What should you know before entering the Latvian market?



Latvia is a market with considerable potential, located close to Poland, Lithuania and Estonia. This Baltic country is characterized by a stable economy, good trade conditions and relatively low competition for businesses
If you are planning to expand into this market, an SEO strategy tailored to Latvian realities will be an important part of customer acquisition and brand building. Find out the characteristics of this market and what to look for in terms of taxes, consumer behavior and sales.
Latvia benefits from the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU RODO). A company operating in the Latvian market must ensure that its privacy policy and data processing comply with EU requirements.
For Latvian consumers, delivery time is an important factor in their purchasing decisions. It is worth knowing that due to the small size of the country, deliveries are made relatively quickly - often even in 24-48 hours.
The most popular suppliers are:
Consumers in Latvia are eager to use parcel machines - more than 90% according to a Gemius survey.
Popular payment methods in Latvia include VISA and Mastercard, as well as credit or debit cards.
Google.lv dominates the Latvian search engine market with a 93% share, making it easier to plan SEO efforts. The other search engines are of minor importance.
The share of search engines in Latvia (February 2025) is as follows:
As in any market, a comprehensive SEO audit is the starting point for an effective strategy. In the case of Latvia, it is worth paying particular attention to:
For companies planning a long-term presence in the Latvian market, we recommend considering a domain with the .lv extension. A local domain increases user trust and is a positive signal for Google search.
Alternative options are:
Google sees .lv country domains as more suitable for Latvian users, which could translate into better search rankings.
In Latvia, it is worth paying attention to the optimization of listings in popular marketplaces, especially on platforms:
Key elements of marketplace optimization include:
More than 25% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Mobile optimization is therefore important in SEO efforts in the Latvian market. Sites that are not responsive lose a quarter of potential traffic.
An in-depth analysis of the competition in the Latvian market is key to understanding the local SEO specifics. It's worth checking and finding out (which we will, of course, do):
Content localization is much more than just translation. Just like the entire content marketing strategy, it requires understanding local cultural nuances and language preferences. Therefore, it is worth it:
Read: What is content localization and how does it affect SEO?
Keyword research must take into account the peculiarities of the Latvian language. Due to linguistic differences, a simple translation of phrases from Polish to Latvian may not yield the expected results.
Key aspects of keyword research for the Latvian market:
For companies offering local services, key phrases will include the names of Latvian cities and regions, such as:
Effective link building in the Latvian market takes into account first and foremost:
We recommend focusing on quality rather than quantity of links. A few valuable links from respected Latvian sites will bring more benefits than dozens of low-quality backlinks.
Successfully reaching Latvian customers requires a carefully planned SEO strategy that takes into account your goals, but within the business and cultural environment of the expansion country.
SEO for website or store in Latvia should not be a direct copy of the activities carried out in the market your company is familiar with. That's why it's important, first and foremost: adapting your content to the Latvian language, working with local experts and understanding the specifics of the Latvian e-commerce market.