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Eva Legovic
- Estimated reading time: 10 min
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Eva Legovic
- Estimated reading time: 10 min
If you’re planning to expand into new markets, simply translating your content isn’t enough. The way people search in Spain isn’t the same as in Mexico. A keyword that works in English might not even exist in French. But you probably know that and that’s why you’re here, right?
Let’s start with the basics: SEO localization is the process of adapting your keywords, titles, and metadata so they reflect how people actually search in each market — not just how you wrote it in your source language.
Done right, it helps your brand rank and get clicks in every locale. But it’s not just regular translation — a differentiation that many companies get wrong.
What is SEO localization vs. SEO translation?
These two terms get mixed up a lot, but they’re not the same:
SEO localization means adapting your content, structure, and signals (titles, headings, URLs, image ALT text, internal links, even schema) to fit a specific market. It’s guided by local keyword demand and what shows up on the SERPs in that region. (Struggling with SEO lingo? Here’s what a SERP is).
SEO translation is translating copy and keywords so they keep their meaning and match how locals actually phrase things. It’s never just word-for-word.
Think of it this way: SEO translation makes your keywords understandable, SEO localization makes them searchable.
Together, they ensure your content aligns with how people actually search in each market, not just how you describe your products in English or your source language.
Tip: Using tools like translation memory also helps keep terminology and keywords consistent across all markets.
How to do keyword research for international SEO
Here’s the step-by-step process to find the right keywords for each market in order to effectively localize SEO for your multilingual website:
1. Pick your target markets
- Decide which countries and languages to focus on first based on your data.
- Be specific: Spanish in Spain (es-ES) is different from Spanish in Mexico (es-MX).
2. Build a seed list
- Start with what you already have: keywords from your English site, customer FAQs, internal search logs, and even competitor websites in those markets.
3. Expand with tools
Use Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, or a third-party SEO tool to see what people are actually searching for in each locale.
Pay attention to volume, difficulty, and competition — but always check the live SERP too.
4. Check search intent
Look at the top results: are they blog posts, product pages, or something else?
Match your keyword to the right type of page (don’t try to rank a product page for an informational query).
5. Adapt keywords for the local market
Don’t just translate your English keywords word-for-word.
Use the exact phrases that people in that country type into Google.
Add local synonyms, abbreviations, and spelling variations (like “localization” vs. “localisation”).
This approach is part of a broader localization strategy that ensures your keywords reflect real user behavior, not just dictionary definitions.
6. Map keywords to pages
Assign one main keyword per page, plus a few supporting ones.
Avoid cannibalization (two pages fighting for the same keyword).
7. Prioritize by ROI
Start with the keywords that have good volume, are realistic to rank for, and matter most for your business goals.
Keyword research checklist (quick reference)
- Checked keyword data for each target market (not just translations).
- Reviewed the top search results in that country to confirm intent.
- Adapted keywords so they sound natural to local users.
- Assigned one main keyword per page, plus supporting ones.
- Made sure no two pages are competing for the same keyword.
Looking for a great SEO localization partner?
Keyword localization: How to translate SEO keywords the right way
Word-for-word translations rarely match how people actually search. Here’s a simple process to get it right:
1. Start with a draft
Translate your keyword list into the target language to get a base version.
2. Expand it
Use native-language SEO tools and research to find synonyms, slang, and variations.
3. Check the SERP
Type the keyword into Google (with location set to that country) and see what results show up. If the pages don’t match your intent, it’s the wrong keyword.
4. Watch out for false friends
Some words look similar across languages but mean completely different things. Double-check with a native speaker.
5. Choose one main term per concept
Pick the best-performing version as your primary keyword, and keep close variants as secondary ones.
6. Get a native SEO review
If possible, have a native SEO specialist confirm the final list — not just a translator. This is especially critical for fast-moving industries like SaaS, where translation needs to keep up with continuous product updates.
Also, if you’re using AI translation in your workflow, be aware of its limitations — our comparison of ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek AI
shows why human review is still key.
