target “comprar zapatillas de correr por internet” and “zapatillas deportivas.” In Argentina, you target “comprar zapatillas deportivas” and “zapatillas de running.”
- Test and Iterate:
- After a few months, you see that in Spain, the phrase “zapatillas deportivas” is driving more traffic than “zapatillas de correr.” In Argentina, “zapatillas de running” is seeing higher engagement. You adjust your content accordingly to optimize further.
Adapting keyword research for local idioms and slang is crucial for international SEO. By conducting region-specific research, using local tools to identify slang, analyzing competitor strategies, and refining your keywords to reflect local language use, you can ensure that your content speaks directly to your audience. This helps improve rankings, drive traffic, and build a stronger connection with users in each region.