Proud partner
International marketing
Do you want your business to enter the international market? The Netherlands alone is no longer enough: you want to take the next step and, to do so, you’re going to cross the border. You’re absolutely right, but if you want to get started with international marketing, it’s important that you’re well prepared and know what to expect. After all, international marketing isn’t quite the same as your marketing activities in the Netherlands.
Traffic Today is your partner in international marketing. Organic growth is in our DNA: we do everything we can to help you achieve this. Our marketing specialists have the right knowledge and experience to provide you with a bespoke marketing plan that will help you achieve your objectives. Curious to find out how we envisage this? Get in touch, and we’ll discuss the possibilities!
The benefits of international marketing
You present yourself in various ways
Easier to experiment with services
Also great for your marketing within the Netherlands
Larger market
The perfect foundation for when you want to make the physical move
International brand recognition
The importance of international marketing
We strongly encourage the move into a different country. International marketing is, in fact, a highly effective way to grow your business. There are countless countries where your business can carve out an interesting market position. However, it’s important to realise that this won’t always be plain sailing. To make a big impact internationally, you need a strong strategy that aligns not only with your objectives but also with the country you’re targeting.
Want to use your Dutch marketing tactics abroad? It might sound like a good idea, but you’ll soon realise that’s not how it works. However, you can use this as a basis: you know what works domestically and what doesn’t. This is useful, as it allows you to build up experience in certain areas of work. There is a chance that this will also prove successful internationally, but it’s essential to check this beforehand. That way, you can be sure that your international expansion involves as few steps as possible and that you achieve great results as quickly as possible.
Are international online marketing and Dutch online marketing different?
To successfully implement your international online marketing strategy, it is important to recognise that there are differences between the Netherlands and the rest of the world. These differences are crucial to your marketing plan, as failing to take them into account could seriously undermine your own plans. We’ve highlighted a few differences for you to bear in mind!
- Directness: The Dutch are extremely direct. Here in the Netherlands, it’s seen as a good thing to tell it like it is, but when you want to do business with someone from a different culture, it’s best to tone it down a bit. This Dutch directness can quickly be perceived as rude – an impression you certainly don’t want to leave when you’re looking to enter into a new partnership.
- Payment methods: expanding into another country doesn’t just mean a different culture; it also means new technical considerations you need to take into account. A good example of this is iDeal. This payment method is the most widely used in the Netherlands, but is virtually never used outside the country. So, if you want to launch your online shop internationally, you don’t necessarily need to include iDeal, but you do need to offer other payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal or other local options!
- Legislation: a different country also means different rules. In most cases, this won’t have a major impact on your online shop or physical shop, but it’s still a good idea to check everything thoroughly. Particularly when it comes to privacy, there are sometimes differences, and breaching these regulations can result in hefty fines. So make sure you don’t get off to a false start!
- Tone of voice: ‘u’ or ‘jij’? In the Netherlands, we prefer to be addressed as ‘jij’, but this isn’t the case in every country. In countries such as Germany and the UK, it is actually the norm to communicate in a formal manner, especially when you are new partners. We therefore recommend writing your website using the ‘u’ form and omitting the ‘jij’ form.
Fenceweb / Zaunonline
A fine example of a client with whom we have expanded internationally is Hekwerkonline. This specialist in all things fencing is originally based in Enschede, the Netherlands. When Hekwerkonline came to us, it was a growing business, but also one where many opportunities remained untapped. We entered into the partnership and can confidently say we’ve achieved some excellent results!
Hekwerkonline is no longer just Hekwerkonline; it has also expanded to include Fenceweb (UK) and Zaunonline (Germany). Through a combination of services, Hekwerkonline is no longer just a major player in the Dutch market, but has also established a strong presence in the British and German markets. Impressive results are being achieved there too!
We achieve all this through close collaboration, guided by the philosophy that Hekwerkonline has developed over the years. We believe it is important to be critical, but we also consider it equally important that our actions are always in line with your corporate culture. At Hekwerkonline, this approach has proved a success! Are you curious to find out how we could apply this for you? Get in touch, and we’ll explore the possibilities together.
Curious to find out how we can help you?
Want to know where there’s still room for improvement? Find out with our free audit.
They’ve gone before you
International online marketing strategy in four steps
When you enter into a partnership with Traffic Today , we work with a bespoke marketing plan. We draw this up according to a fixed step-by-step plan, guiding us towards devising a targeted strategy and ensuring its successful implementation. By following these four steps, we guarantee you excellent online results!
Step 1 – Introduction
We can’t get started without getting to know each other first. To work in line with your business philosophy, it’s important for us to know who we’re dealing with. We do this through an introductory meeting. We’ll have a cup of coffee together and talk about who we are and what we stand for. We hope you’ll feel free to do the same, so that we have a clear understanding of who we’re dealing with.
