Localization best practices for Multinational Companies

Tips for localisation

Thinking about localizing a website? This article will help you know if you're doing it right

A must read for Multinational organizations concerned with content localization best practices

Localization involves adapting a product or service to meet language and cultural requirements of a region or country.

If you would like to know more about what internationalization is, see a definition for localization or i18N and why it is a must for any company which operates beyond a small local boundary, please checkout our localization training page here

This article deals with specified best practices when preparing localized content or translating marketing content.

Best practices for translating content include the following:

Know the audience … Research the target market
Manual expert evaluation and prioritization of keywords
Manual local expert translation of text
Adopt Cultural Nuances
Optimize for both Regional and Lingual differences
Get the technical details correct!
Measure results

Know the audience … Research the target market

Content best practices are not just about translating words from one language to another language. An application, web page, or marketing content is translated to suit a particular market by preparing specific representations. These include language translation as well as cultural, design, local seo best practices and technical aspects.

For accurate and appropriate localization, use professional translators with expertise in the relevant language and industry.

Localization may require a different language to be localized for a specific market. For example,

India
United States
Nigeria
The United Kingdom

Each country could have its own content which which will highlight:

Images and videos which are the most culturally relevant for the region
Separate pricing, contract, phone numbers etc.
Slightly different words for different regions.
They could even have different example content, or references that are more easily understood within the specific region.
Different Cultural, Political, Legal or Linguistic differences.

An expert on a particular topic in the US may not use the same vernacular as an expert in South Africa or The United Kingdom, so it is important that the final editing is done by a local expert.

Manual local expert evaluation and prioritization of keywords

Even when writing this article it was discovered that in the US Localization is spelled with a Z, where in South Africa it is spelled with an s as in Localisation. The URL of the page, the words used in the paragraphs, the alt tags, meta tags etc. would all reflect these subtle but important changes which would help the page reach its target audience in the specific language of the target market. Localized keywords are a must!

Manual local expert translation of text

Google Translate is a traveler's best friend, but relying on automated translation bots and AI to do language translation does not provide the same cultural sensitivity and nuance that a trained expert will. It is ok to start out with a google translation as long as it is fixed by an expert translation service which shares the same, language and preferably technical know how as the target market

Cultural Nuances

The cultural differences being represented on your site are a crucial part of localization. If a company only translates its website into one language and currency, users cannot read accurate prices and regional promotions.

A localisation strategy should include not just the text of your site, but also the content, to increase ease of use and user satisfaction.

Localize for both Regional and Lingual differences

Localization is not only about translation. If a company only translates a website, then they have overlooked the localization issue. Sometimes localization is not even about language at all but rather about the differences in the use of language, formats, structure, price, etc. from location to location.

Get the technical details correct!

This may be the hardest part as there are complicated issue such as:

URL Structure
Spacing and padding will need to change

Best practices for local seo include not only url structure but also page load time, how it looks on a mobile, and many other technical entails.

Measure Results

What is the localized reaction? Evaluate the localized reaction of each page. At iBCScorp™ results are measured, this is the only way to know it was done right. Measure adjust as necessary until confidence is assured that the site is i18N compliant and website translation is complete.

When testing you are looking for several important factors:

Is the content easily understood
Is the content culturally appropriate
Is the content easily accessible

By checking if the user can understand the site, you gain the knowledge that the site is translated correctly. In addition, you learn that the media is effectively leveraged to aid and assist the user.

This will also help assess the user's reaction to the site to create an exciting experience.

Finally, by checking the usability, you can ensure that the users receive the content in the correct format promptly. This is a big concern if the server being used is in a different region than the target users.

Get your site to be MultiLingual and or Multi Regional

To create a bilingual site, it is important to know the Geographic location of your target audience, are you getting more traffic from Brazil, India, and Germany, etc

Having a Bilingual website helps a site to be rated higher by the SEO in the site's target market. This ensures that the correct audience is viewing the site.

From a marketing standpoint, one of the best things you can do is to localize your website first. This means creating content in the target language and ensuring that your website is accessible to people in that market.

Localizing your website first provides dome benefits:

More people can be reached
trust and credibility with target audiences can be earned.
Images and videos that are culturally acceptable to your audience can be prepared.
These resources can later be used for other offline materials that need translated.

Keep these practices in mind. By following these best practices and tips, you will be able to reach your target market.

Tips for Localisation best practices

https://youtu.be/MaoWNEDRmpo

Your brand will have a better chance of commanding the trust and authority of your target audience

In conclusion, localization is essential for businesses that want to expand into new markets, improve customer satisfaction, and increase brand awareness. Following best practices and understanding the importance of localization can help companies adapt their products and services to their target markets. After instituting a localization practice, it is best to test the site from the target users' perspective. By localizing, companies can increase their global reach and overall effectiveness.