Story Based Question
You’ve recently expanded your e-commerce business to new international markets, including the UK, Japan, and Brazil. You’re eager to understand the competition in these regions and identify the best ways to improve your SEO strategy. You’ve heard that conducting a competitor analysis is crucial for this, but you’re not sure how to go about it in these different countries, especially when local search engines and cultural nuances come into play. How do you conduct a competitor analysis for international markets?
Exact Answer
To conduct a competitor analysis for international markets, start by identifying your local competitors in each target market, use SEO tools to analyze their rankings, keywords, and backlink profiles, and assess their content strategies. Make sure to consider local search engines, language differences, and cultural factors when evaluating their online presence.
Explanation
Competitor analysis is a vital part of international SEO because it helps you understand what’s working for your rivals in each target market. Here’s how to carry out a thorough competitor analysis:
1. Identify Local Competitors
Your first step is to identify your main competitors in each region. For example, if you sell fashion products in the UK, your competitors might be different from those in Brazil or Japan.
- How to Identify Competitors:
- Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs): Conduct searches for your main keywords in each target market. Who is ranking on the first page in the U.K., Japan, and Brazil? These are your local competitors.
- Google Country-Specific Domains: Perform searches on Google.co.uk, Google.co.jp, and Google.com.br to see the competitors in each region.
2. Analyze Competitor Keyword Rankings
Using SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz, you can analyze the keywords your competitors are ranking for. Focus on the keywords they’re targeting in each specific market.
- How to Analyze Competitor Keywords:
- Competitor Keyword Research: Identify which keywords your competitors are ranking for in each country. Pay attention to local variations in language and search intent (e.g., “buy sneakers” in the U.S. vs. “comprar tênis” in Brazil).
- Keyword Gap Analysis: Use tools like Ahrefs to find keyword gaps—terms that your competitors are ranking for that you aren’t. This helps you discover untapped opportunities in each market.
3. Evaluate Competitor Content Strategies
Look at the type of content your competitors are creating. What’s working for them in each region? Is it blog posts, product pages, or landing pages? How are they tailoring their content to meet local needs and preferences?
- How to Evaluate Content Strategy:
- Content Quality: Review the type and quality of content your competitors are publishing. Do they have localized blog posts or guides specific to their markets?
- Localization: For international competitors, observe how they’re adapting their content. Are they including local references, cultural cues, or region-specific products?
4. Assess Backlink Profiles
Backlinks play a significant role in SEO, so examining your competitors’ backlink profiles can give you insights into their authority in the local market.
- How to Analyze Backlinks:
- Use SEO Tools: Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to review where your competitors are getting their backlinks. Are they getting links from local sites in the UK, Japan, or Brazil?
- Evaluate Domain Authority: The quality and authority of the websites linking to your competitors can provide insights into their SEO strength in each market.
5. Study Local Search Engine Preferences
In some international markets, local search engines may play a more prominent role than Google. For example, in Russia, Yandex dominates, while in China, Baidu is the primary search engine.
- How to Research Local Search Engines:
- Yandex and Baidu Tools: Use tools like Yandex.Webmaster for Russia or Baidu Webmaster Tools for China to track competitor performance on these search engines.
- Regional SEO Factors: Some search engines have different ranking algorithms and SEO factors, so understanding these nuances is essential for international SEO success.
6. Assess Social Media Presence and Engagement
Social media is an essential component of SEO in many regions, especially when it comes to building brand awareness and traffic.
- How to Evaluate Social Media:
- Monitor Social Engagement: Use tools like BuzzSumo to see which content your competitors are sharing on social media and how much engagement it’s getting. Are they using local platforms like WeChat in China or Twitter in the UK?
- Platform-Specific Strategy: Understand which platforms are popular in each region. For example, Instagram might work well for fashion brands in the U.S. and Brazil, while Weibo might be more effective in China.
7. Understand Local User Intent and Cultural Nuances
The way people search and what they expect from search results can differ greatly between countries. For example, users in Japan might prefer minimalist product pages, while users in Brazil might prefer vibrant, visually rich content.
- How to Analyze Local User Intent:
- Cultural Sensitivity: Look at how competitors are addressing local preferences. Are they offering products that cater to local tastes, and how are they presenting their products?
- Search Intent Research: Study the search queries and keywords specific to each country. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you get a sense of the search behavior in different regions.
Example
Let’s say you run an online store selling sportswear, and you’re expanding to the UK, Japan, and Brazil. Here’s how you would conduct a competitor analysis:
1. Identify Local Competitors
You search for “buy sportswear online” in the UK, and you see competitors like Sports Direct and JD Sports ranking on the first page. In Brazil, you notice local players like Netshoes dominating the SERPs. In Japan, Zozotown is a key competitor for sports apparel. You note these competitors for further analysis.
2. Analyze Keyword Rankings
Using SEMrush, you see that in the UK, Sports Direct ranks for keywords like “running shoes UK” and “football boots sale.” In Brazil, Netshoes ranks for “tênis de corrida” (running shoes) and “sapatos esportivos” (sports shoes). You adjust your keyword strategy to include these localized terms.
3. Evaluate Content Strategy
You check out the content on Sports Direct’s UK website. They have a section for “Football Training Tips” that provides advice on using the right shoes. You compare it to your content and see an opportunity to create similar, localized content for the Brazilian market (e.g., a guide to choosing sports shoes for Brazil’s hot, humid climate).
4. Assess Backlinks
Using Ahrefs, you discover that Sports Direct has backlinks from UK sports blogs, while Netshoes has local backlinks from Brazilian influencers and lifestyle sites. You identify similar sites to target for your backlink outreach in each region.
5. Social Media Insights
You monitor Zozotown’s social media presence in Japan and see they have strong engagement on Instagram and LINE (a popular app in Japan). Meanwhile, in Brazil, Netshoes is getting lots of engagement on Facebook and Instagram. You adjust your social media strategy to include the right platforms for each market.
6. Understand User Intent and Local Nuances
When reviewing competitors’ websites, you notice that Zozotown uses very minimalistic, clean design with a focus on ease of navigation, which appeals to Japanese users. On the other hand, Netshoes uses colorful banners and a more visually rich design, which suits Brazilian users’ preferences. You plan to adapt your website’s design accordingly.
Conducting a competitor analysis for international markets requires a mix of local search tools, keyword analysis, content evaluation, and understanding cultural nuances. By thoroughly researching your competitors in each region, you can gain valuable insights into their strengths and weaknesses and fine-tune your SEO strategy for better success in international markets.