Step 2 – Analysis and research
Now that we know who you are and what you want, it’s time to take a critical look. We do this by carrying out research and analysis. We assess your current market position and examine how you stand out from your competitors. We also discuss international marketing: a market analysis of overseas markets is therefore essential. We carry out these studies because we believe it is important to establish a baseline. This ultimately makes it easier to measure your results, but also to understand why certain actions lead to specific outcomes. This, in turn, helps to foster a flexible approach!
Step 3 – Implementation
Your strategy is in place: time to load the boat and make the crossing! During the implementation phase, your strategy is put into action by our marketers. This can involve a wide range of activities: we focus on SEO, SEA, Social Media or content – whichever fits best with your strategy. Our marketing specialists have years of experience with these services and therefore know exactly how to deploy them effectively. So it’s time to start seeing results!
Step 4 – Monitoring
Your product is up and running: time to sit back and enjoy the results. OK, this might sound plausible, but at Traffic Today things work just a little differently. We take a proactive approach, which means we’re always keeping a close eye on our products. Through active monitoring, we respond to results. If something isn’t going as planned, it’s easy to make quick adjustments.
Various international marketing strategies
A key part of your international marketing strategy will be how you position yourself. Generally speaking, there are four different international marketing strategies. We’ll explain them to you!
- Broadly speaking: in every country you target, you work with the same strategy. This strategy centres on one or more concepts, but these do not differ from one country to another.
- Adaptation: your concept remains the same, but this time its implementation varies from country to country.
- Differentiation: you still work on the basis of the same strategy, but this time with a different concept and therefore a different implementation in each country.
- Local: you adapt fully to the local context. This means a new strategy, a new concept and a new implementation for every new country you enter.
The right approach varies from company to company and from country to country. It might be a little tricky to determine what will work best for you, but we’re happy to help with that. First, we define your strategy; then we flesh it out for you and put it into action. Get in touch, and we can get started as soon as possible!
Which services are available internationally?
In the Netherlands, you’re familiar with a wide range of services. If you’re looking to undertake international marketing, you won’t really come across other services. However, it’s worth realising that the way these services are delivered may be completely different from what you’re used to. We’ll highlight a few that could form part of your strategy!
- Search engine marketing: whether it’s SEO or SEA, the best online results – both nationally and internationally – are achieved on Google. This is the quickest way to reach a large audience. For both forms of search engine marketing, it is important that you target the right keywords. These vary enormously from country to country; something you need to pay close attention to.
- International link building: it can be difficult to find a suitable link-building network, especially when operating internationally. At Traffic Today , we have a vast international network, making it easy to acquire valuable links. This also helps you rank highly in search results on an international level.
- Content marketing: your website needs to be populated with content, but there are also many other ways to express yourself through content. With a strong content strategy, we ensure we take a cross-media approach: for example, you promote your website on Instagram, your website includes an option to subscribe to email marketing, and in these emails you highlight a fun promotion on TikTok. A cross-media approach is highly effective, as it allows you to build a wide reach quickly and ensures customers are reminded of your business in various ways.
Traffic Today: your international online marketing agency
Are you ready to take on the world? International marketing is the way to go! We’d be delighted to help you with this. Our slogan is Digital. Growth. Together: we’d love to introduce you to this. Do have a look at our proposal video! Does this way of working really appeal to you? Great; we’d love to work with you! Get in touch, so we can start working towards the best possible results as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions about international marketing
What are the main challenges involved in expanding my business into international markets?
Expanding your business into international markets presents specific challenges, such as cultural differences, language barriers and local competition. Understanding these challenges and how to overcome them is essential for success.
What role does market research play in international marketing strategies?
Market research is crucial in international marketing. It helps you gain insight into the needs and preferences of target audiences in different countries, as well as the competition and regulatory framework in each market. Traffic Today has experience in Germany and Belgium, amongst other places, but also works closely with partners in other countries.
When should I, as an online shop, consider international marketing?
International marketing can be considered once you have exhausted or saturated the local market, but also if you find that your product or service is proving so popular that you expect other countries to want to make use of it too. With the growth of e-commerce, and certainly international courier services too, there are ever more opportunities to sell internationally, especially if you have an online shop. Even if you feel that your products or services are unique, it is worth considering international marketing.
What are the greatest opportunities in international marketing?
International marketing enables you to reach a wider audience. This makes it easier to expand your client base than if you were restricted to a single country. By selling internationally, you can also diversify your revenue streams and become less dependent on a single market. Don’t forget brand awareness either, which is constantly growing. This enables you to become a leading player in a market where people may never have heard of you before.
Are you ready to conquer the international market?
Are you curious about the possibilities of international marketing? Then please feel free to contact us for a no-obligation chat. By phone, online or in person? Just let us know what suits you best.
Our team is
ready to help you