[VIDEO] 6 tools to unlock cross-border ecommerce success

Cross-border purchases are becoming more and more common by today's consumers. Is your business's international sales strategy as strong as it could be? Are your product marketing efforts reaching the right markets and audiences?

[Part 1: Introduction]

Hey, there and welcome to the first edition of Productsup Presents. Today we’re going to talk about how businesses can unlock cross-border ecommerce success using 6 key tools.
With cross-border ecommerce growing at twice the rate of domestic online retail, it’s more important than ever for modern businesses to adopt a global sales approach. But where do you start?
Cross-border ecommerce success begins with finding and reaching the right audiences. So there are some questions to ask. Where are you most likely to find shoppers? Here, across the continent, or on the other side of the globe? There are a ton of popular sites out there to consider.
Two names, however, should stand out no matter what industry you work in: Google and Facebook. Google and Facebook have a wide range of tools to help businesses (we’re talking startups, agencies, enterprises, anyone) build a cross-border strategy from the ground up.
Let’s start with Google.

[Part 2: How Google helps you identify new markets]

Consumers abroad are already actively searching for products like yours. And Google - the world’s largest search engine - probably knows a lot about them. Once you’re on Google, you’ll want to utilize two key tools.

[2a: Google Market Finder]

First, there’s the Google Market Finder. The Market Finder can help you identify the best markets for your products. It uses data points like:

• number of monthly searches across product categories
• internet accessibility
• average disposable income per household
• purchase behavior
• logistics

…and more, in order to determine what market may or may not be a good fit for you.

[2b: Google Trends]

Then, you’ll also want to check out Google Trends. This is generally useful for keyword research, as it shows how a search term is performing over time. Is it becoming more popular, or less?
Trends also lets you sort by country. This means you can actually get an idea of how a term will perform in new markets. For example, maybe you sell fascinators in Canada, and they’re performing great there. But are users looking for that product in Korea? Germany? Google Trends can help you find out.

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Sidebar: while Google is the most powerful search engine for marketing, be sure to check out all your other options. From Bing to DuckDuckGo to region-specific sites like Baidu or Naver. Google cannot reach every audience.
Now, let’s go to Facebook.

[Part 3: How Facebook helps you pinpoint and reach the right audience]

There are 4 cross-border Facebook tools you will probably want to know, so get ready:

[3a: Facebook Cross Border Insights Finder]

First, there’s Facebook’s Cross border Insights Finder. This tool is great for identifying growth opportunities around the globe. 
Using Facebook’s existing campaign data, it allows you to compare specific countries based on four key data points: potential reach, conversion, cost, and competition index. 

[3b: International Location Targeting]

Then, there’s International Location Targeting.
This tool is designed to help you test out new markets and automatically adjust your efforts based on the performance.
First, you’ll define which new markets or regions you’d like to test out. Then Facebook will deliver your product ads to these locations. Next, it uses the results of those ads to focus ad spend on areas with the highest performance and lowest costs. 

[3c: Multi-country Lookalike Audiences]

Facebook also offers a cross-border version of its classic “Lookalike” tool.
If you already have an idea of who your best customers are, Multi-country Lookalikes can help you find a similar audience abroad - which makes it especially useful for initial expansion into a new country.
So, there’s no doubt that Facebook offers the tools you need to pinpoint new regions and audiences. But what if you want to go even further? Make your campaigns stand out?
Then you’re going to love this last tool.

[3d: Facebook Dynamic Language Optimization]

Facebook’s Dynamic Language Optimization tool allows you to add multiple languages to your ad campaign. 
Based on a user’s UI language settings, social posts, and the content they generally interact with - Facebook can detect which language is the most relevant for them. This means the tool can automatically present your ad in the right language. 

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By using these tools from Google and Facebook, you can drastically reduce the amount of time needed for market research and ad creation. Plus, you’re ad budget is more likely to be spent on the right audience and increase ROI.