Setting up international domains on your Shopify store allows you to offer tailored shopping experiences to customers in various countries or regions, enhancing both their engagement and your brand's global reach. Here’s how to effectively implement international domains for different markets:

Considerations for Setting Up International Domains

Before you begin, keep the following in mind:

• Custom Domains Required: You need to use custom domains (Shopify-managed or third-party). The default myshopify.com domain cannot be used for international domains.
• Market-Specific URLs: Create URLs for each market, like johns-apparel.de for Germany or johns-apparel.com/en-eu for the European market.
• Translation Needs: To display your store in multiple languages, use Shopify’s Translate and Adapt app or a compatible third-party app.
• Language and Currency Settings: Ensure that language-only subfolders such as /fr or /en are used only in your primary market. In secondary markets, combine language and country codes like /fr-ca or /en-eu.
• SEO and URL Strategy: Decide whether to use top-level domains, subdomains, or subfolders based on your SEO strategy. Subfolders are typically easier to manage and beneficial for SEO.

Steps to Set Up International Domains

1. Choose Your SEO Strategy:

   • Decide whether to use top-level domains (e.g., your-shop-name.fr), subdomains (e.g., fr.your-shop-name.com), or subfolders (e.g., your-shop-name.com/fr-fr). Each has different implications for SEO and store management.

2. Implement the Chosen URL Structure:

   • Top-Level Domains: Ideal for significant markets where you want strong localization, like having a .fr domain for France.
   • Subdomains: Useful for segmenting the market while keeping the same base URL, like fr.your-shop-name.com for French-speaking customers.
   • Subfolders: Best for SEO as they consolidate domain authority and are easier to manage, like your-shop-name.com/fr-fr for France.

3. Set Up Hreflang Tags:

   • Use hreflang tags to help search engines understand the language and regional targeting of your pages. This is crucial for improving search visibility in different markets.

4. Configure Automatic Redirection:

   • Enable automatic redirection in Shopify to direct customers to the correct regional or language version of your store based on their location and browser settings.

5. Direct Customers Appropriately:

   • Utilize Shopify’s Geolocation app or a similar third-party app to make country and language recommendations. This is particularly important for customers in the European Union, where automatic redirection is restricted.

Dealing with Shopify’s Geolocation App Changes

• Transition Away from Geolocation App: Since Shopify’s Geolocation app will be discontinued on December 1st, 2024, start planning to use Shopify's built-in features like automatic domain redirection and browser language redirection, or find alternative third-party apps for geolocation services.

Final Tips

• Legal Compliance: Ensure that your use of international domains complies with local laws, especially regarding data privacy and online commerce.
• Customer Experience: Regularly review the customer journey on different international domains to ensure a seamless shopping experience that boosts conversion rates and market penetration.

By carefully setting up and managing international domains, you can significantly enhance your global e-commerce strategy, making your Shopify store more accessible and appealing to international customers.