International SEO · Sydney owned

International SEO services for
businesses selling overseas.

We help Australian businesses rank in New Zealand, the UK, the US and beyond. We set up the URL structure, hreflang and localised content, so the right page ranks in the right country and every market is tracked.

Hreflang done properly
Reporting by country
No lock-in contract
Free international SEO audit
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4.8/5 on Google · 120+ clients

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Our SEO analyst checks your URL structure, hreflang and which country’s pages rank where, then emails your top fixes. No sales call unless you ask for one.

  1. 1We check your set-up. URL structure, hreflang and which pages rank in which country.
  2. 2You get your top fixes. Ranked by impact, by email.
  3. 3We talk, if you want to. No obligation.

Trusted by Australian businesses

Athelyx logoAustralian Reuse logoWMIT logoDarling CarreANZ Lens logoAuto Store logoBaby Delux logoBedget Supplies logoBought Property Group logoCincy logoGalli Galli logoGood News RE logoHouse of Jaise logoJR logoKiller Candle logoKoogle logoLion Bushido logoMoto Mates logoNorthern Rivers logoPet ID Tags logoProfessional Build logoRobust Coffee logoRoselan Vet logoSwitched On logoTempo Living logoThe Muglan logoWest Artic Air logoswitched-on-bookkeeping logoGalli Galli logoANZ Lens logoEight Quarters logopet-id-tags logoscale-constructions logosleep-and-sound logo
What it is

What international SEO is,
and when you need it.

International SEO is the work of telling search engines which countries and languages each page is for, so the right version ranks for searchers in each market.

It builds on the same foundations as any campaign from our SEO agency Australia team, then adds URL structure, hreflang, localised keywords and content, and links from each market.

  • You’re expanding overseasPlan the structure before launch, not after.
  • The wrong country’s page ranksYour Australian prices show up in UK search results.
  • A translated site gets no trafficTranslation without local keyword research rarely ranks.
  • You’re merging or moving domainsCombining country sites needs careful redirects.
URL structure

ccTLD vs subdomain vs subfolder:
which structure to choose.

Your URL structure is the biggest early decision in any international SEO strategy, and the hardest to change later. Here’s how the three main options compare.

Country domains (ccTLD)

yourbrand.co.nz
Country signal
Strong
Shared authority
None
Cost to run
High
Pros
  • Clearest signal of which country a site is for
  • Local buyers often trust a local domain
Cons
  • Each domain builds its own authority from zero
  • More domains, hosting and upkeep

Choose it when each market has its own team, budget and offer, and local trust matters most.

Subdomains

nz.yourbrand.com
Country signal
Medium
Shared authority
Partial
Cost to run
Medium
Pros
  • Easy to set up, with separate hosting if needed
  • Suits different platforms per market
Cons
  • Often behaves like a separate site
  • Visitors can’t tell if “nz” means country or language

Choose it when a market runs on a different platform or system you can’t merge.

Our usual starting point

Subfolders

yourbrand.com/en-nz/
Country signal
Medium
Shared authority
Full
Cost to run
Low
Pros
  • Every link you earn helps every market
  • One site, one CMS, one Search Console property
Cons
  • Relies on hreflang and local content for country signals
  • One server location for all markets

Choose it when you’re entering new markets from one main site, which suits most Australian businesses.

Pros and cons summarised from Google’s guide to managing multi-regional and multilingual sites, with our view on when to choose each. Ratings are our judgement, not Google’s.

Hreflang

Hreflang set up so the
right page ranks.

Hreflang tells Google which version of a page is for which language and country, so searchers in each market see their own page.

It matters most when your country pages are similar, such as Australian, New Zealand and UK pages in English. Google accepts it in HTML, HTTP headers or the sitemap, as set out in its guide to localised versions of your pages. The mistakes we fix most:

  • Missing return tags, so Google ignores the set
  • Wrong codes, such as en-UK instead of en-GB
  • Tags pointing at redirected or noindexed pages
  • No x-default for visitors from other countries
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-au"
  href="https://yourbrand.com/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-nz"
  href="https://yourbrand.com/en-nz/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-gb"
  href="https://yourbrand.com/en-gb/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-us"
  href="https://yourbrand.com/en-us/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default"
  href="https://yourbrand.com/" />
The same set goes on every version of the page, including a link to itself. Example domain only.
Localisation

Localisation vs
translation.

