How to Process International Traffic
by BennyB, www.sexmoney.com
How can you go about participating in the booming international market? I've discussed some methods in previous Klixxx issues, but here is another way to analyze your traffic and conversion potential. Have you considered sorting and ranking the various countries based upon credit card penetration? Also, research and be aware of certain credit card restrictions initiated by American IPSPs.
The low percentage of credit card penetration within foreign countries is one of the major reasons, why most international traffic is funnelled directly to a dialer. Meanwhile we have seen that countries such as Great Britain have started to restrict the Dialer business. Finland even outlawed the use of dialers within the adult market. In addition to that, the dialer does not feature the advantage of recurring billing. So what's left? To be honest, there is not much you can do if you think about doing it on your own.
If you are receiving a lot of international traffic, then you should be aware of factors such as the language barrier. Surfers that are coming from Norway, Sweden or Finland might not have difficulties in understanding your English sites. However, if you are dealing with countries such as Germany, Spain, Italy or France, then it is a different story.
Depending on the volume of your international traffic, it might be wise to offer your sites in different languages, but using common translation programs to translate your sites into a different language is an absolute no-no. The use of automated translation programs will result in incorrect translation and will lead to major misunderstandings. If you are translating your sites, consult a native speaker who knows the language and the slang words.
As we all know, there is more to the business than just translating your site into different languages. The content offered has to meet the preferences of the international surfers. For example, if you are covering the amateur niche, and you are receiving a lot of traffic from abroad, then it makes no sense to exclusively present American amateur content. Especially here, the user is interested in seeing the girl from next door. You should give your users the opportunity to chat with the girls, and therefore you must offer content and technology that enables the surfer to interact in their own language.
By considering the low credit card penetration of foreign countries, it is not hard to realize that international surfers prefer methods of payment other than credit cards. If you plan to successfully participate in international markets, you have to be able to offer additional methods of payment. Furthermore, you have to know all the specific search engines, webmaster resources, advertising portals, AVSs, TLDs and top-lists appropriate to your goals. This means you must spend quite some time researching the relevant market.
By taking a closer look at the credit card penetration of the European countries, it becomes obvious that American Sponsors and Webmasters have to alter their billing methods. Within the U.S. we have a credit card penetration of 98%, but most of the European countries haven't even crossed the 30% margin!
If you have the resources and the country-specific know-how, DO IT!
Those of us at SEXMoney are convinced that you are better off seeking international partnerships with affiliate programs that know the international market, the languages in the regions you are targeting, and who are able to offer local payment methods. You should focus on the things at which you are the best, and seek qualified partnerships for those areas in which you need assistance to maximize the most efficient use of your time, and to generate the maximum possible revenues from your sites.
BennyB holds an MBA in marketing, and is the CEO of CyberService's affiliate program, SexMoney.com. For more information on identifying and converting your international traffic, visit www.sexmoney.com, or contact Benjamin at: sales@sexmoney.com
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