The exact 8-factor scoring system we use to decide which markets to enter first - and which to skip. Score any target market in 15 minutes. Stop guessing. Start with math.
Rate each factor 1-5 for every target market:
| Factor | Weight | Score 1 (Not Ready) | Score 5 (Ready) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Opportunity | 15% | Low category search volume, declining trend | High volume, growing trend, moderate competition |
| Existing Brand Presence | 10% | Zero organic traffic, no brand searches | 500+ monthly sessions, established brand queries |
| Organic Engagement Signals | 10% | No Search Console data from target country | Active impressions, clicks, and organic conversions |
| Local Support Availability | 10% | No language capability, no returns process | Native-language support, local returns infrastructure |
| Competitive Landscape | 15% | Saturated market, CPCs above home market | Lower CPCs, moderate competition, entry wedges visible |
| Budget Feasibility | 15% | Below minimum viable (3x CPA/day/campaign) | 2+ campaigns funded above learning threshold |
| Fulfillment Feasibility | 15% | No shipping routes, high customs/duties, slow delivery | Established logistics, competitive delivery times |
| PMax Readiness | 10% | No feed, no localized assets, low expected volume | Complete feed, localized headlines, 30+ expected monthly conversions |
Market Score = (Growth x 0.15) + (Brand Presence x 0.10) + (Organic x 0.10)
+ (Support x 0.10) + (Competition x 0.15)
+ (Budget x 0.15) + (Fulfillment x 0.15) + (PMax Readiness x 0.10)
Interpretation:
Blank template for comparing up to 5 markets side by side:
| Factor (Weight) | Market 1 | Market 2 | Market 3 | Market 4 | Market 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth (15%) | |||||
| Brand Presence (10%) | |||||
| Organic Signals (10%) | |||||
| Local Support (10%) | |||||
| Competition (15%) | |||||
| Budget (15%) | |||||
| Fulfillment (15%) | |||||
| PMax Readiness (10%) | |||||
| Weighted Score | |||||
| Priority |
Based on market score:
| Tier | Score Range | Investment Level | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Full Native) | 4.0+ | $500-2K (same lang) / $5K-15K (new lang) | Native ad copy, local landing pages, local payment methods, market-specific trust signals |
| Tier 2 (Semi-Localized) | 3.0-3.9 | $2K-5K | Professional translation + native review, auto currency conversion, core trust signals adapted |
| Tier 3 (Monitored) | 2.0-2.9 | $500-1K | English assets, auto currency, conservative test budget, 90-day reassessment |
For each market:
Localization Cost: $________
Expected First-Year Revenue: $________
Payback Period: Cost / (Revenue / 12) = ________ months
Decision rules:
Separate scorecard for Performance Max readiness per market:
| Factor | Weight | Score 1 | Score 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed readiness | 25% | No feed for target language | Complete feed, keyword-optimized titles |
| Conversion volume | 25% | Fewer than 10 expected monthly | 50+ expected monthly conversions |
| Creative assets | 20% | No localized headlines/descriptions | Full 15 headlines + 5 descriptions in target language |
| Audience signals | 15% | No customer data for target market | Customer match list + remarketing data |
| Budget adequacy | 15% | Under $500/month for PMax | $2,000+/month available |
PMax Readiness Score:
Lowest-friction expansion paths:
| Home Market | Adjacent Markets | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| US | Canada (EN) | Same language, similar culture, minor currency adjustment |
| UK | Australia, New Zealand | Same language, similar consumer expectations |
| Germany | Austria, Switzerland (DE) | Same language, DACH cultural alignment |
| France | Belgium (FR), Switzerland (FR) | Same language, similar buying patterns |
| Spain | Mexico, Latin America | Same language (with dialect awareness) |
Directional CPC comparison by market:
| Market | vs. US Baseline | Search CPC Range | Shopping CPC Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 100% | $1.80-3.50 | $0.45-1.20 |
| UK | 85-95% | $1.50-2.80 | $0.35-0.95 |
| Germany | 65-75% | $1.20-2.20 | $0.30-0.80 |
| France | 60-70% | $1.00-2.00 | $0.25-0.70 |
| Nordics | 70-80% | $1.30-2.50 | $0.35-0.90 |
| Australia | 80-90% | $1.40-2.60 | $0.40-1.00 |
Target CPA: $________
Minimum daily budget per campaign: CPA x 3 = $________
Campaigns per market (minimum 2): ________
Minimum daily budget per market: $________
Monthly minimum per market: Daily x 30 = $________
If your total international budget doesn't cover minimum viable for your top-scoring markets, reduce the number of markets. Two well-funded markets outperform five starved ones.
The scorecard removes the guesswork. Score first. Fund properly. Start adjacent.
This scorecard covers market selection. The Google Ads AI Agentic System ($4,997+) covers the complete system: campaign architecture for 2-20 markets, per-market PMax orchestration, feed localization across 4 international scenarios, Smart Bidding cold start protocols, budget allocation formulas, cross-market attribution, the 17-setting international audit, and market-specific landing page strategy across 8 page types.
14 modules. The exact system we use across 19 markets and 10 brands.