International Buyers May Be Searching For You, But They Aren't Looking at Your Site
"Our website is in English, and all our product details are listed. But we still aren't getting any inquiries." This was what an international sales representative from a precision parts manufacturer in the Tokai region told me. After looking at their site analytics, I realized…
International Buyers May Be Searching For You, But They Aren't Looking at Your Site
Are international buyers actually able to find you? "Our website is fully optimized for English, and our product information is clearly listed. Yet, we aren't receiving any inquiries," remarked an international sales lead at a precision parts manufacturer.
When we checked their site analytics, sessions from overseas were virtually zero. They had built an English site, but in reality, no one was seeing it.
The days of "if you build it, they will come" are long gone, especially in the world of international B2B.
How International Buyers Find New Suppliers
International buyers don't just rely on Google to find new suppliers.
According to JETRO's 2023 survey on the cross-border activities of Japanese firms, exhibitions/industry events and industry word-of-mouth/referrals remain the top channels for discovering new business partners. Google search is often secondary to these methods.
From a B2B marketing perspective, buyers rarely "stumble upon a random supplier’s website and immediately send an inquiry"—especially compared to B2C. This is even more true in industries where building trust takes time.
So, what are they actually looking at?
Buyers First Engage with Information "Off-Site"
While observing interaction patterns on the Rinda platform, we noticed something: a significant number of successful inquiries originate from a first touchpoint that is not the supplier's website.
Specifically, these touchpoints include:
- Searching for company or product names on industry platforms like LinkedIn or Alibaba.
- Industry association supplier directories (registration-based databases).
- Exhibitor lists for trade shows (publicized online before the event).
- Referral emails from other buyers or industry players.
Whether your information exists "off-site" determines your initial visibility. Having an English website is important, but if the entrance to that site is missing, you won't even be in the running.
"Being Searchable" vs. "Being Found in Global Markets"
Broadly speaking, there are two paths to being discovered by international buyers:
Inbound (Attraction-based): Buyers search for themselves and arrive at your information. Outbound (Proactive): You reach out directly to the buyer and make your presence known.
Japanese SMEs often focus on the former, thinking, "If we make a good site, they will come." But in a competitive global market, the chances of an SME’s site appearing organically at the top are very slim.
Global suppliers in English-speaking regions often have professional SEO teams. Given this asymmetry in resources, banking solely on "being searched" is high-risk.
A Realistic Sequence for Export and International Sales Teams
Based on experience, resource-constrained SMEs should prioritize these steps:
- Register on Industry Platforms (Alibaba.com, Kompass, etc.)
- Exhibit at Trade Shows (or register for online exhibitor lists)
- Optimize Company Pages on LinkedIn and other industry social networks
- Enhance your English website’s SEO
Steps 1 and 2 are like "putting up signage where buyers are already looking." Steps 3 and 4 are about "preparing the space where people verify your details after seeing the sign." If you reverse this order, you might end up with a beautiful showroom that absolutely no one visits.
Patterns of Successful "Global Discovery"
Let’s look at a concrete example. An 80-employee food processing machinery manufacturer was considering international expansion. They had an English site, but only received a few inquiries a year.
The sales lead decided to start by registering detailed information on Kompass (a European B2B supplier database). By filling out industrial codes, product specs, and manufacturing capacities, they received inquiries from buyers in France and Poland within three months.
The SEO on their website hadn't changed. They simply placed their information "where the buyers were." That was it.
"I realized I spent time on the wrong things before. The priority was clearly backward," the representative noted.
Furthermore, when we observe buyers from Asia (especially Southeast Asia and Taiwan), they often search for the company on LinkedIn and then immediately look for employee headcount and company history. They are looking for evidence of stability. In many cases, consistency and regular updates build more trust than a fancy website design.
What Buyers Look For Before Sending an Inquiry
International B2B decision-making involves longer lead times and more stakeholders.
In typical B2B procurement, multiple departments are involved. Even if one buyer likes your firm, they cannot move forward without enough information to persuade their superiors.
Sometimes, the reason you don't get inquiries is that the person at the other end simply "can't move forward" with you.
What info do they need to make the case internally?
- Basic company info (Founding date, headcount, major clients): Used for internal approvals.
- Quality certifications (ISO, HACCP, CE, etc.): Checked from a risk-management perspective.
- Track record/Batch sizes: Proof that you are "truly capable" of handling their volume.
- Visible faces/names: Provides a sense of security—"who do I ask if I have a question?"
Ideally, this information should be collected in one place in English. While a website is best, a LinkedIn company page or a profile on an industry platform works just as well.
Small Tweaks to Lower the "Concierge Barrier"
Inquiry form abandonment is often higher on English sites than Japanese ones. The reason is simple: a fear of "What if I submit this, and they only reply in Japanese?"
While not scientifically proven, many representatives have told us that adding a single line—"We reply in English within 2 business days"—on their contact page significantly lowers the barrier for submission. It seems minor, but these "buyer-centric" details can move the needle on inquiry volume.
One Thing You Can Do This Week
So, where should you start? Ideally, you’d do it all—platform registration, LinkedIn optimization, and site updates. But for a sales team of one or two, that’s impossible.
If you have to pick one thing: Accurately register your company information on the platforms your target buyers actually use.
For Asia, that’s Alibaba.com; for global markets, it might be Kompass or Thomasnet (for North American manufacturing); for food processing, register with GFSI-related industry databases. The priority changes based on the sector and region.
Once registered, keep it updated. A buyer will almost never submit an inquiry to a profile that says "Last Updated: 2019."
Before trying to be "found" by buyers, first "make yourself findable." In many cases, those priorities are currently reversed.
In international expansion, think of your website not as your "main destination," but rather as the "back of your business card." Changing your mindset this way might just change your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Which platforms do international buyers use to find Japanese suppliers?
A. It varies by market and industry. Alipay/Alibaba.com is common in Asia, Kompass in Europe, and Thomasnet is a standard for North American manufacturing. Narrow down your target market first, then prioritize the platforms those buyers actually use.
Q2. Why don't I get inquiries even with an English website?
A. The biggest reason is that your information is not where buyers are looking. Since buyers typically use industry platforms or referrals to find suppliers, a standalone English site rarely generates traffic on its own. Focus on industry platforms before investing in further site updates.
Q3. What should I do if my international sales resources are limited?
A. Start by focusing on one platform. Ensure your company info, product specs, and certifications are registered accurately in English. Because the comprehensiveness and freshness of your info directly correlate with inquiry volume, make "keeping your info updated" a habit rather than a one-time task.
Coming Soon
Next time, we’ll dive into "Why your cold emails aren't getting replies." We’ll break down subject line strategy, email structure, and timing—backed by actual open-rate data.
Stay tuned.
If you're interested in learning more about how to approach international buyers, check out our case studies. We’ve compiled successful contact patterns by industry and the channels that actually led to business deals.
Let’s get started today with Rinda! Rinda | B2B Global Sales AI Agent for International Expansion Feel free to reach out via LINE for consultations or inquiries anytime. Add LINE friend
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