Allow me to guess: You’ve localized your site for international markets, set up hreflang tags (with mistakes probably, but we’ll get there), and translated your content. And now you’re sitting there and wondering why your German or Spanish pages are ranking somewhere between “nowhere” and “page 47.”
Here’s the unpleasant truth: Translation isn’t localization, and your English link building strategy isn’t going to translate to French, Japanese, or any other market. New languages mean new link environments, new outreach, and new rules of engagement.
This isn’t another listicle post telling you to “make quality content” (what groundbreaking advice, right). Instead, we’re covering the actual strategies that drive impact on global SEO results, starting with the one thing that most get appallingly wrong: market selection.
If you’re an in-house SEO team or an ecommerce business looking to go global, this is your playbook. No fluff, no generic tips you’ve read 47 times already. Only the strategies that actually work when you’re looking to rank in more than one language.
What Is Multilingual Link Building?
Multilingual link building means acquiring backlinks from websites in other languages to assist in growing your website’s authority and rankings in those specific markets. It does not refer to translating your English outreach emails and sending them out with fingers crossed (though I have seen people try).
Keep this in mind: If you’re trying to rank for “running shoes” in Germany, a link from Runner’s World Germany is far more valuable than one from the US version. Google’s algorithms are smart enough to comprehend regional relevance, language signals, and local authority hierarchies.
Here’s how it’s different from standard link building:
- You’re working with native language sites and publishers
- Cultural differences play a huge role in outreach success rates
- Each market has its own link ecosystem and quality standards
- Local search engines (Yandex, Baidu, Naver) have different requirements
The goal isn’t just getting links in different languages. It’s establishing genuine authority in each target market by gaining links from regionally relevant, quality sources that signal to search engines “this site belongs here.”
Above all, multilingual link building involves the understanding that what works in one market can be a complete failure in another. That pushy outreach that performs in the US? In Japan, it will get you ignored. The professional tone that suits Germany? Too stiff for Australia.
Why Multilingual Link Building Matters in 2025
The ecommerce industry globally is thriving, and if you’re only optimizing for English, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table. Consider this: over 75% of all internet users aren’t native English speakers. That’s not a niche, that’s the majority of your potential customers.
But here’s the cool thing for SEO. Google does not translate rankings from one language to another. Your rank 3 for “leather jackets” in English does not gain you any authority for “chaquetas de cuero” in Spanish. You’re essentially starting from scratch in each new market.
The business case is straightforward:
- Less competition in non-English markets (everybody’s fighting over English keywords)
- Lower CPCs if you’re doing paid on top of organic
- Higher conversion rates when you’re actually talking the language of the customer
- Diversified traffic sources (one algorithm update won’t wipe out your entire business)
I’ve seen ecommerce stores double revenue by properly targeting one more European market. Not because of better products or pricing, but because they simply showed up in search results and built local authority through smart link building.
The SEO value builds up exponentially. Each high-quality link in a target market signals relevance, builds domain authority for that language variation, and creates a beachhead for ranking more keywords in that territory. Unlike paid advertising that stops the moment you stop paying, these links just keep on working.
And let’s talk competitive advantage. While your competition is still debating if they should “go international,” you’re already building the link foundation that takes 6-12 months to really kick in. By the time they wake up, you’ve got a moat.
The Biggest Mistake: Spreading Yourself Too Thin
Here’s where most international SEO strategies go to die: trying to conquer every market at once. I get it. Your product may possibly work in 47 countries, so why not try to target them all?
Because resources are finite, and mediocrity across 10 markets loses to domination across 2 markets. Every. Single. Time.
The too-broad approach looks something like the following:
- Translated content in 8+ languages stagnant on your website
- Some random backlinks here and there in different markets
- No legitimate keyword rankings anywhere except in your home market
- Mixed signals to Google about which markets you actually service
It’s akin to trying to be fluent in 10 languages simultaneously and actually being fluent in two. You’ve got surface knowledge everywhere and expertise nowhere.
It problem compounds itself in link building especially. It takes volume to build real authority in a market (more on this later). One backlink from a Spanish site and two from Italian sites doesn’t do anything. You require concentrated effort to break through the noise and really rank.
I’ve seen companies spend months acquiring links in six markets, 3-5 links in each, and then they wonder why nothing is ranking. In the meantime, their competitor targeted Germany, acquired 50 good German links, and now they own the market.
The antidote is merciless prioritization. Pick 1-2 markets at most to start with. Not the markets you think you should be targeting or the ones your CEO mentions in meetings. The markets where you can actually win based on competition, search volume, and your capacity for execution.
