search engine optimisation

International SEO

Selling into a new country is not a translation job. It is a different search market, with different competitors and different words for the same thing. We build the technical structure and the local content that lets Google serve the right version of your site to the right buyer.

Why most international expansions stall

Businesses rarely fail overseas because the product is wrong. They fail because the website was translated rather than localised, so it targets phrases nobody in that market searches, and because the technical signals telling Google which version belongs to which country were never set up properly.

The symptom is specific and easy to recognise: your home market ranks fine, the new market ranks for nothing, and Search Console shows the wrong pages appearing in the wrong countries. That is a structural problem, and it is fixable.

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Our global expansion framework

Three stages, in the order that stops the expensive mistakes.

Technical architecture

The URL structure decision, then hreflang implemented and validated in both directions. This is the part that quietly breaks and the part nobody checks until rankings do not arrive.

Native localisation

Keyword research conducted in the target language first, then content written to it. Currency, units, spelling and the terms that market actually uses, rather than a translation of what worked at home.

Regional authority

Links and citations from domains in the market you are entering. A local link tells Google you are a recognised entity there, which a home-market link cannot do.

How to target different countries in SEO

Three things have to line up. Get one wrong and Google either serves the wrong version of your site or treats your markets as duplicates of each other.

  1. A URL structure that separates each market. Google needs an unambiguous address for every language and region combination you sell into.
  2. Hreflang tags that map them to each other. These tell Google which version belongs to which language and country, and they have to reference each other in both directions or they are ignored.
  3. Content localised for how that market actually searches. Not translated. Researched in the target language, then written.
Most international SEO failures are not technical. They are a business translating pages that already worked at home, then ranking for words nobody in the new market types.

Choosing your URL structure

This is the decision that is expensive to reverse, so it is worth getting right before anything else is built.

StructureExampleBest when
Subdirectorysite.com/uk/Most businesses. Inherits your existing domain authority, which is the expensive thing to build
Country domainsite.co.ukStrongest geographic signal, but starts from zero authority in each market. Needs real budget per market
Subdomainuk.site.comRarely the best answer. Sits between the other two and inherits authority less reliably than a subdirectory

We recommend subdirectories in most cases, and we will tell you plainly when your situation is one of the exceptions.

What international SEO includes

  • Market research: which countries actually have demand for what you sell, before you build anything
  • URL architecture and hreflang implementation, validated rather than assumed
  • Keyword research conducted natively in each target language
  • Content localisation, including currency, units, spelling and the terms that market uses
  • Region-specific authority building, because a link from a local domain carries weight a home-market link does not
  • Geo-targeting configured in Search Console for each property
  • Reporting split by market, so you can see which ones are earning their keep

The four mistakes that waste the most money

  • Machine translation with no local review. It reads as foreign to the buyer and it targets the wrong search terms at the same time.
  • Hreflang that only points one way. If page A references page B but B does not reference A, Google discards the pair entirely.
  • Auto-redirecting by IP address. It blocks Googlebot from seeing your other versions, and it frustrates anyone travelling. Offer a choice instead.
  • Launching five markets at once. Each needs its own research, content and links. One market done properly beats five done thinly, every time.

What international SEO costs

It scales with the number of markets, not the number of pages, because each market needs its own research, localisation and authority building. In our experience Australian retainers commonly run $1,500 to $3,000 a month for a single market.

Our pricing is competitive because AI-led delivery removes most of the overhead. That matters more than usual here: the money saved on fees is what funds the second market. No lock-in, 30 day terms.

How long it takes

Expect early movement in about 8 to 12 weeks in a new market, and longer than a domestic campaign would take, because you are building authority from a lower base in each region. Technical fixes to hreflang can register faster, sometimes within weeks, if the implementation was broken.

Over 14 years in business and an accredited Google Partner. If you are selling overseas or planning to, book a free digital audit at dizian.com.au/contact. If your growth is Australia-wide rather than global, ecommerce SEO is usually the better starting point.

Related reading

Read further:

Three things that have to line up

Get one wrong and Google serves the wrong version of your site, or treats your markets as duplicates.

URL structure

Subdirectories in most cases, because they inherit the domain authority you already paid to build. This is the decision that is expensive to reverse.

Hreflang

Mapping each version to its language and country, referenced in both directions. Point one way only and Google discards the pair entirely.

Real localisation

Research the target language first, then write. Translating pages that worked at home targets words nobody in that market types.

brands that drive us

Related Service

Search Engine Optimisations from local ranking to global markets.

