Going global: what is international marketing?

You’ve built a successful reputation in your local market. All the hard work is finally paying off - you’re generating steady leads, closing deals, and building brand awareness. Your solution works and customers are satisfied. Locally, you’ve made a name for yourself. 

But lately, you’ve started to notice more and more inquiries from companies abroad or website traffic from international prospects. You’re beginning to wonder: is it time to expand to other countries?

Expansion is what occurs naturally alongside growth, and we all dream of reaching a wider customer base. You know your value proposition could benefit companies beyond your borders. You’re ready to take your business global. 

You probably have a lot of questions, the first one being: how to start? 

What is international marketing?

International marketing (IM) refers to expanding your marketing reach outside your domestic market. When done successfully, it means adapting your commercial strategy to fit the cultural, linguistic, and regulatory norms of the country you wish to expand to. 

The difference between global and international marketing lies in the fact that while global marketing applies a uniform strategy across markets worldwide, international marketing relies on extensive research, segmentation, and adaptation. How does this work in practice? 

Let’s say you are a French HR tech platform helping mid-sized companies manage their workflows. Your product is already established in France, but it was built with the local market in mind, and now you wish to expand to the UK and Benelux. 

To be able to successfully target these new markets, you can’t just recycle your current marketing and communication strategy. International marketing requires extensive research that involves a deep understanding of the new market and its demands - and factors like cultural differences will play a role. 

So, how do you turn a locally successful marketing strategy into one that resonates with international audiences? 

Launching your international marketing strategy: a step-by-step guide

To succeed with international marketing, you need to approach your strategy with clarity and intention. The truth is, many of us underestimate how much of our decisions are shaped by local and cultural factors. What feels natural and intuitive to you might come across as confusing, or even off-putting, to your international client. 

A good way to avoid these pitfalls is to follow a checklist to guide your strategy. Once you’ve done the groundwork, you might realize that launching an international campaign isn’t all that different from what you’re already doing at home. The key is in the research - and that’s where your strategy begins. 

1. Market research

Before even considering launching an international marketing campaign, carefully research the market you plan to expand to. What is your competition there? Is there a product-market fit? Bear in mind that success in one country doesn’t automatically translate into success in another. Doing this research beforehand ensures you don’t make some costly missteps. 

Starting “close to home” doesn’t, in this case, have to mean geographically. It means identifying markets that share similar characteristics in how they can be approached. These should be markets where your marketing strategy can be tested, refined, and scaled with minimal operational and financial risk. The goal is to reconfirm the product–market fit through research and real-world experience, before expanding further.

2. Legal compliance

Once you’ve identified the markets you will target, the next step is ensuring your business complies with local laws and regulations. These can vary significantly from country to country  - ignoring them can not only mean fines or reputational damage, but losing potential customers who expect compliance as a baseline.

Make sure to thoroughly research data protection laws, advertising regulations, or intellectual property laws: whatever is applicable to your product or service. For example, while use of customer data in Europe is regulated by the GDPR, other regions might have their own versions - like the CCPA in California or PDPA in Singapore. Being aware of the legislation beforehand leads to less surprises during the marketing and sales process. 

3. Adaptation

After you make sure you’re legally compliant with the target country, you’ll want to move to the execution of your marketing strategy itself. It is needless to say that to enter a new market, your current strategy has to be adjusted: adaptation means modifying your messaging and/or branding to fit the new country’s cultural nuances. 

Let’s take the French HR tech platform again. As a part of their expansion strategy into the UK, they might not only change the language or terminology, but also offer a different payment model. They might find that either monthly subscriptions or one-time payments are what works best for that market. 

How do you find out what to adjust? Consulting someone from the target country (or hiring a full marketing team) is a good way to know what features you need to tweak to reflect the local needs and values. You might find that it is necessary to switch marketing channels or communicate in a different way. It might be challenging for you at first, but tailoring your strategy to these preferences will enable you to reach your target audience. 

4. Localization

While we can consider localization a part of adaptation, it is a more narrow process that involves customizing content to fit the local language and preferences. The difference? Adaptation means broader product or service adjustments, while localization focuses on the language, visuals, and format of the content.

For example, localizing a website for the UK might include: 

• translating text into British English,
• changing date formats (dd/mm/yyyy vs. mm/dd/yyyy),
• adjusting images to reflect local customs or preferences (e.g., using local landmarks or people in the visuals).

Localization is a non-negotiable for your international marketing strategy - without it, even the best product can fall flat. Going beyond simple translation, it tailors your content to the cultural and linguistic context of your target audience. While implementing a one-size-fits-all approach can lead to miscommunication and lack of relevance, a well-localized message will build credibility, trust, and, ultimately - conversion. 

5. Measuring and optimization 

Finally, as with all marketing campaigns, don’t forget to track and optimize. When you enter new markets, you’re dealing with different customer behaviors, and measuring campaign performance and implementing tools like A/B testing helps you understand what works and what doesn’t. Backed by data, your international marketing will turn from guesswork into a strategy. 

Know your audience

International marketing shouldn’t be a shot in the dark. Whether you’re expanding into new regions or refining your domestic strategy, understanding how your customers think is key. Our Customer Insights Report gives you the data-driven insights you need to tailor your messaging accordingly.

Request your free Customer Insights Report now.