How To Drive EU Traffic to US-Hosted Domain
In today’s globalized world, businesses often target audiences in multiple regions. If you have a European Union (EU) domain hosted in the United States (US), you may be wondering how to increase localized traffic from the EU. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ to make your website more accessible and relevant to the European audience. In this article, we will explore five key tactics recommended by Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, to help you boost your EU domain’s visibility in international search results.
1. Utilize Hreflang Tags
One of the most crucial steps in increasing localized traffic to your EU domain is the implementation of hreflang tags. These tags play a vital role in directing users from different European countries to the appropriate subdomain, making your site more accessible and relevant to the European audience.
Mueller advises connecting major European countries to the EU subdomain using hreflang tags. This ensures that users searching from countries like Germany, France, or Spain are directed to the EU domain. For visitors from other European countries, the default option would be the .com domain. By implementing hreflang tags effectively, you can enhance the visibility of your EU domain in search results across Europe.
2. Server Location Isn’t a Factor
Contrary to popular belief, the server location of your website is not a significant factor in determining its visibility in international search results. Mueller dispels the notion that server proximity to the target audience enhances performance. Instead, he explains that server location has less impact on search rankings, offering more flexibility in your server hosting decisions.
While it’s still essential to choose a reliable hosting provider, you don’t need to worry about hosting your EU domain specifically in Europe. This flexibility allows you to select a hosting provider that best suits your needs, ensuring a seamless user experience regardless of server location.
3. Canonical Tags Can Prevent Content Duplication
If you have multiple domains with similar content in the same language, content duplication can become a concern. Mueller suggests using canonical tags strategically to avoid Google interpreting the content as duplicate. Canonical tags indicate the preferred version of a webpage when there are multiple versions accessible through different URLs.
By implementing canonical tags correctly, you can signal to search engines that similar content across domains is intentional and not duplicate. Alternatively, introducing slight variations in content across these domains can also help differentiate them, reducing the risk of content duplication.
4. Support Local Currency With Google Shopping Feeds
To enhance your e-commerce performance and reach a broader European audience, leveraging Google Shopping feeds can be highly effective. Mueller recommends optimizing your product listings to support local currencies in these feeds. This allows your products to appear in Google’s Shopping search results, increasing visibility and driving targeted traffic to your EU domain.
By incorporating local currencies into your Google Shopping feeds, you can provide a seamless shopping experience for users across Europe. This localized approach to e-commerce can significantly improve conversions and drive targeted traffic to your EU domain.
5. Focus on the Homepage and High-Level Pages
When aiming to increase localized traffic to your EU domain, Mueller suggests prioritizing the optimization of your homepage and other high-level pages. Instead of undertaking a comprehensive site-wide overhaul, focusing on key pages can yield substantial improvements in traffic with efficient resource allocation.
By optimizing your homepage and high-level pages, you can create a strong foundation for your EU domain’s visibility in search results. These pages are often the first touchpoint for users, and by ensuring they provide a seamless user experience and relevant content, you can attract and retain targeted traffic.
See first source: Search Engine Journal
FAQ
1. What are hreflang tags, and how do they help increase localized traffic to my EU domain hosted in the US?
Hreflang tags are HTML attributes used to indicate the language and regional targeting of web content. They help search engines understand which version of a webpage to display to users based on their location and language preferences. To boost localized traffic to your EU domain, you should implement hreflang tags to direct users from different European countries to the appropriate subdomain within your site.
2. Is the server location important for improving visibility in international search results for my EU domain?
No, the server location of your website is not a significant factor in determining its visibility in international search results. Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, explains that server proximity to the target audience has less impact on search rankings. You have flexibility in choosing a hosting provider, and you don’t need to host your EU domain specifically in Europe to enhance its visibility.
3. How can canonical tags help prevent content duplication across multiple domains?
Canonical tags are HTML elements used to specify the preferred version of a webpage when there are multiple versions accessible through different URLs. Implementing canonical tags correctly can signal to search engines that similar content across domains is intentional and not duplicate. This helps prevent content duplication issues and ensures that your EU domain’s content is properly indexed.
4. What’s the benefit of supporting local currency with Google Shopping feeds for my EU domain?
Leveraging Google Shopping feeds with support for local currencies can enhance your e-commerce performance and reach a broader European audience. By optimizing your product listings to display prices in local currencies, you can appear in Google’s Shopping search results for users in different European countries. This localized approach improves conversions and drives targeted traffic to your EU domain.
5. Should I focus on optimizing the entire website or just the homepage and high-level pages to increase localized traffic to my EU domain?
John Mueller recommends prioritizing the optimization of your homepage and high-level pages when aiming to increase localized traffic. Instead of undertaking a comprehensive site-wide overhaul, focusing on key pages can yield substantial improvements in traffic with efficient resource allocation. These pages are often the first touchpoint for users and play a crucial role in attracting and retaining targeted traffic to your EU domain.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Christian Lue; Unsplash – Thank you!
