Google-ization

Google-ization is the process of optimizing a localized website so that it will receive higher rankings within search engine listings, thus attracting more visitors, more buyers, and more revenue. Google-ization is not a process that is limited to Google, although it seems implied just by its name. Google-ization is in fact directed towards all search engines and especially those which are utilized by the majority of Internet users on a regular basis such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN¹ (see chart below).

(Search Engine Market Share image goes here)

Who Does Google-ization Apply To?
Google-ization applies to localization customers (those who wish to expand their online business on an international level) and to localization service providers who are looking for ways to increase the worth and value of their particular localization services. More in-depth information for localization service providers is also available.

Why Would Your Business or Localization Company Need Google-ization?
When a business with a healthy taste for online marketing decides they want to take their website to an international level, the first thing they do is find out where their products will sell and what languages they should have their website translated into. Then, they choose a localization service provider, which translates the website’s text into the languages which they have chosen. However, once their international website is live it often goes unseen because search engines are not indexing those pages. Why are they not indexing those pages? The answer can be described with one word: relevance.

Relevance: It's a Search Engine's Job
Basically the job of a search engine is to make sure that Internet searchers are finding relevant websites for the keyword terms which they enter in a search engine toolbar, such as the Google toolbar shown below.



For instance, if an Internet searcher enters the keyword [snow shovels] then a search engine wants to provide them with search results which are related to [snow shovels] and to nothing else. A search engine that provides searchers with gigantic plows or gardening tools is probably not going to receive the continued patronage of that searcher. For this reason, relevance is of extreme importance for search engines. To prevent irrelevance, search engine designers have created and will continue to create new and complex algorithms which rank websites according to specified qualifications. These qualifications are based on a variety of factors such as link development, keyword-rich content writing, website development, and additional factors. So, you’re probably wondering what you should do in regards to this new information, right? Consider the following applications:

• If you are a localization customer you should:
• Encourage the localization company of your choice to learn more about Google-ization, OR consider localization companies, which are already affiliated with "Google-izers."
• Find an SEM (Search Engine Marketing) marketing company that works well with translation services, or knows how to help get you in touch with the right services. 10x Marketing is one of these companies).
  
  
• If you are a localization service provider you should:
  • Get in touch with SEM marketing companies that have goals for localization/Google-ization plans. 10x Marketing is one of these companies.
  • Start incorporating the synergies between localization and Google-ization. Most localization companies have tools which are designed to insert specific words or phrases during the translation process. Much of the Google-ization process also depends on the insertion of specific keywords and keyword phrases throughout the website text, which search engines will recognize as relevant content. In other words, Google-ization will be a natural process in the evolution of localization, and those localization service providers who take advantage of the Google-ization process now, will reap the benefits later.

For More Information
If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact 10x Marketing.

¹Google, Yahoo and MSN are the three major search engines. They determine whether or not your website gets seen by qualified customers/buyers. Other search engines such as AOL, HotBot and Lycos glean most of their search results (both paid and natural) from these three search engines.

Why search engines are important
Millions of people today are using the Internet for a variety of purposes. The most popular activity on the Internet is email and the second is using search engines. According to NFO/Research 88% of all Internet users use search engines, which means that the position of a website on a list of search engine results greatly determines the revenue of that website. Marketing for search engines is also one of the least expensive ways to participate in direct marketing methods. (See the chart below).

How Google-ization affects the localization community (must use proper terminology with targeted keywords – see car rental example in touch point slides). Google-ization affects the localization community because it influences the way translators will write. Let's imagine for a moment that a company is interested in expanding their company's website on an international level. They find the countries that they know have the most interest in their products and they contact a localization company in order to get their web pages translated to those countries' respective languages. Once the pages are completed, many companies stop at this point and wait for their international market to burgeon. The problem is that most of the international market will not be able to find the pages posted on your website because the pages are not optimized for search engines.

To be effective, SEO requires that EXACT terminology be used. For example:

• Keyword - # of Searches per Month
• Budget car rental - 450,000
• Cheap car rental - 430,000
• Discount car rental - 240,000
• Economy car rental - 16,000
• Car rental bargain - 11,500
• Lowest price car rental - 10,300
• Cheapest car rental - 6,200