Translation changes the words, while localisation changes what each market needs to see to buy from you.

Even English markets differ. A UK buyer searches “trainers”, not “runners”, and expects pounds and UK delivery times. Google also advises against redirecting visitors by location, so each version must stand on its own. Our SEO content and copywriting team writes each market from its own keyword research.

Translation compared with localisation for international SEO
AreaTranslation onlyLocalisation
KeywordsTranslated from EnglishResearched in each market
Spelling and termsAustralian terms keptLocal spelling and product names
Prices and deliveryAUD everywhereLocal currency, shipping and returns
ProofAustralian reviewsLocal reviews, standards and contacts
LinksFrom Australian sitesFrom sites in that market
What's Included

What our international
SEO agency delivers.

Everything that decides whether you rank in each country you sell to, handled by one team.

International SEO Audit
Which pages rank in which country, hreflang errors, duplicate country pages and gaps against local competitors.
Market & Keyword Research
Search demand and competition in each target country, so you enter the markets most likely to pay back first.
URL Structure & Migration
The right structure for your business, and redirect plans when moving or merging sites, with moving your site without losing rankings as the rule.
Hreflang & Technical Set-Up
Hreflang, canonicals, sitemaps and country reporting in Search Console, handled by Humming Web technical SEO.
Localised Pages & Content
Country pages written from local research, not copied with a new currency. For non-English markets, we tell you upfront if a native-speaking specialist is needed.
Links in Each Market
Local publications, directories, partners and suppliers, using our link building services.
AI Search in Each Country
Checking how AI answers describe you in each market, through our AI search optimisation.
The first 90 days

Your first 90 days
of international SEO.

Most businesses see technical fixes picked up within weeks and new country pages ranking in 3 to 6 months. Competitive markets such as the US usually take 6 to 12 months.

  1. 1 Month 1

    Audit, structure and tracking

    • International SEO audit and market research
    • URL structure agreed and hreflang errors fixed
    • GA4, Search Console and call tracking split by country
  2. 2 Month 2

    Localised pages

    • Priority pages localised for your first market
    • On-page work and internal linking per country
    • Country details: currency, delivery and contacts
  3. 3 Month 3

    Local authority and first report

    • Link building and digital PR in your target market
    • First report by country and review call
    • A plan for the next market

After 90 days: the campaign continues month to month with no lock-in contract.

Get your free international SEO audit

Is the wrong country’s page ranking?

Get a free international SEO audit and we’ll show you what to fix first.

Get my free audit
Who it’s for

International SEO for
your type of business.

The structure and priorities change with what you sell and how you sell it overseas. Here are three common cases.

Online stores shipping overseas

Country pricing, shipping, Shopify Markets and product feeds for each market.

SEO for online stores

Software selling to the US and UK

Comparison and integration pages written for overseas buyers.

SEO for software companies

Large multi-country sites

Thousands of pages, several regions and teams to coordinate.

Humming Web enterprise SEO
Your team

The international SEO team
behind your campaign.

The same four people from day one, across every market you target.

Strategy

SEO lead

Chooses markets, structure and priorities with you.

Data

SEO analyst

Handles hreflang, technical set-up and country tracking.

Content

Content writer

Localises pages from each market’s keyword research.

Delivery

Account executive

Your day-to-day contact, who runs the monthly review call.

