Search Engines in Korea

What works in Korea?

[editsha]

I have listed my site in the paid listings of Google and Overture in korea. This gives me the access to all major search engines like empas/Naver/daum in Korea. My link comes on the top still the number of visits is very very low.

Does anyone know about the medium used in Korea to advertise online effectively? I am completely out of ideas.

[bill]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld editsha.

Have you looked through some of the Korean topics in this forum like the recent To alternate SERPs and beyond [webmasterworld.com]? There are a lot of explanations in there about some of the different ways Korean SEs display results. Maybe you might get some ideas from there. I'm sure one of our Korea experts will stumble upon this thread soon enough to give you some more pointers. ;)

[itisgene]

Did you use Korean language to find out your position? If you choose English and just select "Korea" as a part of global setting, you won't get a lot of traffic there.
99% of Koreans speak the korean language in Korea. younger generations understand English but they don't have to use them when they want to buy something in Korea.

If your product/service is based on another country, you may get some traffic. Otherwise, you may want to have better translation and/or different PPC program that specifically targets Korean search engines.

two sents.

[GrendelKhan TSU]

lol bill. I caught that. ;)

Hello editsha! barely know where to begin, but ppc companies: zingu.com, google, overture is it as far as know (as of now).

but yah, there are TONS of other methods for online advertising here, depending on your budget and product. but those will be your most straightforward if you don't have a local presense or resources in this market.

Remember, Korea is unique in that its internet (and thus online advertising) has evolved somewhat differently than elsewhere and you really need to be in trenches to "master it", so if you don't have a local hookup to help with it, its probably best to stick with PPC. Korea is NOTORIOUSLY and absolutely all about localization. Do the korean way or no way (rare exceptions). So, getting a local is a necessity if you are really serious about this market.

The only other thing that MAY be accessible for non-locals is paying portal registration fees. Its one time fee, but basically you don't get indexed (or any where near good placement) if you don't pay them (outside of PPC or other rolling ree paid-placement), so eventually EVERYONE pays them.

All together to hit all the "big portals" though you'll end up at about $2000.

Did you use Korean language to find out your position? If you choose English and just select "Korea" as a part of global setting, you won't get a lot of traffic there.
99% of Koreans speak the korean language in Korea. younger generations understand English but they don't have to use them when they want to buy something in Korea.

Otherwise, you may want to have better translation

gene posits the right questions...before I can answer your question better, need to know what you are selling and if your site/keywords are in english or korean. For example, a well placed ad in the right cafe in the right section of the right portal could be a BIG boost....but only if its in korean. ^^

and/or different PPC program that specifically targets Korean search engines.

What do you mean itgene? I don't know of any other ppc programs unless you are talking about small ppc sites (zingu.com) or consulting/seo services (various in korea).

Hope that helps. ^^

[edited by: bill at 4:58 am (utc) on Aug. 24, 2004]
[edit reason] fixed quotes [/edit]

[editsha]

Thanks for your replies and help. I am very new to this forum and am finding it very useful.

Let me answer some of your questions. I have made a one pager Korean website that summarizes our company services. We are into proofreading and editing. All my keywords are Korean and have registered with Korean Overture. I think in that sense I have done everything right. When I search for my keyword in empas/daum/yahoo/naver...I am the first one that show up. But th number of views that I am getting is very very less. Almost negligible.

So, as I understand I have done everything that I should have done considering I don't have a local presense in Korea. Only think I have not done is Zingu.com(they have not replied to my email, do they reply to English emails?)and cafe advertising.

I do not know how cafes work in Korea and how we can advertise there. I think I need a loacl SEO expert who can guide me.

[GrendelKhan TSU]

Thanks for your replies and help. But th number of views that I am getting is very very less. Almost negligible.

number of views? or number of visits?

Only think I have not done is Zingu.com(they have not replied to my email, do they reply to English emails?)and cafe advertising.

yes. they do and normally pretty quick. I'd try again, things can slip through. ^^

I do not know how cafes work in Korea and how we can advertise there.

THAT is a long answer. First though, do you have a local korean branch? or is everything controlled from abroad?

[editsha]

1. Number of views and not visits
2. We dont have a local branch. Everything is maintained from abroad.