Image Credit: cn.nytimes.com

As previously written on 90blog, China presents a fantastic opportunity for a company seeking a large, media-hungry audience. However, that opportunity is not without strings attached. Pretend you’re a kid again and imagine your parents taking you into a candy shop (stocked with every candy ever) and telling you to choose whatever you want. Sounds pretty sweet, eh?  

For those of us who have tried to impress Swedish exchange students at a bar with the help of Google Translate, we know how embarrassing it can be to say “blondes are from hell” when “blondes are from heaven” was the desired phrase.  One word translated incorrectly can be the difference between having a Cosmopolitan burn your eyes or singing along to ABBA’s greatest hits all night.

With the onset of globalization, the importance of advertising in the international space is becoming increasingly apparent. In a recent article by Search Engine Land, linguist Andy Atkins-Kruger discusses several tips to help international marketers achieve success with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, which I’ve summarized below.

In May 2012, the legality of gathering and analyzing visitor data via cookies in the European Union (EU) will change – at least in the UK. This marks a significant shift in the digital marketing environment. The following sections describe the details of the directive as they pertain to website owners operating in EU countries. We also offer recommendations on how to address the implications for online marketing efforts and close with a list of resources for further research.

As companies seek to expand their global advertising reach online, it’s impossible to ignore China. Despite the number of restrictions associated with advertising in China, the size of the potential audience is enticing. Unfortunately, China places restrictions on the flow of information into and within its borders, a fact which may discourage many companies from investing the time and money to understand the habits and interests of this tremendous market.