International Business and Technology Blog

The world wide web was invented 30 years ago and in just one generation has spread to every corner of the Earth and even beyond. The United Nations is debating including access to the web as a fundamental human right. But the risks of the web’s ubiquity are also increasingly clear. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the greatest challenge so far for companies as they scramble to tame their wild west websites. At the core of GDPR is the recognition that online personal data has a value. Who owns it and how should it be treated?

Growing your international business takes a collaborative effort. And as everyone knows who has ever worked on a project involving multiple people and resources, the key to success is communication. We at IBT Online have been successfully delivering collaborative projects for nearly two decades: building localized websites and delivering international online marketing for our clients. While communication is key, we also want to make sure we do the heavy lifting on the project, allowing you to focus on growing your exports, sales, brand and business globally.

How can Facebook groups increase your conversion rate?

Recently, I was lucky enough to attend the INBOUND 2019 conference in Boston! This was a great opportunity to learn about emerging trends in digital marketing. One session which really stuck with me was focused on the role of Facebook groups and how they’re gaining influence as user’s seek new ways to cut through the "noise" and find solutions. This makes FB groups a potent tool for companies looking to develop brand awareness in international markets and grow their exports. With the correct engagement, solving real issues for your potential clients, FB groups can act as a platform to engage honestly with your prospects, building brand awareness and the long-term trust needed to turn leads into revenue.

Reach new export customers and grow your business rapidly with Michigan Online Global programs. The top 3 benefits are:

1) attracting new international clients and growing your exports with global localized websites and international online marketing programs

2) grow your Online Global export, sales, brand and business success 

3) grants to invest in your business development ($6,000, $3,000 and $15,000).

How does that work for you?

Why Instagram?

Instagram is huge! With over 1 billion active users monthly, it is the second largest social media platform worldwide. Only Facebook is bigger. But that could change, as Instagram's rise shows no sign of slacking. Why is that important for businesses? Because in today's world businesses need to reach their clients and prospective clients on the platforms of their choice. And Instagram is a great choice for businesses.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a constant preoccupation of the online literati and given its importance in driving the internet, it is essential to keep up to date with the latest trends and concerns. The new Holy Grail of SEO is Search Engine Co-Optimization (SEC-O), promising huge rewards for combined organic and paid search. SEO guidelines and statements are regularly issued by the owners themselves, Google, Bing and their brethren. The debates, reactions and pontifications can be lively as researchers, practitioners and non-believers, exchange their opinions. ClickZ conferences are a great well-informed forum, and the recent New York event was no exception. Amongst the many soothsayers, Bill Hunt, President of Back Azimuth Consulting added his weight to the SEC-O debate “integrating, measuring, and optimizing PPC and SEO keyword data and insights to maximize their collective potential for traffic and conversions”. A bit of a mouth-full but worth unpicking.

Arabic is one of the world’s major trade languages. Combine that with the dominance of the internet in many Arab-speaking countries and it’s clear that companies need Arab language websites to get found, be understood and do business across the Arabic speaking markets. In countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, over 90% of the population access the internet regularly. Social media and ecommerce are well developed. In fact, Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest online spenders worldwide. So getting your Arab website right is vital for your company’s success in these markets.  

But what should that Arab-language website look like? Do you need one Arabic website for all Arabic speaking countries? What are the main differences with your English-language website? How about search engine optimization and keyword research for online Arabic? This blog shares some of our experiences building and managing corporate websites and social media marketing for Arab-speaking countries, but if you want more information, just get in touch!

Is it worth having a dedicated French website for France and if so, does that one website cover all other French-speaking markets? The answer is a clear yes to the French website and no to global coverage. France is a major economy that merits its own dedicated website to showcase your company and drive sales. But the website built for the French market is just not relevant for reaching your Quebecois or West African target customers. French is the 6^th most widely spoken language in the world but like most aspects of the worldwide web, it is being relevant to the local market – localization – that gets your company found, understood and doing business globally.

France is one of the largest economies in the world and French one of the most spoken languages, so it’s no wonder that so many companies looking to export globally opt for a French website. But the French spoken in France is dramatically different to that spoken in Quebec or in West Africa. This blog explains why your French website is not relevant to your other French-speaking business targets and sets out some tips on where and how to get you started on building sales, brands and business in the French-speaking world.

China’s online market is now the world's largest after several years of double digit growth. Many companies have managed to ride the wave and capitalize on the online frenzy. Small and medium-sized companies are increasingly taking on the market as well.

But China can be a daunting market for an exporter. Not only is everything from regulations, branding and marketing different to what you may be used to, but China is also a fast-evolving environment. Change can happen so quickly in China that the future arrives before the past is fully stripped away!

We thought it would be helpful therefore to share some of our experiences with exporters successfully doing business in China using online tools. Here are our top tips on how to get started in China in the online world.

A rose is a rose is a rose – except when it’s not. English is the most widely spoken language in the world, especially for business. So it might make sense to have just one English website for all English speakers. But in the online world, detail matters. Different English dialects use different keywords and getting the right keyword is essential to being found, understood and doing business globally. Some 63 countries claim English as a national language but having one English-language website will not give you instant access to those 1.5 billion English speakers. But the good news is that you don’t have to build 63 distinct English-language websites. In practice, regions can be grouped together and with some sharp proof-reading and keyword optimization for the local market, content can be re-used for multiple regions. In this blog, we look at some of the larger English-speaking regions and their distinct online linguistic profiles.