Building for International Markets

  ## Going Global
  
  Expanding to international markets requires more than translation. Your technical infrastructure needs to support users across time zones, languages, and cultural expectations.
  
  ## Technical Foundations
  
  ### Internationalization (i18n)
  Build your application with multiple languages in mind from day one. Retrofitting i18n is painful and expensive.
  
  ### Performance Across Regions
  Use CDNs and edge computing to ensure fast load times globally. A site that loads in 1 second in New York might take 5 seconds in Singapore without proper infrastructure.
  
  ### Currency and Payment Methods
  International users expect local payment options. Stripe, PayPal, and local alternatives vary significantly by region.
  
  ## Cultural Considerations
  
  - Date formats differ (MM/DD vs DD/MM)
  - Color associations vary by culture
  - Reading patterns differ (RTL vs LTR languages)
  
  ## The SEO Dimension
  
  International SEO requires proper hreflang tags, localized content, and sometimes separate domains or subdomains.