expanding into Europe with Adwords

SEO and PPC strategy in Europe

[adybee]

Hi,

Our company has several foreign language sites e.g spanish, german which I wish to submit on local native language SE's and improve the foreign language positions.

Would the easiest way forward would be to start adwords campaigns in these countries and submit to the respective PPC networks? Has anyone done this? What are the major problems - considering that my main and only language is English (no real access to Spanish but we do have a German member of staff who can actually help).

Can European non-English campaigns be co-ordinated easily without prior knowledge of the country's native language?

Thanks

[edited by: Shak at 8:38 pm (utc) on July 5, 2003]

[louponne]

Would the easiest way forward would be to start adwords campaigns in these countries and submit to the respective PPC networks?

In a word, yes. overture and ggle are the major players.

Can European non-English campaigns be co-ordinated easily without prior knowledge of the country's native language?

In a word, no. You'll definitelywant a native speaker to choose the best keywords/phrases! (weren't the sites translated by a native speaker? If not, that's definitely your first investment to get good foreign language results - before sinking and money into SEO or PPC or whatever!

[interested]

Well, if you really need to start some foreign language campaign quickly, without knowing that language, then maybe the quickest and easiest way to do this is just to surf around and notice how other similar sites are advertising themselves on that language. And maybe take a look at some online magazines etc.

But it definitely takes loads of useful time and my experience shows that although you might not do bad at all, the best results come with a native speaker.

[heini]

PPC campaigning certainly is a quick start. Especially valuable is the instant testing of chosen keywords and general acceptance of the site.

Another thing to look at is good internal and external linkage.
With Admittedly Google is a bit unpredictable these days, but assuming the language versions are in the same domain Google should pick them up fairly quick.

Third, there are many venues into european directories and engines, which by paying can get give a site a head start too.