Spanish SEO in the United States
Often, companies seek Spanish SEO to make an impact in Spain or Latin America. However, many brands prosper applying Spanish SEO in the United States. It makes a lot of sense considering the number of Spanish-speaking citizens and households in the United States.
Furthermore, Hispanics may seek service providers who cater to Spanish speakers. Some United States citizens may actually prefer shopping and buying in Spanish.
More than 500 million speak Spanish. 13% of the United States speaks Spanish at home. And, aside from Mexico, the United States is home to the second-largest number of Spanish speakers.
Often, brands seek Spanish SEO services to stimulate new markets in Mexico, Chile, Spain, or other Spanish-speaking countries. However, as the data shows, the United States is home to many Spanish speakers.
And, even those who are bilingual often seek product and service providers who can speak or provide content in Spanish.
Spanish SEO – Spanish and English Search Behavior
Spanish SEO converts web content into Spanish. But, when is Spanish translation most effective?
Consider a web user may use a search engine in English or Spanish, getting separate search results for each language.
Additionally, a United States consumer may use Google in English but be affected by how a product or service caters to Hispanics.
A brand may offer content in both languages. And, since developing content involves identifying keywords, a brand must consider leveraging English and Spanish keywords.
However, effective Spanish SEO requires more than translation. The process of transcreation dramatically improves user experience and makes a stronger first impression.
“When my husband got his car and his phone once we arrived in Florida, he breezed through setting up and customizing them with his preferences—because both allowed him to do it in Spanish. Serving Spanish speakers—and people who speak many other languages were baked into the product development process and into the overall user experience.”
Further Reading:
So, Spanish SEO considers user experience in forming web content and digital advertising. And, pay-per-click is part of the process.
Spanish PPC
A Spanish PPC campaign targets Spanish speakers within a particular region. However, consider how multi-language households use search engines. A Spanish speaker may set search preferences to return results in English or Spanish.
So, a brand could potentially use two sets of PPC ads, targeting consumers in English and Spanish.
It’s a great strategy for those who want to target cities and regions with a high population of Hispanics.
Further Reading:
English-to-Spanish PPC Strategies
Hispanic Populations in America
Spanish SEO experts consider the number of Spanish speakers in a particular region.
However, understanding the background of natives informs preferences. Let’s consider the background of Hispanics living in Texas.
Due to its proximity to Mexico, an experienced marketer would research further, finding Texas to be among the top states of Mexican residence.
The Spanish language is diverse and allows for a range of regional dialects. So, Spanish SEO seeks to align a targeted Hispanic population with the preferred dialect.
What Version of Spanish SEO?
We’ve discussed the number of Spanish speakers throughout the United States. However, smart marketers consider the many dialects of Spanish, for Spanish spoken in Spain differs from that in Mexico. Moreover, Mexicans speak a different form of Spanish than those in Cuba, and so on.
Once a marketing team identifies a region of interest, it’s then time to align the region with preferred Spanish dialect. For example:
The Colombian population is concentrated in Florida (31%), New York (14%) and New Jersey (12%).
Argentine population: Florida (29%), California (18%) and New York (10%)
Mexican population: California (35%), Texas (26%) and Arizona (5%)
Transcreation ensures content reflects proper dialect, tone, and culture.
Peruvian population: Florida (19%), California (16%) and New Jersey (14%)
Panamanian population: New York (17%), Florida (16%) and California (10%)
Nicaraguan population: Florida (36%), California (29%) and Texas (6%)
The Cuban population is concentrated in Florida (66%), California (5%) and New Jersey (4%).
This gives marketing messages an impact that most competitors lack, showing Hispanic populations a brand appreciates and understands heritage and customer preferences.
An experienced professional admits the dangers of using neutral or non-preferred versions of Spanish.
So, Spanish SEO in America uses the same philosophy of delivering ‘localized’ content. But, when applied in America, Spanish SEO considers the density of Hispanics along with preferred dialect.
Steps to Spanish SEO in the U.S
Do initial research. Use surveys and internal analytics to identify a subset of customers who identify as Hispanic.
Then, consider translating brand-related content and advertising into Spanish.
Locate pockets of Hispanic populations throughout the United States.
Identify the correct dialect of Spanish and layer-in transcreation.
Assess the impact on sales, web traffic, and overall brand awareness.
Consider expanding into Mexico, Colombia, or another Hispanic market beyond the United States.
Have you considered making a great impression on a growing population? Altura helps brands grow by targeting Hispanic populations within the United States and beyond. Make a genuine impression and create lifelong relationships with customers.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_language_in_the_United_States
https://www.brookings.edu/research/americas-racial-diversity-in-six-maps/
https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheet/latinos-in-the-u-s-fact-sheet/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/hispanic-population-by-state