Example: English “car insurance” translates directly to “Versicherung für Autos” in German, but Germans actually search “Kfz-Versicherung”:
Localized on-page signals that make a difference
Finding the right keywords is only step one. To actually rank (and get clicks), you also need to weave those localized terms into your on-page elements. Here’s where to focus:
Title tags
Your title is the first thing users and search engines notice. Put the main keyword near the start if it feels natural, keep the length within ~50–60 characters, and follow local style conventions — some markets prefer sentence case, others stick with title case.
Headings (H1–H3)
Use your primary keyword in the H1 when it fits naturally. Use only one H1 per page, and structure the page with H2s and H3s for supporting topics, weaving in secondary keywords to show depth and relevance. For example, “Localized on-page signals that make a difference” is our H2, while “Title tags” and “Headings (H1–H3)” are H3s.
URLs/slugs
Keep slugs short, lowercase, and hyphen-separated. Localize them into the target language for consistency, and avoid mixing English slugs with localized content.
Images (ALT text & filenames)
Rename image files into meaningful words in the local language instead of leaving them as “image_123.jpg.” Add descriptive ALT text that includes localized keywords when it makes sense.
Internal linking
Anchor text should always be in the target language. Use descriptive, keyword-relevant links to connect related pages and help both users and Google navigate your localized site.
Structured data & hreflang
Localize schema fields for products, articles, or FAQs to improve visibility. Implement hreflang tags correctly so Google knows which version of your page belongs to which market. Structured data and hreflang tags remain essential to signal the right version of your content to search engines.
Quick win: Start with titles and meta descriptions for the biggest impact on click-through rates. Then move on to images, internal links, and structured data to strengthen your localization setup.
Looking for a great SEO localization partner?
Practical 5-step SEO localization plan
Once you’ve got your localized keywords ready, here’s how to put everything into practice without getting lost in the details.
1. Research & planning
Start by finalizing which markets and locales you’ll target first. Build out your localized keyword sets, classify search intent, and map each keyword to a specific page on your site.
2. Content & metadata drafting
Create localized titles, meta descriptions, headings, and page copy that reflect your keyword research and match user intent. Don’t forget supporting elements like image ALT text and anchor text for internal links.
3. Technical setup
Set up your localized site structure — whether that’s ccTLDs, subfolders, or subdomains. Add hreflang annotations and make sure your structured data fields are translated for each locale.
4. Review & QA
Have a native SEO specialist review the localized content for tone and accuracy. On the technical side, double-check hreflang tags, canonical tags, and schema validation. Also confirm accessibility basics, like proper heading structure and ALT text.
5. Publish & measure
Once live, set up Google Search Console properties for each locale and submit localized sitemaps. Track impressions, clicks, CTR, and conversions per keyword and page. Based on performance, adjust titles, descriptions, and content to improve results.
Ready to take your SEO localization to the next level?
If handling SEO localization in-house feels overwhelming, you don’t have to go it alone. The right partner can help you adapt your keywords, titles, and content for each market — without losing time or consistency.
At Taia, we combine smart translation technology with expert linguists who understand SEO. That means you get localized content that doesn’t just rank — it gets clicks, conversions, and results.
Want to see how it works? Book a free demo call and start building an SEO localization strategy that actually pays off.
You can also try it yourself with Taia’s AI Translation Tool, which supports 189 languages and makes it easy to localize content instantly.
Eva Legovic
Frequently asked questions
What is SEO localization?
SEO localization is the process of adapting your website for different languages and markets so it shows up in local search results. It’s about understanding how people in a market search and making sure your site reflects that. For example, U.S. users search for “sneakers,” while in the U.K. they search for “trainers.” SEO localization covers keyword research, translated content, metadata, internal links, URLs, and even structured data. The goal is to make your site feel native in every market while keeping SEO signals intact.
How do you do international SEO?
International SEO is the broader process of optimizing your website so it performs well across multiple countries and languages. It usually combines SEO localization (adapting keywords and content to local markets) with technical elements like hreflang tags, country-targeted URLs (subfolders, subdomains, or ccTLDs), and separate sitemaps for each market. Successful international SEO strategies also involve ongoing performance tracking in tools like Google Search Console to see how each locale is ranking.
