International Business and Technology Blog

In late March 2022, the European Parliament and EU member states reached what media outlets are dubbing a "historic deal" – the Digital Markets Act. EU leaders see this as their most significant overhaul of the digital marketplace in 20 years.

The Act has not reached full approval yet, but when the EU sets up digital regulations, you can expect a ripple effect around the world – just like when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policies were enacted. 

Here's what you need to know about the Digital Markets Act, how it will affect your business activities in Europe, and how you can leverage the Online Global programs to thrive in the European market. 

While a beautiful location to visit, the Caribbean can be a challenging export market. The islands are spread out geographically, the population is multi-cultural, and there are several different languages spoken there! How can you grow your business and boost exports in this geographically dispersed and diverse market?

Hillary Hassell of Hassell Free Exports came to IBT Online with that very question! “IBT Online set us in the right direction moving forward, I definitely see a long-term partnership with them!” says Hassell. IBT Online supported them with the build and launch of a localized website presence in this market, backed by strategic online marketing campaigns to ensure the Hassell Free brand would get noticed and ensure long-term business growth in this region.

Keep reading to learn how this Florida-based company launched a bespoke exporting strategy and boosted their sales in this tropical and multicultural market.

China's population of 1.4 billion people are online, engaging with a number of platforms and resources every day. In this new online world the best way to communicate and be found by your prospects, clients and partners is through localized websites and online marketing.

Discover what it takes to provide a unique online Local User eXperience (LUX) in their language and market.

Morooka America is a manufacturer of all-terrain construction equipment based in Virginia. They work primarily through a global distribution network.

Up until 2020, they had reasonably good sales in North America from local distributors and were gaining traction in European and South American markets. However, when the pandemic hit in March 2020, their international sales came to a halt.

Read how this manufacturer launched 4 new optimally localized websites and international online marketing programs with IBT Online to expand into new markets and exceed their sales goals during a global pandemic.

As Takashi Inoue, CEO of Morooka America, says; “I’m very happy with IBT Online and the web marketing they provide, and I want to recommend them to our mother company in Japan!”

What do sea cucumbers, soup seasoning, cattle, and safflower seeds have in common? They are all being promoted and sold online around the world via our Online Global Programs.

IBT Online has helped many agriculture exporting companies enhance their global reach by building best-practice, optimally localized websites and designing and implementing international online marketing strategies in their export target markets around the world.

Through the Online Global Programs, we’ve transformed agribusiness websites and their online corporate footprint so that they can be found, understood, and easy to do business with online in their chosen target markets.

The answer is simple - in order to succeed you will need an online presence that is optimized for the German audience, which means a localized German website, a .de, and a dedicated German marketing strategy.

Why do you need a localized .de website?

Germany is a major economy as a producer, importer, exporter, manufacturer etc. it’s got it all. In fact, Germany has the largest population in Europe, with 83 million people, and the fourth largest GDP in the world. It is a real powerhouse in Europe and thanks to its unique position nestled between Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland, its reach is widened. Its neighboring countries hold German-speaking regions, so one German website has the expanded reach of up to 100 million people.

It's no secret that the pandemic hurt a lot of businesses in 2020, especially brick-and-mortar businesses. As the premier Judo training center in Southeast Idaho, Blue Line Judo was severely impacted by the pandemic and was among the companies struggling to stay in business.

At IBT Online we have always been in the digital space, keeping and helping our clients stay ahead of the curve, but in 2020 the importance of being found, understood, and easy to do business with online became clearer than ever.

We know that digital is here to stay, and so does Blue Line Judo who has invested in two optimally localized, business development websites to help them make their new digital service global!

In today's online world, your website is your #1 business development tool. But is your website easy to be found, understood, and easy to do business within your target market? If not, it's time to invest in website localization -- you can't afford to wait any longer!

We worked with Fullerton Tool Company to launch two newly localized business development websites to help them reach their Spanish and French-speaking customers. Beth Bauer, the Marketing Content Strategist, says having localized websites to reach your target markets is “just a smart business decision!”

When you're up against the international competition, your brand will look "amateur" without the proper website setup. Optimally localized websites are the key to growing your exports, sales, brand, and business in foreign markets, and they should be included in your export marketing strategy.

Achieving marketplace recognition overseas to grow your exports, sales, brand, and business globally is not an easy task – you must "look through the lens of the customer!", as Davies Hood, president of Induron Protective Coatings, learned by working with us.

“I like to purchase domestically and in my own language and in US measurements. It made me realize our partners in different parts of the world like to do the same.”

At IBT Online we pride ourselves in being able not only to understand our clients’ businesses and their goals but also to have a tracked record of being able to build and promote brands that go beyond their domestic market.

IBT Online helped Induron think more like their international consumers instead of like marketing and salespeople, according to Hood; "this was a major mindset shift!"

Today IBT Online works with over 500 US companies helping them grow their exports, sales, brand, and business by developing best-practice, optimally localized business development websites, and international online marketing programs,  delivering Online Global success. 

Are the Online Global programs right for your business? Are you ready to take advantage of, and leverage Online Global Programs?