Tradeology, the ITA Blog

Michael Waters is an International Trade Specialist for the U.S. Commercial Service office in Atlanta

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In this digital age, a website is a necessity for any business of any size across all industries. A company’s website speaks about the organization and should be viewed by management as a virtual introduction of products and services offered to prospective customers.

However, working with international customers presents its own unique set of circumstances, especially when it comes to websites. For example, is there a link for international sales inquiries on your company’s website? And if so, what details are you requesting? What does your site look like on a mobile device or when translated into a foreign language? These are a few questions that every organization needs to consider when designing a website that offers a product or service for international customers.

Ensuring your company’s website is user-friendly can attract customers from abroad.

Globalizing your company’s website does not have to be overly technical. This article will provide a few easily implementable suggestions that anyone can apply, with the ultimate goal of increasing international sales.

One of the simplest steps a company can take to attract international clients is to ensure that foreign visitors know your company is interested and open for business. But you need to have more than just an “international sales” email address listed on the “Contact Us” page. While a direct email address is an important feature, having a specific page dedicated to International Inquiries is a best practice. Be sure that the information collected there is relevant, like removing ZIP codes and correct formatting of telephone numbers or addresses. An open field text box is generally a good way to go.

We also live in a world with a growing mobile workforce. Your company’s web presence should be mobile compatible. Not only is it an important aspect for international business, it also makes sense for your domestic customers as well.  Google reports that 61% of users are unlikely to return to a mobile site they if had trouble accessing it (McKinsey 2014). Work with your website service provider to ensure mobile compatibility is enabled, works properly, and that the content is limited to the most important information.

Turning now to search engines: Most of us domestically use Google or Bing, and there may even be a few still using Yahoo!. But does your company consider international search engines? Ever heard of Baidu, Yandex or Naver? If your sales team is trying to attract customers from China, Russia, or South Korea, then these need to be on your radar. According to ReturnOnNow.com, in 2015 Baidu had an impressive 55% share of all internet searches in China, with Yandex capturing 58% of the Russian market, and Naver with more than 77% of South Korean online searches . While Google maintains the majority share in Japan, Yahoo! Japan maintains 40% of internet searches. When targeting a specific market or region of the world, ensure that your company will be found when customers come looking by registering your company’s site map with the search engines in your target markets.

Speaking of site maps: Does your company’s webpage have one? A site map is an XML file that search engines use to “read” what is on your webpage and impacts where your company is listed on a search results page. If looking to grow your visibility internationally, it is important for your company to register the site map with popular search engines used in local markets. Site maps also exist as HTML files and can allow for quick navigation – important for customers in a developing market accessing the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Finally, companies may be tempted to translate webpages to attract international customers. While this is logical, it is important to do so properly, generally by professional translation firms. Your website should be free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. However, translation services can also be an expensive investment, especially if you translate your entire website; therefore, including a Google Translate link can be a more affordable option. If mistakes are made, an international visitor will know that it is most likely due to the translation software, and not the company. If your company has a few target markets, we recommend translating an introduction page (often a combination of the home page and “about us” page) so that foreigners from those markets can find your website when searching in their native language.

While these might seem like small details, they can make a lasting impression on a potential international customer, and result in a sale. With 95% of the world’s population outside of the United States,  it is important that your website reflects your interest in international business. Your local U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Center and Trade Specialist can help ensure that your international web presence works to assist your international expansion. Visit www.export.gov to find your local office and for additional information.

Aileen Yang recently completed an internship with the International Trade Administration’s Office of Trade Agreements, Negotiations, and Compliance. She is a graduate student at the Monterey Institute of International Studies located in Monterey, California. 

Aileen Yang

Are you enthralled by the world of trade policy? Are you driven for a career in international trade?  If so, an internship at the ITA’s Office of Trade Agreements, Negotiations, and Compliance (TANC) is the ideal place for someone who is passionate about international trade to become a part of an expert team of trade specialists dedicated to helping U.S. industries maximize their benefits from trade.

TANC is a part of the wider ITA Trade Agreements Compliance (TAC) Program that actively monitors and investigates our trading partners’ enforcement and compliance with trade agreements in order to ensure U.S. industries are provided a fair trading environment.

I had the pleasure of interning at TANC this summer. This afforded me the opportunity to work with a team of trade specialists who uniquely and directly work with private industry to resolve foreign government-imposed trade barriers related to government procurement, technical barriers, and border barriers, among others, they may be facing. I was fortunate enough to have found TANC’s webpage during my internship search and was delighted to learn the office was recruiting interns. I submitted my application materials, was contacted for a telephone interview shortly thereafter, and was eventually offered a summer internship with TANC, which I ecstatically accepted.

During my internship at TANC, I worked with the Trade Agreements team. Among my tasks, I assisted in writing talking points for government-to-government meetings and a WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade meeting; assisted in researching legislation to address foreign government concerns about U.S. state-level government procurement requirements; and assisted in compiling a statistical report to be submitted to the WTO Government Procurement Committee and will be used by U.S. negotiators to the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations. All of the work I was assigned was used to help real industries resolve real trade problems.

This internship provided me the invaluable opportunity to learn from and work with trade policy experts in a fast-paced and demanding field that cannot be obtained in a classroom. Where else would I have gotten the opportunity to write talking points for a senior-level official to deliver at a WTO meeting amongst delegates from all over world? More importantly, these talking points were used in ITA’s on-going efforts to engage our trading partners in remedying government-imposed regulations that put U.S. businesses at a disadvantage overseas.

Interning at TANC has strengthened my resolve to continue my studies for a career in international trade policy, and there is no doubt that I have chosen the right career path to head towards. Not only did I get to practice the tools I learned in my studies, I was able to witness first-hand how trade policy experts help the private sector ensure they can maximize their benefits from our trade laws and agreements. If you are exploring a career in international trade, apply for an internship at TANC and learn what the office has to offer.