TL;DR: The 7 Steps to an International Growth Strategy
- Prioritise markets with evidence. Size, fit, competition, unit economics.
- Choose an entry model. Direct, marketplace, partner/reseller, or hybrid.
- Localise the proposition. Messaging, pricing, payments, CX, and legal.
- Nail international SEO & web architecture. Hreflang, IA, content, and tech.
- Select channels by market reality. Media mix, creators, and partnerships.
- Test, learn, and scale. Rapid experiments; keep a strict kill/scale cadence.
- Operationalise & measure. Support, SLAs, analytics, and market-level P&L
You’ve nailed the home market. The brand looks polished, leads are flowing, and someone in sales is putting expensive pastries on the company card (Greg, of course). Naturally, the next thought is: “let’s go global.” But expanding abroad isn’t about swapping flags on your website and running your best campaign in Spanish. It’s discipline, creativity, and a lot of listening.
This guide is designed for CMOs who want substance (with a dash of wit). We’ll share practical steps and digital tactics, the kind you can brief to your team next week.
1. Do your research, properly
Before you pick a country, pick up some data. Too many brands dive in head‑first and only realise mid‑way that the pool is empty.
Key questions:
- Does the market actually want what you sell?
- Who are the local competitors?
- Any cultural quirks, laws, or taxes ready to trip you up?
How to do it:
- Government trade sites and analyst reports give a solid start.
- Chat to potential local partners for on‑the‑ground insights.
- Don’t forget keyword demand, a quick look can tell you how people actually search for your category.
Read case studies of how major brands successfully navigated international growth with localised marketing.
2. Pick an entry model you can actually execute
There’s more than one way to set up shop abroad, and not every option suits every business.
Your choices:
- Direct-to-consumer: Maximum control, maximum hassle.
- Marketplaces (like Amazon): Fast to test, but you’re renting someone else’s shop window.
- Local partners or resellers: Trust and distribution baked in, but margin sharing and governance headaches.
- Hybrid: Often the sweet spot.
The right option depends on your appetite for control, speed, and how many late nights your ops team can handle.
3. Localise the proposition (not just the words)
Translation is table stakes. Localisation is what makes customers feel like you built the experience for them.
What to tweak:
- Positioning and tone of voice: jokes don’t always travel well.
- Pricing: currency, tax, and discount habits differ.
- Payment methods: from Sofort in Germany to Pix in Brazil.
- Trust signals: reviews and certifications locals actually recognise.
- Customer service: support in the local language, at local business hours.
Pro tip: make a market readiness checklist before you launch: saves embarrassment later.
4. Sort your domains, Information Architecture, and international SEO technicalities
Here’s where a lot of brands lose the plot. Just because your .co.uk is flying doesn’t mean Google.de cares.
Options:
- ccTLDs (example.fr) strong local flavour, lots of upkeep.
- Subdomains (fr.example.com) flexible, but weaker signals.
- Subfolders (example.com/fr/) often the happy medium.
Basics not to botch:
- Hreflang tags (done right, not slapped on).
- Keyword research in the local language, not Google Translate.
- Decent site speed for the country you’re targeting.
For more on this, our Optimisation Insights section has numerous articles on international SEO.
5. Choose channels by local reality (not habit)
What works in one market may flop in another. WhatsApp rules in Brazil. Japan? It’s LINE. Germany loves LinkedIn and Xing for B2B, while Southeast Asia leans on creators and TikTok / Douyin.
Check local data before you splash out: SimilarWeb and Statista may not give perfectly accurate data, but are good sources to get a comparative indicator. Pick channels based on local usage and regulation, not gut feeling.
6. Test narrow, learn fast, scale deliberately
Treat expansion like a product launch. Start small, test quickly, and scale what works.
How:
- Run small paid campaigns to gauge interest.
- A/B test landing pages with localised copy.
- Track what’s actually moving the needle, not vanity metrics.
If it bombs, better to fail small than launch big and burn the budget.
7. Build the operating model, so it doesn’t fall over
International growth isn’t just marketing. It’s operations, support, and governance.
What to set up:
- Local customer support in the right language, on the right schedule.
- Processes for pricing, messaging, and promotions.
- Finance and tax tools that don’t melt when faced with multiple currencies.
Do this, and you’ll avoid the classic blunders like wishing customers a Happy Mother’s Day two months too late.
Measurement that earns board trust
Growth needs to be measurable. CMOs can’t walk into the boardroom with just “good vibes.”
Focus on metrics like CAC, LTV, churn, and NPS per market. Show when payback hits, and you’ll win trust (and more budget).
FAQs
What is an international growth strategy?
An international growth strategy is a structured plan to expand into new markets. This should typically cover market research, localisation, SEO, and channels for advertising and promotion.
How long does it take to see results?
Successful international growth doesn’t happen overnight. While making a dent on local market share might take years, you should expect to see early signs in 4–8 weeks. Measuring organic demand first is usually a good gauge of future success. Thereafter, building demand is critical. Scaling efficiently usually takes a few months.
What’s the best domain structure for international SEO?
For most small and medium business, creating local sections in the main country domain is the most efficient way to go. Subfolders are the preferred option nowadays, rather than subdomains.
Large enterprises may opt for ccTLDs (country-coded top-level domains) if you have big budgets and local teams.
Do I need native-language support?
Yes, if you care about retention and referrals.
Digital marketing makes it easy to launch new campaigns in multiple markets, but the reality of serving customers in lots of countries can be a lot more nuanced. Think about how you’ll handle complaints, distribution, customer service requests, billing inquiries and even local regulatory requests.
Final Thoughts
International growth isn’t a checklist. It’s a mindset. Get curious, test fast, and respect the markets you enter. Think global, act local. And keep the croissant budget under control, Greg!
- Explore how our international marketing strategy consulting can guide your expansion.
- Strengthen your market entry with new market research
- Gain clarity and direction through international marketing organisation transformation
About the Author
Stefano is a digital marketing consultant at AccuraCast, in charge of developing and executing effective digital marketing strategies to help clients achieve their business goals. His specialities include analysing data, digital strategy planning and teamwork.
