Marketing Globally: 4 Focus Areas to Expand Your International Presence

Marketing for global audiences requires different tactics and strategies. In order for US companies to expand their marketing globally, marketers must invest time and effort into thinking differently. For example, marketing in the US is often designed to make a large noise in the marketplace – the louder, the better. That same tactic will be seen as too invasive an approach for European audiences who prefer a more targeted, tailored message. This means that designing a one-size-fits-all campaign for all North American audiences will simply not produce the results you desire if you deploy it worldwide. 

To have your marketing efforts work effectively across the globe, you need to have a thoughtful, strategic approach tailored to different regions and cultures. This can feel quite overwhelming when you begin thinking about language translations, cultural dos and don’ts, and let’s not even get started on data privacy and consent! Where do you even get started? Let’s discuss a few areas that will jumpstart your efforts to market globally.

Four Key Focus Areas to Expand Your Marketing Globally:

Focus on Your Audience

First and foremost, marketers need to understand their target market. Are you working to penetrate specific countries, regions within countries, or entire continents? It sounds simple, but it requires doing your market research to understand the cultural, economic, and social differences in your target markets. It also means understanding regional trends and consumer behavior that may be different from region to region. What may be relevant to promote in one country or region may not be relevant, or may even be disrespectful, in other places. Work to understand which marketing channels work best for each region so that you can optimize your chances for success. Marketing globally then becomes a concentrated hyper-focused effort to speak to your customers touting the product or service benefits that will resonate with their specific needs.

Focus on Localization

It is imperative to adapt your marketing materials, content, and messaging to resonate with each target market. This includes translating content, adjusting imagery, and ensuring cultural sensitivity. Be sure to protect your brand’s reputation by avoiding stereotypes or regionally offensive content. There are several areas of localization that marketers should explore: language, customer support, and local presence.

Language Localization

Language holds the greatest importance in marketing globally. Having the ability to translate and adapt content for global audiences elevates your business to the top of the pack. Let’s think about Europe for a moment. In Europe alone, there are 24 official languages spoken. In German, the word “gift” means “poison,” so sending an email with the English subject line, “Get your Free Gift!” would absolutely send the wrong message! Even in countries where language itself is not a challenge, there are still spelling differences that can put distance between you and your intended audience. It is important to understand that the main driver for digital success is language. Focus on localizing and adapting your content for your target audiences rather than just literally translating. Remember that you can use the dynamic and cloud content features of your marketing automation platform to localize content without having to build out separate emails for every single language/region.

Customer Support Localization

Providing multilingual customer support and assistance to address the needs and concerns of customers from different regions is highly recommended. You are working hard to connect with global audiences by speaking to them in their own language and focusing on the product/service features that resonate most with their specific needs. When the prospect or customer decides to raise their hand and reach out, don’t let their only choice be an English-speaking customer representative, chatbot, or customer support agent. This ties into your larger business strategy for global expansion, but uses your marketing perspective to influence the need for marketing globally with end-to-end experiences.

Presence Localization

As your company expands its marketing presence globally, think about collaborating with local businesses, influencers, and distributors to establish a foothold in your target market. If you have an online presence (and who doesn’t these days?), create a multilingual website to cater to diverse language preferences. Take the time to optimize your website for global search engines by using relevant SEO keywords in various languages to improve visibility. Additionally, work to tailor your social media content and advertising to each market and use platforms that are popular within specific regions to increase your reach. Lastly, be present in the regions you are targeting. Attend and/or host trade shows, conferences, and events to build global connections and gain insights into the global market.

Focus on Compliance and Regulations

Compliance with marketing regulations, advertising and data privacy laws is essential for any company wishing to expand and market globally. Not only is it required for legal reasons, but it is also necessary for building trust with your customers. Did you know that currently, there are 162 countries with data privacy laws and another 20 with active Bills for new laws? That’s a mind-boggling amount of compliance that a marketer must understand! Working closely with your company’s legal and compliance team, you can navigate these regulatory and legal considerations, gain a positive reputation and become competitive in the global markets you wish to expand.

Focus on Patience

A marketer’s dream would be to have an unlimited budget and an endless supply of contacts and support in every global market you wish to enter. But we know that is not the likely scenario. In this age of “doing more with less,” marketers must be focused and allocate marketing budgets strategically to prioritize regions that offer the most potential for growth. This is where your market research pays off. Expanding your marketing globally takes time and effort. Pick your region or country targets and start your globalization efforts – online, in marketing materials, and in-country, if possible. It may not yield immediate results, so be patient and persistent. Be ready to adapt your marketing strategies based on feedback and changing market conditions in different regions, and of course, continuously monitor and analyze the performance of your marketing efforts in different regions so that you can make adjustments based on the data. Lastly, remember that what works in one market may not work in another, so flexibility and a deep understanding of local markets are crucial for expanding your marketing efforts globally.

Need help thinking through or executing on your global marketing strategy? We are here to help!

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