For international companies targeting the American market, professionally written online content is critical. Whether on their phones, tablets, or laptops, more than half of all Americans begin their searches for products and service providers on Google. As a result, if you want to target the American market, an effective online presence is key—and this starts with English-language written content that is specifically crafted for your business’s U.S. audience.
Of course, getting American visitors to your business’s website is just the start. Once they’re there, they need to be convinced to take the next step. Whether this means making a purchase or scheduling an appointment, custom-tailored content is key here as well.
10 Key Elements of Effective Website Content for International Companies Targeting the American Market
At Smart Content, we provide professional content writing for international companies targeting the American market. We have written for companies in several countries around the world, in addition to writing for numerous businesses, firms, and institutions in the United States.
Targeting an American audience from abroad presents some unique considerations—which we take into account with our global content services. For example, here are 10 key elements of effective website content for international companies targeting the American market:
1. Professionally Written English-Language Content
All websites targeting American audiences should have professionally written English-language content. Simply translating a foreign-language website into English is not enough, as the style, grammar, and cultural expectations in the U.S. often vary from those in other countries. Translating a foreign-language website into English can be a good start (and we provide translation services), but extensive technical and substantive revisions will usually be necessary. In many cases, it will be more cost-effective to build English-language website content for the American market from scratch.
2. Content Written for American Audiences
Beyond being well-written in English, website content targeting the American market should also be written specifically for your business’s desired U.S. audience. When we write website content, our client’s intended audience plays a major role in everything from the reading level we target to the writing style we choose. But, this does not mean ignoring your business’s geographic location or cultural underpinnings—to the contrary, these will often be key features to highlight for international companies seeking to attract American clients or customers.
3. Content that Clearly Explains Your Products or Services
When writing website content targeting an American audience, it is important to clearly describe your products or services. Your prospective customers or clients will want to make informed decisions, and they will quickly go elsewhere if they cannot find the information they need to feel comfortable moving forward.
4. Content that Highlights Your Background and Experience
Likewise, when writing website content for international companies targeting the American market, we generally like to highlight our clients’ background and experience. This is especially true for law firms and other service providers. Prospective clients in the U.S. will want to know that you have the capabilities required to meet their needs in your country.
5. Content that Emphasizes Your English-Language Capabilities
When targeting English-speaking American audiences (which encompass the substantial majority of the U.S. population), international companies should emphasize their English-language capabilities. Your English-language website content will play a major role in this process, but we also like to clearly state that our international clients are able to work with their American clients or customers in English whenever possible.
6. Content that Emphasizes Your Ability to Work with U.S. Clients (or Ship to the U.S.)
Along with emphasizing our international clients’ English-speaking capabilities, we also like to emphasize their ability to work with U.S. clients (or ship to the U.S.). For service providers, this will typically mean discussing their ability to work with U.S. clients or customers remotely—though it may also involve explaining their process for working with U.S. clients or customers once they make the trip overseas.
7. A Well-Organized and Content-Rich Website
Taking a step back, when providing content writing services for international companies targeting the American market, we also place emphasis on ensuring that our clients’ websites are well-organized. Again, your goal should be to help prospective clients or customers in America quickly gather the information they need to make informed buying decisions. If the English-language content on your business’s website is not well-organized, or if it is insufficient to provide prospective customers or clients with the information they need, it is not going to serve its intended purpose.
8. Well-Structured Website Content that is Easily Digestible
Just as your international company’s website should be well-organized, the content on each of its English-language pages should be well-structured. Among other things, this means using headings and short paragraphs to break up long blocks of content and using lists to highlight key features, benefits, and distinguishing characteristics. This is something we emphasize in all of our professional content writing services, as it makes our clients’ content easy to digest and guides readers toward our clients’ calls to action.
9. Effective Use of Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Unless you intend to rely on social media, paid advertising, or referrals, getting American clients or customers to your company’s website will require effective use of organic search engine optimization (SEO). We provide professional organic SEO services for clients in the U.S. and abroad, and we have specific experience working with international companies targeting the American market.
10. Your Preferred Method of Contact for Inquiries from America
Finally, when targeting an American audience with your company’s website content, it is important to include your preferred method of contact for inquiries from America. For example, we prefer that companies interested in working with us contact us through our website rather than calling. This allows us to do some preliminary research before our first conversation, and it also works best since we aren’t able to answer the phone during many of our international clients (and potential international clients) normal business hours. You may have other preferences—and communicating these preferences clearly will help ensure that your first interaction is as positive and productive as possible.
3 Ways International Businesses Can Use Online Content to Target the American Market
While our discussion thus far has primarily focused on developing English-language website content, there are three main ways that international businesses can use online content to target the American market. These are:
- An English-Language Version of Your Organization’s Website – Establishing an online presence in America starts with a professionally written English-language version of your organization’s website. As discussed above, your website’s English-language content should not simply be a direct translation of its native-language content, and it should be written, structured, and organized with U.S. readers in mind. At the same time, it should highlight your organization’s international traits and capabilities—as these will generally be key considerations for prospective clients or customers in America.
- Monthly Content with Geo-Targeted SEO for American Markets – Monthly articles with geo-targeted SEO provide opportunities to get found and further demonstrate your organization’s offerings and expertise. For example, a law firm in France seeking to work with American law firms with business in Europe may target keywords such as “French law firm for U.S. businesses.” Or, an architecture firm in Dubai may target keywords such as, “Dubai architecture firm for U.S. businesses,” or, “Dubai architects for U.S. citizens.” Similarly, a travel agency or outfitter in Costa Rica may be able to gain U.S. customers by targeting keywords such as “Costa Rican travel tips for U.S. citizens,” or, “Costa Rica adventures for American visitors.” Not only can these types of keywords help with organic SEO, but they can also make clear that a business is interested in serving American clients or customers.
- Articles Published on Third-Party Websites – Publishing articles on third-party websites—from LinkedIn to online industry publications—can provide an instant boost to your organization’s online presence in America. In addition to writing website content and monthly articles for international companies targeting the American market, we ghostwrite articles for third-party websites as well.
Engaging an American Digital Marketing Agency to Write Content for Your International Business
If you are interested in engaging an American digital marketing agency to write content for your international business, we can help. We have extensive experience providing custom content writing services for international companies targeting the American market. We can work with you remotely (as we do with all of our clients), and we can assist you with understanding both the types of English-language content and the volume of English-language content your organization will need to reach your desired U.S. audience.
We can provide organic SEO services for the American market as well. Or, if you will primarily be promoting your organization’s English-language website on social media, through third-party listing sites (i.e., Viator.com), or through in-person networking or referrals, we can develop custom content without the additional cost of organic SEO. We can custom-tailor a solution to your organization’s needs, and we can work with you on an ongoing basis to continue building your international company’s online presence in the United States.
Contact Us for More Information
If you are interested in our professional content writing services for international companies targeting the American market, we invite you to get in touch. Please contact us online to get started today.