Digitalization has made it easier for companies to expand globally digitally.
Nevertheless, expanding internationally requires more than just translating your web content into another language using Google Translate.
As anyone who has been abroad for vacation knows, things are done quite differently abroad.
In fact, even major corporations learn the hard way that true content localization involves tailoring the information to meet the needs, wants, desires, and cultures of the region.
You’ll learn why content localization is so important as well as tips on how to do it correctly in this guide.
Content localization: what is it?
Content localization refers to the process of creating (or translating) specialized content for a specific region or country.
It is important to consider cultural differences, language barriers, preferences, and other similar factors in the region you are expanding into.
The translation goes much further than simply translating the words verbatim.
Rather, true content localization connects with the unique needs of the customers who live in the region.
International expansion and brand recognition can be achieved when done correctly.
However, if you’re not careful, it can be a nightmare.
How Can Content Localization Go Wrong?
In this article, we will examine Home Depot’s expansion into China.
Home Way was acquired by the home improvement retailer in 2006.
As a result, they expanded their stores into China’s suburbs, spending millions on advertising campaigns and content to attract homeowners.
Despite this plan, there was one problem – residents of suburbs are generally less wealthy than their counterparts in major cities like Hong Kong and Beijing.
In other words, they targeted content at people who had little or no desire to invest in fixing up their homes.
A Home Depot expansion into suburbs, similar to what they do in the United States, failed miserably. As a result, the company closed all Chinese stores in 2012.
What was the reason for their failure?
Research on localization was not done enough to determine how socioeconomic factors affect where people live in conjunction with how much they earn when looking to expand.
Before taking a leap into an area, companies need to be fully aware of the daily lives of those who live there.
Want to hear about an even worse case?
For those living in Spain, Coors Brewing Company translated their “turn it loose” campaign into Spanish.
Their team did not fact-check before publishing.
A term that meant “suffer from diarrhea” was embarrassingly translated. Not great for beer sales.
For a successful example of content localization, we recommend checking out our Spanish blog!
What is the importance of content localization?
In light of this, the next aspect to consider is when content needs to be localized.
The key to a successful content localization process is to learn about the people who live in a new region.
It also encompasses times when you’re just creating online campaigns without having a brick-and-mortar presence.
What’s the reason? Every business strategy revolves around connecting with people.
You don’t uncover their motivations and desires if you copy and paste written text into a new language.
Furthermore, you don’t explain how your product or service will solve their daily problems.
Advantages of Content Localization
It is important to realize that content localization goes beyond just avoiding cultural insensitivity and attracting more buyers.
Furthermore, learning the nuances of a foreign language can have an impact on simple things like formatting, visual aesthetics, and other elements of how content appears.
The majority of Americans read text from left to right, for example. Writing is generally viewed from right to left or top to bottom in Middle Eastern and East Asian regions.
This is an extremely important detail to consider when formatting your pages.
In addition to that, there are many other benefits as well.
Your new audience will be able to relate to your message when you adapt content into a message that resonates with them, rather than simply translating text.
As an organization, this can often save you from embarrassing faux pas in the future.
Building a Content Localization Strategy
When it comes to content localization, how can a strategy be developed?
Consider these tips:
1. Decide on a specific area for regional expansion
To build a localization strategy, you must decide where you want to expand.
- Which country or region is it?
- Do you want to cover an entire continent or just a specific area?
We’ve described a process that is based on geography rather than language.
It can be quite striking to see how people speak and live in different countries.
Think of those who speak Spanish but live in Mexico, Argentina, or Spain.
There might be similarities between the words themselves, but the cultural elements they embrace are vastly different.
2. Consult Someone Familiar with Your Market’s Daily Life
A translation tool alone isn’t enough to localize content.
In place of this, you should speak to someone familiar with daily life in the area where you wish to expand.
They know and understand the nuances of life in that country better than anyone who has only briefly visited or read about it online.
They’ll be able to point out any potential gaps in your strategy and ensure you aren’t making big mistakes regarding economic levels, societal preferences, etc.
3. Make sure the content is localized
To localize a large library of content, start by identifying the pieces that will perform best in the new region.
Consider universal values – i.e. truths that transcend cultural barriers without much variation.
In addition, you should check which pieces perform well on your primary website and how your competitors are doing in the area where you hope to expand.
Having this information should help you decide which content items to prioritize and which ones can wait (or be skipped altogether).
4. Keep Graphical Elements and Photography in mind
When it comes to localizing content, it is important to consider visual aesthetics.
It includes understanding how people read in other languages, as well as matching photography to local tastes.
Target audiences are generally savvy about understanding when someone dresses differently or has a different racial or ethnic background from them.
Therefore, it is important to keep this factor in mind when planning a larger content localization project.
The most important thing to remember when expanding internationally is content localization
A company’s expansion into a new region can be made or broken by its content localization.
To help you remember that translating text with a software app is only one part of the process, we’ve offered so many tips in this article.
Your message will be heard more effectively if you take into account the needs and cultural details of your new target audience.
The importance of content localization extends beyond international expansion.
Additionally, it is important when expanding into new U.S. cities and regions. More ideas can be found in our local SEO guide!
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