Does search engine optimization differ for sites in languages other than English? This article combines two mini articles: One with guidelines to promote the visibility among search engines with the best reach of Italian users. The next part talks about keyword optimization, with tips from a well know SEO expert for both English and Spanish language sites.
Good positioning in SERP and targeted keyword promotion are the most important things for the success of any business’ activity online and in the Italian net too. Three factors emphasize the importance of an efficient search engine optimization: the increase in the number of Italian Internet users, the importance of search engines acting as doorways to the net, and the continuous growth of services and products offered online.
Presently Italy’s online services are still underdeveloped by a 5-7 years lag if compared to North America, and consequently it is already possible to obtain good results without investing the same amounts it would have been necessary in the USA (Google and Overture adwords bid rates being far less expensive than in USA).
Of course also in Italy search engines optimization will have to be coherent with all promotional activities and especially with back office service and content management (as in all mature market economies).
But let's now see which SE have to be primarily considered to reach the highest number of Italians Internet users.
Most visited sites by Italians (unique visitors in February ‘04 compared to May ’03 "home + office users")
Web portal
Property
Rank 03-04
Reach 2004
Visitors 2004
Visitors 2003
Absolute difference
Diff. -7%
virgilio.it
Telecom Italia
-
51,58%
8.059
7.537
+6,5%
-0,5%
libero.it
Wind
-
50,13%
7.833
6.933
+11,5%
+4,5%
google.it
Google
-
46,05%
7.196
5.460
+24,1%
+17,1%
msn.it
Microsoft
+5
40,57%
6.339
2.483
+60,8%
+53,8%
microsoft.com
Microsoft
-1
37,36%
5.838
4.630
+20,7%
+13,7%
tiscali.it
Tiscali
-1
27,07%
4.229
4.181
+1,1%
-6,1%
yahoo.it
Yahoo!
-1
24,53%
3.833
2.962
+22,7%
+15,7%
msn.com
Microsoft
-1
24,22%
3.785
2.891
+23,6%
+16,6%
supereva.it
DADA
-1
19,58%
3.060
2.751
+10,1%
+3,1%
yahoo.com
Yahoo!
+1
16,67%
2.604
2.263
+13,1%
+6,1%
passport.com
Microsoft
+2
14,90%
2.328
1.787
+23,2%
+16,2%
windowsmedia.com
Microsoft
+4
12,58%
1.966
1.462
+25,6%
+18,6%
geocities.com
Yahoo!
-1
12,30%
1.922
2.206
-14,8%
-21,8%
passport.net
Microsoft
-
12,15%
1.899
1.787
+5,9%
-1,1%
tuttogratis.it
Tuttogratis
-
11,44%
1.788
-
-
-
kataweb.it
Kataweb Network
-1
11,31%
1.767
1.504
+14,9%
+7,9%
lycos.it
Lycos Europe
-7
11,30%
1.765
2.357
-33,5%
-40,5%
google.com
Google
-1
11,27%
1.761
1.261
+28,4%
+21,4%
repubblica.it
Kataweb Network
+1
9,84%
1.537
1.054
+31,4%
+24,4%
rai.it
Rai
+2
9,48%
1.482
1.086
+26,7%
+19,7%
In the last column the difference in unique visitors’ number has been diminished of the gross general growth ratio of users in Italy between 2003 and 2004, quoted in about a 7%.
Analyzing the table it is clear that the most important SE to reach a good visibility on the Italian market are four:
Google, used among the others by Virgilio, Super Eva, Kataweb, etc.
Arianna, used primarily by Libero
FAST, used by Tiscali, Lycos and other minor engines
Yahoo-Inktomi, presently used by MSN
Especially this last engine is likely to break the Google dominance in the next future in Italy too. The comparison with last year's data specifically underlines the excellent performance of Microsoft sites, only partially explained by the strong image positioning due to their leading OS.
If we consider that Microsoft tried openly to buy Google itself and is going to release in the next future its own spidered database, this growth is to be taken in serious account for any promotion action.
All internationally renowned SEO techniques are successful in Italy, too, and therefore it is not useful to analyze this any deeper.
Website Promotion 
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