Indian companies that want customers in the US, UK or Middle East need search engines and AI assistants to see them as relevant to those markets, not only to India. That means choosing a URL structure for each market, creating content written for that market’s buyers, with local prices, spelling, units and contact details, connecting the versions with hreflang, and building proof that you already serve customers there: reviews, case examples and listings on the platforms those buyers use. Where you host the site matters much less than these signals.
Step 1: decide whether you need separate versions
| Situation | Approach |
|---|---|
| One global English site, same services and prices everywhere | One version; make the site clearly international in its content and proof |
| Different prices, currencies, offers or compliance by market | Separate market versions |
| Different languages, such as Arabic for the Gulf | Separate language versions |
Separate versions are worth it only when the content genuinely differs. Duplicating the same English pages under /us/ and /uk/ with different codes adds maintenance and little benefit.
Step 2: choose a URL structure
| Structure | Example | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subfolders on one domain | example.com/us/ | Builds one domain’s authority; easy to manage | Weaker local signal than a country domain |
| Country domains | example.co.uk, example.ae | Clear signal for one country | Separate authority to build for each; more cost |
| Subdomains | us.example.com | Separate hosting possible | Often treated more like separate sites |
For most Indian service and B2B companies, subfolders on one .com domain are the practical choice. Google retired Search Console’s international targeting country setting in 2022, so market relevance now comes from the content, hreflang and other signals.
Step 3: write for each market
- Prices in local currency, with taxes explained as buyers there expect
- Spelling and terms: American or British English; “lakh” and “crore” only on Indian pages
- Units: imperial measurements for many US buyers
- Local contact options: a local phone number, business hours in their time zone, and a local address if you have a registered presence
- Examples and case studies from clients in that market, with permission
- Compliance they care about: GDPR for UK and EU visitors, industry certifications recognised there
Step 4: connect versions with hreflang
Mark each version with its language and region code, include an x-default, and make every version list all the others. Do not redirect visitors automatically by IP or browser language, because crawlers may then never see some versions. The technical steps are in implementing hreflang in Next.js.
Step 5: build proof in each market
- Reviews on the platforms buyers there use: Clutch and G2 for services and software, Trustpilot, which is widely used in the UK, and Google reviews for any local office
- Listings in directories and associations relevant to that country
- Mentions in that market’s industry publications
- A Google Business Profile only where you have a real, staffed location
AI assistants answering “best [service] providers for US companies” draw on these sources. See getting listed on the sites AI assistants cite.
Step 6: technical basics for distant buyers
- Use a CDN so pages load fast from the US, UK and Gulf. Hosting location matters little for rankings, but speed matters for users.
- Check Core Web Vitals by country in field data where available.
- Make sure forms, payment and scheduling tools work across time zones and currencies.
Step 7: measure by market
In Search Console, filter performance by country. In analytics, segment enquiries by country. Include market-specific questions, such as “Indian SEO agency for US startups”, in your monthly AI answer tests.
Frequently asked questions
Does a .in domain hurt us abroad?
A .in domain signals India, which helps at home but is a weaker fit for other markets. Many Indian companies targeting several countries use a .com with market subfolders.
Should we hide that we are based in India?
No. Be clear about where you are and show how you serve clients abroad: time-zone coverage, communication, contracts and results. Buyers and AI assistants both value accurate information.
Do we need Arabic content for the Middle East?
For business buyers in the UAE, English often works. For consumer markets and some sectors, Arabic content with right-to-left layout reaches more people.
Sources
- Google Search Central, “Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites”
- Google Search Central, “Tell Google about localized versions of your page”
- Google Search Central blog, deprecation of the International Targeting report, 2022