With billions of active users on the internet, this Localization vs online global market is a vast sea of opportunities for any brand.
Have you ever wondered what it would mean for your business to reach this ever-increasing audience? Or, what benefits do you stand to enjoy when you create localized content that resonates with the global market, irrespective of any existing cultural or functional barriers?
Adapting your content to suit a particular country or market is an excellent strategy that enables you to effectively connect with the target region.
As the internet becomes more popular, with millions of web pages being added daily around the world, more online information is being made available like never before.
However, availability does not always mean accessibility. This is due to language and cultural barriers that exist across diverse geographies.
When content is written in a language or format that differs from the language of the market, there is a good chance that the content will be ignored. For example, when content is written in English and directed at a Korean audience.
In some other cases, the disparity may not be a total difference in language but in more subtle diversities that distinguish one culture from another. An example is when typical U.S. content is presented to a British reader.
Whatever the case may be, when creating international content for your brand or website, translation and localization are tools you inevitably need to communicate effectively while retaining the originality and consistency of your brand.
Localization vs. Translation: Defining the Terms
Translation and localization are the two job function email list choices available to businesses wishing to expand geographically or produce content for international markets.
But very often, you’ll find that there is a lot of misunderstanding when people use these terms. Experts are aware that these two concepts are distinct and that, when used, they lead to different outcomes.
Let’s start by explaining what these words mean:
Translation
Translation is the process of converting an original language version of your web content, such as text, ebooks, apps, audio or video, into a different language.
This means that when you translate your website, you only alter the existing content to reflect accurate sentences in the target language. Here, the new text’s overall meaning, diction and tone remain identical to the reference text.
Localization
Localization is a broader and more specialized method of adapting your web content for use in a particular region or market.
It goes beyond a mere word-for-word translation to alter the content and visual elements of your site to better suit the cultural preferences of consumers in another region.
Understanding the Difference Between Translation and Localization
Localization and translation differ remarkably. In some markets and for certain types of content, simple translation may be appropriate.
These content types often contain technical details or compliance information, and they include user manuals, medical prescriptions, technical publications and scientific journals.
It is for this reason that leading global brands use localization to modify their online assets for regional distinctiveness to ensure a high-quality consumer experience.
Example
Here is an example to demonstrate the the backpack is the presence differences between translation and localization.
In 2011, the Coca-Cola company launched its “Share a Coke” campaign in Australia. It featured the imprinting of about 150 popular first names on its products—a move that brought massive returns.
Subsequently, the brand decided to modify the execution to resonate on a global scale.
If the company had used translation to employ the same strategy in China, it would’ve simply changed the Australian first names to local Chinese names. However, to reach the Chinese market in a more effective way, Coca-Cola adopted nicknames like “Close Friend” and “Classmate” rather than regular first names.
This localization strategy preserved the campaign’s welcoming vibe by honoring the formality with which Chinese customers use first names.
Other examples of cultural and functional modifications for content across regions include:
Localization Is Critical for Global Content
According to a report by W3Techs, 55.6 percent gambling data of all websites on the internet use English as their content language. Yet, only about 25.9 percent of internet users worldwide speak English. This leaves a large percentage of the online customer base untapped.
The following are practical ways that localization helps boost your international content:
Increased trust
When your website takes into account the linguistic and cultural variations among different markets and their preferred languages, it demonstrates that your business is aware of and respects consumers and their cultures.
This promotes client trust. In a report by CSA Research, 64 percent of consumers say they explicitly appreciate localized information, while about 60 percent of non-native English speakers say they rarely buy from English-only websites.