Maintaining SEO Against Varying International Laws And Regulations

When implementing effective SEO strategies for clients, a frequent challenge is managing limited resources, especially in content creation and the technical capabilities needed to execute SEO recommendations.

This complexity increases when working with organizations operating across multiple territories and markets.

Each region may have its own set of regulations, language requirements, and market-specific needs, adding another layer of difficulty in executing consistent and compliant SEO strategies across different territories.

In these cases, strategies and routine activities often need to be adjusted to meet the specific laws and regulations of each location.

Non-compliance with these regulations might not directly impact your overall digital performance.

The organization could face significant consequences in the form of legal charges and potential fines.

Adjusting to these differences is essential for maintaining compliance and ensuring the successful implementation of SEO strategies.

Common Legislation

While understanding legislation may not fall entirely within the scope of SEO, being aware of the limitations it imposes on activities and data collection is crucial.

Legal regulations can directly impact how data is gathered, used, and stored, influencing SEO strategies in significant ways.

Beyond the DMCA, other legal frameworks can also affect SEO efforts, depending on the region in which a business operates.

Compliance with data privacy laws – like GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California, for example – can shape how businesses handle user data, adjust targeting, and execute their SEO tactics across different jurisdictions.

Global Privacy Legislation

Privacy regulations have a significant impact on SEO, as they influence how businesses can collect, store, and use personal data.

When we talk about privacy legislation, the two that generally come to the top of mind are the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Other privacy legislations that you may come into contact with when working with a global organization include:

Understanding these different privacy laws and how they affect data handling (and user tracking) is important, as data between regions may not be directly comparable because of these laws.

European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025

The EAA 2025 aims to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities across the EU by setting common requirements for certain products and services.

It aims to standardize practices, so that businesses comply with unified accessibility standards by June 28, 2025, promoting equal access to digital products and services.

This means that web design will need to adapt to meet specific accessibility standards, ensuring that websites are usable by individuals with disabilities.

This could include incorporating features like keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, alternative text for images, accessible forms, and adequate color contrast, allowing for a more inclusive online experience.

As companies work to adapt (and become compliant) to this legislation, third-party software may be introduced to websites to facilitate a number of (if not all) of the requirements.

This means adding scripts and potentially altering how a page loads and renders for both users (and search engines).

Geo-Blocking Regulation (EU) 2018/302

The Geo-Blocking Regulation (EU) 2018/302 is a European Union regulation aimed at preventing unjustified geographical discrimination of customers within the EU’s single market.

It came into effect in December 2018.

The regulation specifically targets practices that aim to block or redirect users trying to purchase goods, or services, online from a website “based” in a different EU member state.

A key feature of this is geo-blocking. The regulation aims to prevent geo-based redirects, such as automatically redirecting users to a different section of the website (such as a localized subfolder) based on IP.

During the Covid pandemic, there were calls for regulation to adapt to the shifts in user behavior with online shopping.

Anecdotally, I’ve not seen many instances of companies in the EU falling foul of this regulation for geo-blocking.

In 2021, Valve, the company behind Steam, along with a number of video game publishers, were fined €7.8 million for geo-blocking practices. Outside of this instance, very few have surfaced in my news feeds.

Differences Between US State Laws

Laws governing consumer protection, digital goods, and subscription services differ widely across U.S. states, resulting in unique legal frameworks that businesses must consider when operating in multiple regions.

These variations create challenges for companies, particularly in advertising and data compliance, as they must tailor their practices to meet the specific requirements of each state’s regulations.

Consumer Protection & Advertising Laws

Many states implement their own criteria for defining deceptive advertising, with some, like California and New York, establishing stricter guidelines than federal standards.

California’s Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and New York’s General Business Law are prime examples of state laws that set specific requirements for advertising practices.

These regulations often demand a higher level of compliance, making it essential for businesses to adjust their marketing efforts accordingly.

An example from the tangible world is the claim of “Made in the USA.”

In California, the definition of what qualifies as “Made in the USA” is notably more stringent than federal guidelines, directly influencing how companies can promote their products.

Businesses must carefully navigate these rules to ensure their advertising aligns with state-specific standards.

Laws Governing Digital Goods & Services

The sale and advertisement of goods and services online in the U.S. are often governed by varying state regulations. One area where this is evident is in the treatment of digital goods, such as ebooks and software.

Some states, like Texas, classify digital goods as taxable, requiring businesses to apply sales tax to their transactions.

Other states, such as Delaware, do not impose taxes on digital goods. These differences mean that businesses selling digital products must remain aware of each state’s rules to ensure compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Subscription Renewals

Some states, like California, have specific rules around automatic subscription renewals. Businesses must clearly disclose renewal terms, obtain affirmative consent, and make it easy for consumers to cancel. Other states have less stringent or no such regulations.

This could lead to retention and MRR data being lower for states like California than others, and is important to understand this when reviewing data, and then using this to further inform marketing strategy.

This is especially pertinent in the SaaS space.

What You Should Be Asking Your SEO Vendor

Companies must ensure that any third-party marketing vendors they work with are also compliant with these privacy laws.

This includes reviewing contracts and agreements with vendors to ensure they follow proper data-handling practices, including the ability to delete, disclose, or limit the use of consumer data.

Why This Matters

Global compliance is essential for businesses to effectively manage the complexities of the international digital landscape.

Ensuring that SEO strategies align with the legal frameworks of each region is a key part of this process and building long-term, sustainable organic campaigns that drive value across multiple territories.

Looking ahead, it’s not out of the question that Google may introduce a user accessibility metric, similar to how Core Web Vitals serve as a proxy for user experience.

There is some historical basis for this, with prior emphasis on HTTPS for securing the web, along with mobile-first strategies and page speed optimizations.

While these factors are “ranking factors,” the greater emphasis on them was to enact change across the wider internet to benefit users.

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