What our clients say

“Humming Web completely transformed how we approach Facebook and Instagram advertising. Before working with them our ad spend felt like money down the drain, high cost per lead, low quality enquiries, and no real transparency from our previous agency.”
Craig R.Sydney, NSW
“Our social media went from an afterthought to our strongest brand asset. Content is original, on-brand, and actually looks professional. Engagement tripled in two months. Completely hands-off for us — they send the calendar, we approve it, done.”
Sarah B.Sydney, NSW
“At $99/month I was sceptical. It seemed too cheap to be quality. I was completely wrong. The content looks better than what bigger agencies quoted us three times the price for. No templates, no stock photos — everything is made for our brand.”
Michael T.Brisbane, QLD
“I'd tried two other agencies before Humming Web. This is the first time my Meta Ads have actually made me money. Transparent, fast to respond, and genuinely care about results. 5.2× ROAS in month two. Can't recommend enough.”
David K.Melbourne, VIC
“We always knew our socials needed work but never had the time. Now it's completely hands-off. Monthly calendar, we approve, it goes live. Clear reporting. Completely stress-free and the content quality is excellent.”
Lisa K.Melbourne, VIC
“Finally an agency that speaks plain English. Weekly reports tell us exactly what's working — no vanity metrics, no jargon. Leads are up 3× compared to what we were getting before. Direct line to the campaign manager is a game changer.”
James M.Perth, WA
“Switched from a large agency where we were just another account number. The difference is night and day. Humming Web actually understand our business, suggest new ideas, and are proactive. Results have been consistent and improving each month.”
Priya N.Sydney, NSW
“The no lock-in thing was what got me to give it a try. Three months later I'm not going anywhere. Content is consistently on-brand, engagement is up, and it's genuinely one less thing I have to think about. Worth every cent.”
Tom W.Gold Coast, QLD
“We tried doing it ourselves for years. The content from Humming Web is miles ahead — professional, creative, and actually gets engagement. Setup was painless and they were posting within a week. No contract, no setup fee. Simple.”
Emma R.Adelaide, SA

International SEO questions we get asked.

What is international SEO?

International SEO is the work of telling search engines which countries and languages your pages are for, so the right version ranks in each market. It covers URL structure, hreflang, localised content and keywords, and links from each country.

How much do international SEO services cost?

International SEO with Humming Web typically runs $1,000 to $5,000 a month, driven by the number of countries you target and how hard each market is to rank in. Many clients start with one market, such as New Zealand or the UK, and add others once the first is working.

How long does international SEO take?

Most businesses see technical fixes take effect within weeks and new country pages ranking in 3 to 6 months. Crowded markets such as the US often take 6 to 12 months, especially for a domain with few local links.

Should I use a ccTLD, subdomain or subfolder?

For most Australian businesses, subfolders, because every market shares one site's authority and costs less to run. Country domains suit businesses with separate teams per market. Subdomains suit markets on separate platforms.

Do I need hreflang for English-speaking countries?

Yes, if you have separate pages for Australia, New Zealand, the UK or the US with similar content. It's not needed when one version of your site serves every country, because there are no alternate pages to connect.

What's the difference between translation and localisation?

Translation changes the words, while localisation adapts keywords, spelling, prices, delivery and proof to each market. Localised pages are researched for local searches, so they are far more likely to rank.

Should we redirect visitors based on their location?

No. Google advises against automatic redirects by location or language, because they can stop users and Google reaching every version. A banner suggesting the visitor's local site is safer, alongside hreflang.

Will international SEO hurt my Australian rankings?

No, not when it's set up properly. Hreflang keeps your Australian pages ranking in Australia while new country pages rank overseas. Problems usually come from copied pages with no hreflang, which we check for in month 1.

What does an international SEO audit cover?

Which pages rank in which country, URL structure, hreflang and canonical errors, duplicate country pages, local keyword gaps and tracking by market. It ends with a fix list ranked by impact.

International SEO · quoted per market · no lock-in

Rank in the markets
you sell to.

Your free international SEO audit shows what to fix first in each country. No pitch, no pressure, just honest advice.

Free international SEO audit
Hreflang done properly
Reporting by country
No lock-in contract
International SEO
Custom quote
Set by the number of countries you target and how hard each market is. Most campaigns run $1,000 to $5,000 a month.
  • URL structure and hreflang for every market
  • Localised pages from local keyword research
  • Country report and monthly review call
  • No lock-in contract
Book a Free Strategy Call Or get your free international SEO audit

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