Why is SEO localization important?
Because language isn’t enough to connect with searchers. A direct translation often misses search intent — the exact phrasing people use when they’re looking for something online. SEO localization ensures your content aligns with those real-world searches, which means higher rankings, better click-through rates, and more qualified traffic. It also improves user trust, since people are more likely to click and engage with content that feels written for them, not just translated.
What is keyword localization in SEO?
Keyword localization is the step where you take a keyword from one market and adapt it to another, based on how users in that region actually search. It usually starts with a translation, but you have to verify it against local search data and SERPs. For instance, while “car insurance” literally translates to “Versicherung für Autos” in German, no one searches that way. The real search term is “Kfz-Versicherung.” Without keyword localization, you might technically be correct but invisible in search results.
What is the difference between SEO translation and SEO localization?
SEO translation is focused on translating text and keywords so they make sense in another language. SEO localization goes further — it adapts your entire SEO setup to local search behavior. That means adjusting keyword choices, titles, headings, URLs, image ALT text, and even schema markup. In other words, SEO translation makes your content readable in another language; SEO localization makes it competitive in that language’s search results.
How do you build an SEO localization strategy?
A good SEO localization strategy usually follows these steps:
- Select markets and languages — Prioritize based on business goals, demand, and resources.
- Do keyword research — Build localized keyword lists using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Trends, and in-country SERPs.
- Map keywords to content — Assign one main keyword per page, supported by secondary keywords.
- Localize on-page elements — Adapt titles, headings, slugs, image ALT text, and internal links for each locale.
- Implement technical SEO — Add hreflang tags, localized schema, and country-specific site structures (e.g., subfolders or ccTLDs).
- Measure and optimize — Track rankings and clicks per locale in Google Search Console and refine your pages regularly.
This approach ensures you don’t just rank once, but continue improving visibility and conversions across all your markets.
I'm a small business. Do I need to localize SEO?
Yes, SEO localization can be just as valuable for small businesses as it is for global enterprises. A small business might only want to target a specific region, community, or dialect. By localizing keywords and content, they can stand out in crowded search results and connect with customers in a way that feels personal. Even optimizing just a few high-impact pages — like service descriptions or product listings — with localized SEO can drive meaningful results without requiring a huge budget.
What are the current trends in SEO localization?
SEO localization is becoming more data-driven and AI-assisted. Companies are using AI to speed up keyword research and translation but combining it with human SEO expertise to ensure accuracy. Continuous optimization is also key — businesses are testing different titles and meta descriptions to improve CTR across languages. Structured data and hreflang tags remain essential, while SERP features like featured snippets, “People Also Ask,” and AI Overviews are influencing how localized content gets discovered. Another big trend is integrating localization with conversion optimization — making sure localized SEO not only brings traffic but also drives sales and sign-ups.
Can Taia help with SEO localization?
Yes. Taia combines AI-powered translation with expert SEO specialists to deliver fully localized content that ranks and converts. Our process goes beyond translation — we help businesses research localized keywords, adapt metadata, optimize content for search intent, and ensure technical SEO is set up correctly. Whether you’re expanding into one market or twenty, Taia’s hybrid approach gives you the speed of AI with the precision of human expertise. Get started here >>
What is local SEO and how is it different from SEO localization?
Local SEO is about optimizing your site so it shows up in location-based searches — for example, “coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Chicago.” It focuses on things like Google Business Profiles, local reviews, and location-specific keywords. SEO localization, on the other hand, is about adapting your site for entirely different languages and markets. They overlap, but local SEO is about ranking within one geographic area, while SEO localization is about ranking across multiple countries and languages.
What is website SEO?
Website SEO refers to optimizing all elements of your website so it can rank higher in search engines. This includes on-page SEO (titles, headings, content, keywords, internal links), technical SEO (site speed, structured data, mobile-friendliness, crawlability), and off-page SEO (backlinks and authority building). SEO localization and international SEO can be seen as specialized areas of website SEO, where the focus shifts from a single-language site to a multilingual, multi-market setup.
Is SEO localization giving you headaches? Let us help.
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