SEO Basics for non-English written/targeted sites

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by pilar, May 15, 2008.

  1. #1
    Hi there guys, I have a couple of questions about SEO basics for non-English content sites.

    I have read a lot here about getting backlinks through article distribution, directory submission, social bookmarking, blog comments etc. But the big thing is that these methods works just for English written and globally targeted and/or US targeted sites, right? Please correct me if I’m wrong. My question is how “to do” SEO for non-English written sites targeted on a European country. For example: My site is written in the language German, and the country I want to promote my site is Germany. Does it still make sense to do article distribution in ezinearticles.com (note that the content will be written in the German language), and what about the directory submissions? Because mainly the directories where the site will be submitted are in English.

    To summarize; how “to do” SEO for non-English written sites that aren’t targeting the global countries, but just one country in particular.

    I am really looking forward to your replies.. And for the people here that has experience with SEO in a specific country in a non-English language; I really hope you will share some things here..
     
    pilar, May 15, 2008 IP
  2. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #2
    The rules are the same, just switch to the language your site is in. (For example, if your site is in Dutch, then target Dutch sites, directories, and so forth.)
     
    Dan Schulz, May 15, 2008 IP
  3. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #3
    Thanks man! What about the ezinearticles.com? Is it useful to add an article and get a backlink from ezinearticles.com? Should it be a problem since ezinearticles.com is in English? I know I should get backlinks, but in general there are more English written language sites on the net than German sites for example. And I don't know if there are similar sites in German language like ezinearticles.com.
     
    pilar, May 16, 2008 IP
  4. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #4
    At the end of the day, an incoming link is an incoming link, as long as it hasn't been nofollowed or the page been filtered out by the search engines. I'm not a big fan of writing articles and submitting them to syndication services; instead (if I were to do this, which I don't), I'd write a few summaries of the article, and post each summary to a different article directory, along with the link back to the page the article is on.
     
    Dan Schulz, May 16, 2008 IP
  5. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

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    #5
    :eek: *faints off his chair* :eek:
     
    astup1didiot, May 16, 2008 IP
  6. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #6
    :eek: What? :eek:
     
    Dan Schulz, May 16, 2008 IP
  7. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

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    #7
    I just never thought I'd hear you say "A link is a link" :) But, I'm anal when it comes to links so it's probably just me :D
     
    astup1didiot, May 16, 2008 IP
  8. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #8
    Hey, he asked for the basics, not a dissertation on the advanced practicalities and realities of effective and proper link building methodologies. Am I right, or am I right? :p ;)
     
    Dan Schulz, May 16, 2008 IP
  9. astup1didiot

    astup1didiot Notable Member

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    #9
    When your right, your right! :cool:
     
    astup1didiot, May 16, 2008 IP
  10. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #10
    Great information guys! I appreciate your help a lot.. step by step I am learning and learning
     
    pilar, May 16, 2008 IP
  11. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #11
    Hey guys, now I know that a backlink is still a backlink at the end of the day, I am wondering if it hurts or decrease the weight of the site when I build backlinks in English written sites when my site is in German language?

    I've seen that I should find directories in my language, doing article submission in my language etc. but there are more English written sites that has more possibilities for SEO. Will my site has more benefit when it's build with backlinks from sites of my country instead of English written sites?
     
    pilar, May 17, 2008 IP
  12. LawnchairLarry

    LawnchairLarry Well-Known Member

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    #12
    I've just published a list of German article directories and if you fancy submitting your website to German website directories you can do that too.

    Your website will not loose value, but it will attract the wrong audience, i.e. an audience that does not speak the language of your website. Optimisation of the anchor text is the difficult part. If you use anchor texts in English for links to a website that is not in English, then you are optimising your non-English website for the wrong keywords. Your non-English website will become more popular for the keywords used in that anchor text, so it will probably attract more English-speaking visitors. But when they arrive on your website only to find out that it is written in a language they do not understand, they probably leave straight away. So what you should do is optimise the anchor text in the language of your website, write articles in the language of your website, submit those articles to article directories in the language of your website and submit your website to website directories in the language of your website. Good luck!
     
    LawnchairLarry, May 17, 2008 IP
  13. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #13
    Well thanks for the good info!

    Ok, now I know why I should use articles in the language of my site, but since I have to use the language of my site which is German (Germany), I cannot use the benefit of the cheap dollar! AND I cannot benefit of outsourcing to relative cheap countries like philipines and/or India etc. for article writing and all the thing that should be done for SEO purposes. I don't think I can outsource article writing in the German language to Indians :confused:
     
    pilar, May 17, 2008 IP
  14. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #14
    Anyone feedback on my post above?
     
    pilar, May 17, 2008 IP
  15. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #15
    LawnchairLarry hit the nail right on the head. As for your post, don't worry about the cost. If your site is good enough, and written properly, it'll be able to recoup the cost sooner rather than later.
     
    Dan Schulz, May 17, 2008 IP
  16. pilar

    pilar Peon

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    #16
    I know I shouldn't worry about the cost but still, I see a lot of offers in the service section where people offer cheap press release writings, directory submissions, article writings etc. but of course only for English language sites, and believe me people in my country are not working against rates that are offered here since everything is very expensive in my country :( So do press release articles, article writings etc.

    The big advantage of having a site in English language is that I as a European guy can take the advantage of the high Euro conversion value against the US Dollar. IF my site was in English I could have outsource a lot, the SEO benefits could cover the costs on a long term. While purchasing services in my country like Press release writings, article writings etc. I should pay twice as much as the Dollar rates since my currency is Euro :(
     
    pilar, May 18, 2008 IP