Search is a critical acquisition channel for streaming growth, and keywords are foundational to its success. Relying on keyword translation can limit your reach and engagement. Instead, international keyword research ensures your SEO and PPC campaigns connect with audiences effectively, driving stronger acquisition and better results. Here’s why this approach matters.

When focusing on subscriber acquisition or site optimization, targeting the right keywords is essential. For international streaming services, strategic keyword research is the backbone of successful PPC and SEO campaigns in home markets. However, this same level of strategy often gets overlooked when expanding globally. Too often, existing keywords are simply translated, relying on a “hope for the best” approach. While this might generate a list of keywords, it’s unlikely to deliver meaningful results.

That’s why international keyword research must be a core part of your overall global marketing strategy. This process should be just as intentional and well-structured as your home market efforts, with careful attention to local language, culture, and search behaviors. Applying these best practices ensures you connect with your global audience effectively and drive measurable success.

Here’s why.

KEYWORD TRANSLATION LIMITATIONS

Brands with aggressive deadlines are often tempted to opt for keyword translation, rather than investing in keyword research. This strategy might save some time in the short term, but it will ultimately lead to poor performance and a higher cost. The need to be responsive, agile, and fast is essential. However, it shouldn’t compromise your SEO efforts. 

For example, take the keyword “loyalty card” in the US. It’s got a high search volume and intent.

Translating “loyalty card” into German yields “Treuekarte.” (Treue = loyalty. Karte = card.)

While this isn’t in itself inaccurate, keyword translation gives only one target-language keyword per source equivalent and no indication of search volume. “Treuekarte,” for example, receives only 260 average searches per month on Google. Because pure keyword translation rarely involves the use of tools like Google Keyword Planner or Google Trends, there’s no indication whether the translation has search volume.

International keyword research carried out by in-country experts yields better results. For the example above, “Bonuskarte” (bonus card) is a far more relevant search term, receiving 1,000 average monthly searches, while “Kundenkarte” (customer card) gets 2,900 and is a clear winner.

Although all three terms have the same meaning in German, the literal translation of “loyalty card” would have reached the smallest search audience.

UNDERSTANDING SEARCH INTENT

Identifying search intent is crucial for both PPC and SEO. But a simple list of keywords won’t help you understand why your customer is searching for specific terms. Brands need to understand the local customer journey and ensure they have the right keywords in place at each stage of the funnel for effective nurturing.

If your target keyword is too broad, it can quickly eat into your PPC budget with useless clicks. The same is true for SEO – if your keyword is too broad, your site may be visible, but potentially to the wrong audience. In both cases, dialing in your keyword quality can have a dramatic effect on search campaign success.

While this seems a basic concept, it’s a potential point of failure for brands looking to grow international audiences. That’s why international keyword research – carried out by a local market expert – is so important. Without it, your brand could miss popular local keyword clusters that drive high-value subscriber acquisition.

REGION BEFORE LANGUAGE

French is an official language in 29 countries, Arabic in 27, and Spanish in 21. People in these countries may speak the same language, but search trends and terminology in these markets are very different. That’s why a generic keyword translation won’t cut it.

Even terminology that’s common in the US or Canada is less likely to be used in the UK or Australia – and vice versa. So it’s critical to perform keyword research for each market you’re targeting, or you could miss out on the most impactful, growth-driving terms.

SEARCH ENGINE TRENDS

Google controls around 90% of the global search market. But local search engines dominate in particular countries. For example, Naver has 48% of the South Korean market and Yahoo and Bing cover around 20% of the Japanese market. A one-size-fits-all approach to global search is unlikely to yield results – your keyword research should meet the requirements of each target market’s popular search engines.

Search is also expanding beyond traditional search engines. In a recent study by Adobe, more than 2 in 5 Americans use TikTok as a search engine. Nearly 1 in 10 Gen Zers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. 

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have become key destinations where users actively search for content and recommendations. To reach your audience effectively, you’ll need a keyword strategy tailored to these platforms. This means optimizing for platform-specific search behaviors and leveraging paid advertising to ensure your content stands out, driving engagement and results in these increasingly influential spaces.

FINAL THOUGHT

Keyword translation alone won’t yield the international search results you’re trying to achieve. Translated keywords can cost you more in the long run – in a weakened competitive position, wasted budget, and ineffective local acquisition rates. Instead, make sure your global search strategy includes international keyword research. To maximize results on budget, work with local, in-market experts or a global search partner to capture the most relevant keywords in your target market, on your preferred channels.

Paid search and SEO work best when aligned with a broader marketing strategy that considers audience touchpoints across channels. An integrated approach ensures consistent messaging and strengthens brand presence, which is key to growing loyal customer bases at scale in global markets.