How to Choose Your Target Markets
Market selection is where strategy meets reality. You need a framework to get you beyond “well, Germany is big” or “I heard the Nordics have money.”
Start with these three filters:
- Search volume for your key products/services (use SEMrush or Ahrefs to research)
- Your actual capability to serve that market (shipping, support, logistics)
- Competitive landscape (can you realistically compete with established locals?)
Here is a real-world example. Let’s say you’re selling premium coffee machines. You check search volumes and discover:
- Germany: 12,000 monthly searches for your desired keywords
- France: 8,000 monthly searches
- Poland: 15,000 monthly searches
Your stomach would be Poland (most volume). You then do some competition research and discover the Polish market is dominated by three massive local players with 5+ years of link building history. There are opportunity gaps in Germany, and France sits in between.
The smart play? Start with Germany. Medium volume, decent competition, and if you’re Europe-based, probably easier logistics.
Now look at your internal capability. Do you have any individual who speaks the language or understands the culture? Are you really in a position to fulfill orders without outrageous shipping costs? Will your customer service be able to handle inquiries?
Red flags that a market isn’t suitable yet:
- You’d be competing with Amazon’s local equivalent with no differentiation
- Search volumes are promising but the keywords are purely informational (no buying intent)
- You have no existing presence or brand recognition
- The marketplace requires significant product alterations you cannot create
Something else to take into consideration: link building difficulty. Certain industries are easier to build links in than others. Nordic countries have relatively open publishing landscapes. Japan can be exceedingly difficult without local contacts. Take this into account in your selection.
Select your initial market, stick with it for a minimum of 6 months, and conquer it prior to introducing an additional one. This is not sexy guidance, yet it is what in fact functions.
Constructing Volume within Each Market: The Neglected Tactic
Here is the observation the majority of multilingual link building guides omit: volume within each specific market is more significant than overall link tally across every market combined.
Google more or less treats each language version of your site as separate when it comes to regional rankings. Your 200 English backlinks are not going to help your Spanish rankings much. You have to achieve critical mass in each market by itself.
It’s like reputation building. It’s more valuable to have 100 people in Copenhagen who think that you’re great rather than 5 people in 20 cities who barely know that you’re alive.
The volume needed varies by contest, but as a general rule:
- Low competition terms: 15-25 quality local links to start to move
- Medium competition: 40-60 links at a minimum to break into top rankings
- High competition: 100+ links and time
This is why the “spray and pray” technique doesn’t work. Getting 3 links in German, 4 in French, and 5 in Spanish does more or less than nothing. You haven’t achieved critical mass in any of them.
The smart approach is building methodically. If you’re going after Germany, your goal isn’t “get some German links.” It’s “get 50 quality German backlinks within the next 4 months.” Targeted, measurable, specific.
Here is how you build volume efficiently:
Start with existing English content that is already popular. This content already has value and attracts links. Localize it properly (do not just translate) for your target market, and promote it within that specific market.
Leverage a link building marketplace where you have access to prescreened publishers in your target countries. This cuts out months of research trying to figure out which German tech blogs accept guest posts or which French business sites have sponsored content opportunities.
Another volume builder: local directories and business listings in your target market. I know, directories do sound like 2010 SEO advice. But local business directories in Japan, France, or Germany still make a difference and they’re relatively easy wins.
The secret is scaling without compromising on quality. 50 links from link farms that are trash are not going to cut it (and may hurt you). You need 50 links from actual, relevant sites in your target niche. This is where buying backlinks from authoritative vendors beats cold outreach, you get quality at scale without spending 6 months prospecting.
Strategies That Actually Work
Let’s get practical. These are the tactics that deliver for multilingual campaigns, not theoretical methods that sound good in blog posts.
Localized Content Creation
Create content for each market, not English content translated. Discover what people in Germany are really searching for in your topic. It’s typically not the same as English search trends.
Quick example: English speakers look for “best running shoes.” Germans tend to look for “Laufschuhe Test” (running shoes test/review). Intent is similar but content format expectations are completely different. Germans expect detailed, technical comparisons. Just translating your listy English article will not suffice.
Create content based on local events, seasons, and cultural phenomena. If targeting France, develop content based on “la rentrée” (back-to-school in September, which is enormous for French business). Such locally focused topics effortlessly garner links from local publishers writing about the same subjects.
Guest Posting for Regional Publications
Guest posting still works but with culturally calibrated approach. Find top blogs and online media in your target market. Find websites that write about your industry and have some domain authority.
