Pay per click (PPC) can do a lot, but can PPC marketing help you expand to new markets, and international ones in particular? Yes! But it’s not an instant catalyst for international expansion. PPC does offer different routes to making headway in new global markets. However, it largely depends on your company’s ability to accommodate those markets’ demands (inability to ship in a timely manner can be a dealbreaker), or whether there’s a need for your products and services to begin with. We can’t offer a set of steps to overseas selling success, but we can provide you with general directions to help you figure out your own path there.
Test the Waters Before Heading Overseas
How is your brand received overseas, if at all? If you’ve made sales in other countries, prospecting through Facebook and other social media and Google Analytics can give you a better sense of how consumers interact with your brand, or at least through non-branded searches for similar products. You can also see the level of spending and revenue generated by these products in individual countries. Looking at search volume for certain terms can grant a glimpse in the crystal ball before you expand, or give you a definitive reason not to.
No Data? No Problem!
All well and good if you’ve done a little business here and there to begin with. But what if you don’t have any data because you’ve never tapped into an international market before? Consider using the keyword planner in Google ads. You can type in any search query for your brand (or non-branded terms) and receive metric forecasts based on individual countries. This will allow you to discover and target particular audiences for your goods.
Being First: Pros and Cons
Being the first one on the scene can be a huge advantage. Many countries have a lower saturation of Google ads, which can mean less competition (three or fewer competitors for a specialty product there versus hundreds in the USA) and consequently cheaper costs per click (CPC). It’s also easier to get impression share in countries where the market remains largely untapped, and to build a loyal consumer base. You won’t be fighting to keep your head above the marketing waters, so to speak.
Consider the Differences
Obviously, some products won’t fly in other countries. You won’t sell many snowmobiles in arid lands, nor many beach balls in a frozen climate, and so forth. But you have to take a more nitty-gritty approach as well. Consider language barriers, and whether you have the means to translate your copy into another language. Automatic translation apps have the pluses and minuses. Accuracy isn’t always guaranteed and they can’t adjust for context either. Still, even a basic translation of your copy opens more doors than it closes.
Stranger in a Strange Land?
If your product is brand-new, consider the fact that it won’t have immediate traction and search intent in other lands, and thus won’t show up in the usual places. Explore video ads for YouTube prospecting. These can drive product awareness and create demand. YouTube is especially useful for pursuing different audiences globally based on what different countries are interested in at the time. YouTube video ads resonate with the users streaming the most viral videos within their own country and can spark interest in a product that doesn’t exist in their market. You can also target key demographics–25- to 35-year-old women, fitness buffs, homeowners, and the like–and start serving videos and display ads across the Google Display network. The more you narrow the search the pricier it gets, but broad terms and demographics are a good way to find your customers overseas.
Can PPC Help You Expand Internationally
Yes, indeed! Logical Position is a Google International Growth Partner. As a Google International Growth Partner, LP has completed Google’s International Growth program training and met preset customer objectives. As such, we’re well-positioned to assist you in expanding into new international markets. If you’re interested in learning more about how Logical Position can help you expand through PPC Management Services, contact us today.
