In the past, trade and commerce between countries on the opposite ends of the world involved massive treks across continents in hostile conditions, and success was never guaranteed. Things have changed a lot since then, no doubt, but have we realized the full potential for SEO in terms of extending business globally? I think not. Let’s take a second to think about ways in which SEO can help you and your business to delve into foreign markets, and the possible benefits thereof.
Firstly, we need to readjust our perceptions about the globalizing power of the internet. Yes, in the developed world we all feel connected and in touch, but many developing nations are only now waking up to the internet revolution. In countries like this, there is massive unexplored investment potential, but SEO analysts and services have a tendency to overlook these largely unexplored markets because they think that they are not financially viable. If your SEO team has not done extensive research into the internet habits of Africans, or sent someone to live in and research the profiles of Indian internet users, then I highly suggest that you do.
The thing is that in these developing nations, the internet is still a new and daunting discovery. People go to public libraries or internet cafes and marvel at things like Facebook and YouTube. The internet is seen as a delivery vehicle for entertainment, a social tool, and occasionally, as an educational resource. Speaking from personal experience I know that the vast majority of internet users in Africa have never even heard of SEO, and do not respond to the generalized advertisements that bombard them every time that they log on purely because they are irrelevant. SEO has failed in this part of the world, and people are receiving spam and junk advertising because nobody in the first world has thought to address this problem and tap into this massive market.
Slowly, SEO companies are starting to pop up in the more financially successful sectors of the developing world – South Africa, Brazil, India and so on. The most important thing for people in the developed world is to make contact and start doing research now. Every marketers dream is to sell a revolutionary new concept to new ears, and with the urge to develop and globalize that oozes out of every third-world business, you can do this. If you link up your SEO service with ones across the rest of the world, you will find out exactly what it is that users want, and then you can proceed to give it to them.
The benefits here are twofold. Firstly, you will be able to access an unknown market, understand it, and supply the demand. This has the knock on effect that your use of SEO will help you to understand what products can be launched into the market, and which ones are likely to fail. This enhanced understanding can only be beneficial. Secondly, you can set up powerful alliances with local business, and with the rapid growth of these economies, this will soon bear fruit. SEO is a worldwide tool – just take the step and use it.
