How to expand a SaaS product from a localized presence to a global market? It requires a strategic approach to ensure success in diverse markets. Daniel Johnson, a startup growth specialist, and Daniel Savov, Head of Growth at Carsome, share their insights on effective strategies for increasing digital presence and generating inbound leads in global markets. Let's talk about the ways to implement them.

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1. Localized Content Marketing

"Localized content marketing is essential," advises Daniel Johnson. "Create multilingual versions of your website and marketing materials, ensuring they are culturally relevant to each location."

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Daniel Savov echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of localized content: "If you go to a new market, you need localized content. This includes websites, blog posts, case studies, and landing pages. Try to sign up in the local languages. Ensure that the content addresses local needs, and culture and is relevant to local industry trends."

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For example, HubSpot successfully expanded into global markets by localizing its content. They created dedicated websites for different regions, such as HubSpot Germany and HubSpot Japan, with content tailored to the local audience. This approach significantly increased their inbound leads and market penetration in these regions.

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According to a study by Common Sense Advisory, 72.1% of consumers spend most or all of their time on websites in their language, and 72.4% said they would be more likely to buy a product with information in their language.

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Implementation Strategies

• Multilingual Websites: Develop versions of your website in the local languages of your target markets. Ensure the content is not just translated, but also culturally adapted to resonate with local audiences.
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• Localized Blog Posts and Case Studies: Produce content that addresses the specific needs and challenges of the market. Highlight how your product has successfully solved similar issues in other regions.
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• Localized Marketing Materials: Create marketing collateral, such as brochures and whitepapers, tailored to the cultural and business norms of the market.

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2. International SEO and Paid Marketing

A report by SEMrush found that 75% of internet users never scroll past the first page of search results, highlighting the importance of high search engine rankings. Additionally, a BrightEdge study showed that organic search drives 53% of all website traffic, emphasizing the value of SEO in digital marketing strategies.
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"Look into international SEO, including country-specific domains and subdomains, and acquire backlinks from relevant localized sources," suggests Daniel Johnson.

Daniel Savov adds, "I focus more on SEO because it's free. International SEO can be effective if you know how to use it and the market you are entering has a lot of search volume in terms of keywords, product, the problem you are solving." He also recommends starting with a minor budget to test conversion rates, CTR, and landing page sign-ups before scaling.

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Steps to follow

• Country-Specific Domains and Subdomains: Use country-specific domains (e.g., .de for Germany, .jp for Japan) to boost local SEO. Subdomains (e.g., jp.yourcompany.com) can also be effective.
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• Localized Keywords: Conduct keyword research for each target market to identify local search terms and optimize your content accordingly.
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• Backlink Acquisition: Acquire backlinks from reputable local websites to improve your search engine rankings in each market.
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• Paid Marketing Campaigns: Run PPC campaigns on local search engines and social media platforms. Test with small budgets to optimize conversion rates and ROI.
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For example, Shopify expanded its global presence by implementing an international SEO strategy. They created localized versions of their website and optimized for local keywords. They also ran targeted PPC campaigns on platforms like Google and Facebook, which helped them generate significant inbound leads in new markets.

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3. Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

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"Identify influencers or companies in specific locations to develop partnerships, and consider reseller partnerships for broader access," Daniel Johnson advises.

Daniel Savov highlights the importance of partnerships: "Leveraging partnerships with local businesses and influencers can significantly boost credibility and brand visibility. There are some ways you can do it; like branded content, joining events, or trying cross-promotional activities that help to establish a presence."

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Strategies to implement

• Influencer Collaborations: Partner with local influencers who can promote your product to their audience. This can help build trust and credibility in new markets.
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• Reseller Partnerships: Collaborate with local resellers who can distribute your product and provide localized support.
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• Branded Content and Events: Create co-branded content with local partners and participate in local events to increase visibility and engagement.
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• Cross-Promotional Activities: Engage in cross-promotional activities with local businesses to reach a broader audience.
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Zendesk expanded its presence in the Asia-Pacific region by forming strategic partnerships with local companies. They collaborated with regional resellers and participated in local events, which helped them establish a strong foothold in the market and significantly increase their inbound leads.

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A study by Forrester Research found that companies with mature partner programs grow their annual revenue nearly twice as fast as companies without them. This underscores the value of strategic partnerships in driving business growth.

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4. Localized Onboarding and Support

Daniel Johnson emphasizes the importance of providing multilingual support and localized onboarding. "Ensure that new customers receive support in their local language and that the onboarding process is tailored to their specific needs."

According to a report by Intercom, 75% of customers prefer to use their native language when interacting with customer support, and 58% said customer support in their native language increases their loyalty to a brand.

For example, Slack offers multilingual support and has localized its onboarding process for different regions. They provide region-specific resources and conduct webinars in local languages, which has greatly improved customer satisfaction and retention in global markets.
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Key points

• Multilingual Support: Offer customer support in multiple languages to cater to the needs of your global customer base.
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• Localized Onboarding Programs: Develop onboarding programs tailored to the cultural and business practices of the market.
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• Customer Education: Provide localized educational resources, like webinars and tutorials, to help customers understand and use your product effectively.

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5. Utilizing Traditional and Digital Marketing Techniques

"Additionally, guest blogging, webinars, and providing case studies localized to each area can be very effective," says Daniel Johnson.

For example, Trello used guest blogging and webinars to expand its presence in international markets. They collaborated with local influencers and industry experts to produce content tailored to each region. This strategy helped them attract huge inbound leads and grow their user base globally.
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Moreover, according to a HubSpot report, companies that publish 16 or more blog posts per month get almost 3.5 times more traffic than those that publish four or fewer posts.

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Additionally, a Demand Gen Report found that 47% of buyers viewed three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep, emphasizing the importance of content marketing in lead generation.

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Try this out

• Guest Blogging: Contribute guest posts to popular local blogs and websites to increase your visibility and reach in new markets.
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• Webinars and Online Events: Host webinars and online events in local languages to engage with potential customers and demonstrate the value of your product.
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• Localized Case Studies: Share case studies that highlight successful implementations of your product in similar markets. This can help build trust and credibility with new prospects.
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Conclusion
Expanding a SaaS product from a localized presence to a global market requires a multifaceted approach. Implement localized content marketing, international SEO and paid marketing, strategic partnerships, localized onboarding and support, and a blend of traditional and digital marketing techniques, you can effectively increase your digital presence and generate inbound leads in global markets.

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