With European and British consumer confidence in the US at an all time low, its more likely than ever that the UK and Europe will put aside the worst damage from Brexit and agree both a new trade deal and easier movement of goods and people.
If you’re a B2B company looking to expand into European markets, this means you’re onto a good thing. There are enormous opportunities across the continent, whether in Germany, France, Spain or beyond – but these opportunities are only available to companies that can be found. To make sure you’re one of them, it’s vital you have a comprehensive multilingual SEO strategy, allowing your new audience to find your content in their own language, at the moment they’re searching for exactly what you offer.
Read on to discover how multilingual SEO services play a pivotal role in supporting B2B companies to scale across European markets – as well as the pitfalls you’ll want to avoid.
What is multilingual SEO and why does it matter?
Multilingual search engine optimisation (SEO) is the art of making your website visible and relevant to audiences in multiple languages and regions. In the field of B2B, this is more essential than ever, as more than half of buyers have already carried out their decision-making process before making contact with a sales rep. This means that your website needs to do the heavy lifting by building trust, answering questions and presenting solutions long before a human conversation begins.
A comprehensive European SEO strategy ensures your content is relevant and regionally appropriate for the buyers you’re looking to meet. It tackles crucial issues such as user experience, cultural relevance (which can be more subtle than you’d think) and even aspects such as tone of voice, cultural norms and ensuring your brand feels just as trustworthy in Milan or Munich as it does in Manchester. By signalling your authority and relevance to Google, you’ll boost your rankings in local search results – and increase the chances that the right buyers find you first.
How European SEO takes account of local preferences
Let’s take a look at some specific examples. In the Netherlands, for instance, a logistics manager might search for “internationale verzendoplossingen” instead of “international shipping solutions.” Meanwhile, French users may well show a preference for local search results in French, from localised sites with .fr domains and content that reflects their specific regulatory environment.
However, a German manufacturing buyer is likely to respond better to technical terminology and clear, direct language – searching for terms like “industrielle Automatisierungslösungen” on a .de site that loads quickly and meets local German data protection expectations.
Over in Spain, companies may favour content that includes region-specific terms – such as “servicios de logística en Barcelona” – while Italian users often expect a more conversational tone and might prioritise mobile performance, given the country’s high mobile usage rates.
By signalling your authority and relevance to Google and other local search engines, you’ll boost your visibility where it matters most: in front of the right decision-makers, in their own language, with content that feels made for them. This leads us nicely to the next essential step…
The importance of localisation
Once your prospective clients have found you, the site they access must meet their expectations. This means paying particular attention to localising your content. Did you know that the top pain point cited by B2B buyers is a lack of localisation? This highlights the fact that localising content is about much more than translation. It’s also about adapting content to include relevant cultural references, as well as more practical elements such as local legal requirements, language preferences and multilingual web design that takes regional buying behaviours into account.
Localising your site shows you’re serious about engaging with the local market, literally “speaking their language”. However, so that your desired audience can reach you in the first place, it’s essential to carefully select the right keywords that match how they actually search.
Why keyword research is crucial for SEO in Europe
Translating an English keyword that has served you well is bound to be equally successful in German, right? Not necessarily. The search terms with the highest volumes are often very different from one language to another. Direct translations can miss local jargon, slang, or industry-specific terminology that buyers really use. For example, a B2B buyer in Germany might use a more technical phrase, a completely different term, or even the English word to find the same product or service. That’s why effective keyword research is essential. To ensure optimum results, it’s often worth enlisting the support of a dedicated multilingual SEO agency so you target the most search terms likely to yield the best results.
A carefully crafted European SEO strategy is a central component of any B2B company’s marketing toolkit, allowing for the successful expansion into new markets. Without it, even the best products and services risk being overlooked by potential clients – or not discovered in the first place. While the many elements involved may feel daunting to begin with, by focusing on keyword research, localisation and really understanding the preferences and behaviours of your target audience, you’re setting yourself up for success in unlocking Europe’s vast potential.
