If you think your World Wide Web site is reaching the world --you may want to think again --many international browsers may not have access to your site.
"With international Web sites, compatibility is a big issue," said Russell Fleg, webmaster at Compendium Design International, a Canadian Web site design firm based in Toronto. "Europeans and Asian countries are behind the U.S. in the speed of their modems, computer memory and use of browsers and software, so many international browsers do not have easy access to U.S. sites."
So if you want to attract business overseas, you may want to think about the audiences you are targeting. When you are creating your site, submit your site address to international site directories and hot linking your site to other global "hub" sites.
"If you want to use the Web to communicate to the world, then you must make it accessible to the world," said Craig Snyder, president of Dolphin Marketing International, a Web design company based in Newport Beach, Calif. "That does not mean just posting your site on the Web and hoping people will find you."
One of the biggest hurdles to international commerce is of course language. While English is the preferred language on the Web, it may not be the chosen language of your customers. For example, if you want to have a Japanese version of your site, you may run into some difficulties. Although Web translation software is available in stores, many users say the translations usually require heavy editing. Snyder, who is currently designing a Spanish language version of his site (http://www.dolphin.com), said for smaller sites, it is advisable to seek a Web translator.
Corporate Translation Services Inc., (CTS) in Vancouver, is one of the companies that offers these types of services.
As a former Berlitz translation and language training manager, owner Jeff Barger and his employees translate everything from Web sites to software in 115 languages, bringing to life the company's trademarked motto, "We speak your customer's language."
CTS helped companies such as Intel Corp. [INTC], Hewlett-Packard Co. [HWP], Cadet Manufacturing Inc. and Heraeus Shin-etsu America Inc. talk to customers in Korean, Japanese, French and Italian through their translation services.
Another thing to keep in mind when creating an international site, is the use of graphics. Because overseas users generally have slower modems and connections, you may want to refrain from using the latest Java Script or Shock Wave graphics programs for fear of losing clients who do not want to wait forever when downloading.
"You need to have a tight balance between text and graphics --keep it simple but elegant," said Snyder. You may also want to ask your Web designer about whether your site is accessible through different browsers other than Netscape because international browsers using Microsoft Corp.'s [MSFT] Internet Explorer may run into technical difficulties when accessing your site.
KPMG International's site seems to have done all of this quite successfully. The site (http://www.kpmg.com) provides a wealth of international business information and topical reports from one of the world's largest accounting firms. Browsers can click on html flag icons that represent news from offices in countries such as Australia, South Africa and Ireland.
After you have created a site, letting international browsers know you are out there is the next step. For example, Yahoo! Inc. [YHOO] has separate directories in Canada and Japan; herefore if you want to be included in those directories you must contact the directories individually. There are a multitude of international search engines --about 670 including AAA, the most popular search engine in Australia. To get information about their sites, you can call up the A1 directory at http://www.A1co.com//index.html.
Hotlink With Global Hub Sites
Another way to bring people overseas to your site, is to hotlink with other international businesses. "You will more likely find your target market if you cross link," said Snyder. "If you look you can find everything including the yellow pages from Indonesia."
For example, for U.S. based international exporters there are several "hub" sites that provide directories, news and business opportunities on the Web. http://www.tradeport.org is one site that provides such information and allows for individual companies to link on. Eureka's site
http://www.2best.com/~metorms/eureka.htm will tell you a lot about finding international hub sites on the Web as well as directories to visit.
(Dolphin, 714/430-2703; Compendium, 905/513-7360; Corporate Translation, 604/699-4081)
PR Gets A Chat Site on Web
Another forum has popped up on the Web to allow PR pros to exchange ideas and share information.
PR Forum --not to be confused with the Internet listserve which goes by the name PRforum --came online earlier this month (http://www.bham.net/ch/wwwboard). It includes four sections for posting messages: resumes/personal introductions, PR issues, media technologies and media relations.
According to founder Carl Carter of Carter-Harwell Public Relations, Birmingham, Ala., the site is loosely modeled after the PR and Marketing Forum (PRSIG) on CompuServe [CSRV]. Since that site requires joining the online service, longtime PRSIG user Carter chose to create a site open to everyone on the Web.
Carter said the site may require people to sign up if there is e-mail "misbehavior," such as unsolicited direct mail.
Unlike PRSIG, the site currently has no libraries of downloadable files, but that may be added in the future. (Carter-Harwell, 205/823-3273)