The pitch is everything. Have a native speaker or professional translator do your outreach. Poor translations shout “mass outreach” and are deleted immediately.
Leverage Local Link Opportunities
Every market has its own ecosystem of connections. In Germany, some business directories and industry portals matter. In France, others. Get out there and do the research to find out what’s actually relevant in your target market.
Some possibilities to investigate:
- Industry associations in your target country
- Local business chambers
- Regional news sites covering your industry
- Country-specific review websites
- Local business/startup directories
Strategic Partnerships with Local Businesses
Partner with complementary businesses within your target marketplace. If you are selling coffee machinery, partner with local coffee roasters or coffeehouses. They link to you, you link to them, everyone wins.
These partnerships typically yield multiple links (from their website, blog mentions, social mentions) in addition to real business opportunities.
Repurpose Your Winners
Take your highest performing English content. These are pieces that have attracted links naturally, gotten traffic, yielded conversions. Now completely localize them for each target market.
Except here’s the twist: don’t just translate. Research the topic from scratch in that language. What are the top search results in German? What are the questions being asked? What’s the anticipated format? Then create something better that aligns with local expectations.
One good piece of localized content can attract 10-20 links if you promote it well in that market.
Use Technology but Verify Everything
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Majestic work in any language. Use them to find link opportunities, analyze the competition, and track your progress. But always verify opportunities with someone who really knows the market.
A site can look authoritative in backlink metrics but be completely irrelevant or low-quality to native speakers, so get someone in-market review your link targets before you invest time in outreach.
Technical Fundamentals: Get This Right First
Before you acquire a single link, your technical setup needs to be solid. Messing up hreflang implementation is like building a house on sand, and sooner or later, it all comes crashing down.
Hreflang Tags Are Not Optional
These tags tell Google what language version to show in search results. Mess them up and you’ll be presenting Spanish users with your English pages and the other way around. Use Google’s International Targeting Report in Search Console to monitor implementation.
URL Structure Matters
Subdirectories (example.com/de/) or subdomains (de.example.com) for languages. Subdirectories are generally better for SEO since authority is more easily passed. But country-specific domains (example.de) are okay if you’re doing that.
Be consistent. Don’t mix and match approaches between markets.
Regional Hosting (Sometimes)
For most languages, it no longer makes much difference where you host. But if you’re targeting China, Russia, or other markets with specialized infrastructure, local hosting can help both speed and SEO.
Mobile Optimization
This should be self-explanatory in 2025, but mobile behavior varies by market. Observe how your target audience actually browsed and optimize accordingly.
The primary concern: Get your technical house in order before you sink money into links. Clean up any crawl errors, proper indexing, and ensure that Google actually “sees” your language versions correctly.
Tools and Resources
Essential Link Building Tools:
Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or similar for competitor analysis in target local markets. Determine which sites are linking to local competitors. These tools work in any language.
Translation and Localization:
Never use Google Translate for content that will be used to acquire links. Use native speakers or professional services. The cost difference between amateur and professional translation pays for itself in link success rates.
Finding Link Opportunities:
A link building marketplace takes away the biggest headache: finding qualified publishers in your target market without spending months researching. Filter by metric, language, country, and industry to find opportunities that truly add up.
Outreach Management:
Keep detailed spreadsheets of your outreach by market. Track success rates, which pitches work in which markets, and relationship status with publishers.
Next Steps: Your 30-Day Action Plan
Enough planning, time to execute. Here is what you should do in the next month:
Week 1: Pick your target audience based on the above model. Research top 5 competitors and export their backlink profiles. Identify gaps that you can exploit.
Week 2: Audit your technical setup. Apply hreflang fixes, verify proper indexing, ensure your site is actually ready for links that you will be acquiring.
Week 3: Create or localize your first 3 pieces of content aimed at the target market. These will be your link magnets.
Week 4: Start link building. Either through outreach or buying quality backlinks, get your first 10 links from local sources.
Here’s the reality: most businesses never move past “thinking about” international SEO. They learn for a few months, then lose focus, then wonder why others are eating their lunch in emerging markets.
If you’re dedicated to multilingual link building, the advantage comes to whoever starts creating significant volume first. Those links build up over time. Your competitors might have better products or bigger budgets, but if you’ve got 60 good local links and they’ve got 5, you’re gonna outrank them.
Cease and desist with over-analyzing. Pick a market, generate volume within that market, measure outcomes, then scale. Not rocket science, merely work most won’t do.
That’s the opportunity.
