Online marketers urged to consider global audience

Online marketers are being told to remember that they have a potential market right across the world, not just in their own country.

For instance, many American marketers often forget that there is significant demand for their products from people outside the US, according to Google’s Tom Fochetta, writing for the internet giant’s retail blog.

He advises: “A good first step is to verify where your current international traffic is coming from.”

The expert suggests the online marketing professional can then use that information to more effectively target consumers from countries in which there are higher levels of demand.

Other tips from Mr Fochetta include displaying prices in local currencies, using keywords in relevant languages and greeting people with a splash page in their own language.

Meanwhile, Richard Dodd, head of media at the British Retail Consortium, has warned that online retail has been affected by the economic downturn.

However, the expert pointed out that online is still growing faster than traditional retail.