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Client Testimonials

"We found Dizian through a trusted referral, and I’m glad we did. Before engaging Alex, our SEO and Google Ads were honestly in a mess. There was no clear structure, money was being spent without clarity, and campaigns were being tested without a proper strategy. Alex came in, reviewed everything thoroughly, and cleaned up a lot of loose ends. He brought structure, accountability, and clarity to our digital marketing. It immediately removed the headache of wasted ad spend and uncertainty. Unlike many SEO agencies out there, Dizian genuinely takes the time to understand the client’s requirements, the products, and the overall business model. Alex didn’t apply a generic template — he took the time to understand what we do and aligned the strategy accordingly. What stands out most to me is Alex’s integrity and character. He is trustworthy, transparent, and genuinely committed to helping his clients succeed. His depth of knowledge and experience is strong."

Irwandy Tan, Andatech

Irwandy Tan

Director

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Andatech

"Dizian Digital made our move to satphoneshop.com.au seamless and handled the transition with care and professionalism. They protected our search visibility throughout the process and helped strengthen our online presence in the Australian market. Beyond the migration, they improved the structure and performance of our campaigns, which helped us attract more of the right customers and generate better quality enquiries and sales. They were proactive, clear in their communication, and genuinely took the time to understand our business, our products, and the importance of trust and reliability in the satellite communications space."

SatPhoneShop logo

Stacey Atkinson

Marketing Manager

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SatPhoneShop

“We were looking for an agile, responsive and strategic digital partner to help manage our website. Dizian met our brief and continues to deliver beyond expectations, providing proactive and valuable SEO and data-driven expertise.”

Sophie Lindsay, Law Chambers

Sophie Lindsay

Marketing Director

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Law Chambers

"Alex has been great to work with. His projections have all been correct and we are seeing unprecedented inquiries through the website."

James Dwyer, Dwyer Brick Fences

James Dwyer

Owner

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Dwyer Brick Fences

"We have been working with Alex & team over one year now and are very happy with the service. It is very professional, and we get very quick replies for our requests. We have regular meetings with reporting and are very happy to recommend Dizian services."

Satu Raunola-Spencer, Venla Resell+Relove

Satu Raunola-Spencer

Co-Director

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Venla Resell+Relove

"I've had the privilege of working closely with Alex since 2018. His skillset and dedication to genuinely adding significant value to his client's is second to none. Highly, highly recommend for businesses looking to secure an unfair advantage for their business on Google."

Scott Kennedy, Edition

Scott Kennedy

Founder

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Edition

"Alex was able to help us implement an upgrade to our Google Ads Search and Shopping campaign structure across NZ and Australia. He helped ensure the structure was set up in a way that was clear and easy to use. Alongside this, he designed a supporting user friendly dashboard to report progress. Alex really knows his way around Google Ads and was very responsive to our needs during the project."

Six Barrel Soda logo

Mike Stewart

Director

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Six Barrel Soda

"Awesome service and great results. Alex is really knowledgeable and helpful. Makes everything easy for us to understand with no hassles."

Khalid Ghanima, Urban Herbalist

Khalid Ghanima

Director

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Urban Herbalist

"Dizian has been an integral partner in our online business requirements for the last 5 years. Alex has been attentive to all of our digital needs and has allowed us to grow our online presence in a very competitive industry. We are very pleased with his services and continue to see positive results."

Dr. Jena Ward, Skye Dental

Dr. Jena Ward

Principal Dentist

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Skye Dental

"Alex is an expert in his field and has always provided us with thoughtful, strategic advice and recommendations. We’ve worked together for a number of years on activities from maintenance to specific campaigns with great results. He’s reliable, responsive and has an obvious passion for what he does."

Alaina Luxmoore, RUSH

Alaina Luxmoore

Marketing Manager

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RUSH

"We have worked closely with Alex for over 2 years. The rapport that he spent time building right from the beginning of our relationship meant that we were able to focus on growing our business internally knowing that we can trust Alex to grow our business externally. The services that he has provided for us have been invaluable to us as an early-stage startup, ensuring we have got off to the best possible start with all the right things in play. His communication is excellent and he invests time in explaining how things work and what benefit is to us in doing things a certain way. He has gone above and beyond to provide support where needed outside of the primary scope of engagement."

Johnny Farquhar, PreviewMe

Johnny Farquhar

Director

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PreviewMe

FAQ

How much does international SEO cost?

Is translating my website enough to rank overseas?

Should I use subdomains, subdirectories or country domains?

What is hreflang and do I need it?

How do I target different countries in SEO?

1.

Can my business still rank well if Google is showing AI answers?

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