Earlier this month, we published a blog about installing Google Translate for Yahoo! Stores. Since that time we have had a number of merchants asking us about installing Google Translate for their Yahoo! Store.
When we consider how installing Google Translate fits into an international marketing plan, we must look at where this feature really helps. Installing Google Translate isn’t the same as cloning your store(s) in other languages, and doesn’t replace critical steps toward attracting international business, like putting foreign language customer service in place. Hence, we can’t look at installing Google Translate for your Yahoo! Store as an effective way to aggressively attract international customers. However, and this is important, Yahoo! Store merchants who are already seeing international traffic coming to their stores, will find that Google Translate is useful in better facilitating their experience, and ultimately increasing conversion rates!
In other words: Installing Google Translate is a tool to better assist your existing international customers, not to necessarily attract new international traffic (There is no foreign language SEO value with installing Google Translate, etc.). So, the next logical question for merchants to ask before installing Google Translate is, “How much international traffic am I getting?” Check your Google Analytics, as shown in this screenshot: 
Merchants who are carrying product that doesn’t necessarily appeal to international customers are still seeing significant amounts of global traffic. In fact, those merchants with fairly large traffic flow, like 25k plus a month, can expect to see a location demographic distribution across most countries in the world, except a few situated in the most isolated places in Africa and uninhabitable ones around the North and South Poles.
Naturally, American merchants who aren’t directly marketing to internationals, can expect most of their demographics distribution to come from the USA, and in second place Canada. But check out how much traffic you’re getting from places in South America, Europe, and Asia. If you’re a large e-retailer, you’re most likely seeing about 5-10%+ of your overall traffic coming from outside the USA! If this is the case, it definitely pays to install Google Translate into your store!It only takes a few hours, and installing Google Translate can make the difference between a conversion and a bounce! We can also show you how to check Google Analytics to measure how many international shoppers are using a FastPivot installed version of Google Translate. Contact FastPivot today to get started.
Another great tool for Yahoo! Store merchants to deploy, in the spirit of leveraging global sales potential, is Global Shop Ex’s international shipping.
Tell us (by commenting here on the blog) how you’re converting international traffic.
