No matter what type of business you do online, it’s always smart to appeal to a wider audience. One of the easiest ways to do so is through localization or translation of your website’s content into different languages. Localization is a major part of personalization, as customers enjoy buying from brands that cater to their needs.
According to Forbes, 74% of customers are outright frustrated by websites that lack personalization, with 80% who only shop from personalized brands. Whether you focus on blogging, email marketing, or social media for exposure, localization can significantly improve your odds at lead and revenue generation. That being said, let’s explore several noteworthy tips you should keep in mind when creating a content localization strategy for your website going into 2021.
Benefits of Creating a Content Localization Strategy
Let’s start off by addressing why content localization matters in the grand scheme of things. By definition, localization represents a contextual translation of content from one language to another. This practically makes one piece of content more approachable to a wider range of users on the web.
Based on Medium, 90% of consumers found this type of personalization appealing, with 52% expressing they would switch away from brands that lack personalized communication. Whether you offer cloud-based services or operate as an eCommerce seller, localizing your website into languages such as Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi is highly recommended. Some of the most tangible benefits you can look forward to by doing so include:
● Higher global appeal and presence on search engines
● Increased customer engagement and brand loyalty
● Higher revenue generation and ROI from sales/content
● Better competitive positioning and networking opportunities
Tips for a Successful Content Localization Strategy
Differentiate Localization from Translation
You should learn to differentiate localization and translation early in your content localization strategy creation. Localization is a form of translation that takes cultural context into consideration and is typically used in informal content writing. For example, a joke in German may be completely impossible to understand if it`s translated into French or Russian – in this case, creativity can take center stage.
Translation, on the other hand, is often used in technical projects with very strictly defined linguistic standards – legal, medical, and IT fields fall under translation. Depending on the type of website, content, and writing you have in place, you may want to look for specialized localization assistance to avoid miscommunication. Identify the type of translation your business falls into – the reception and SEO ranking of your content will reflect that foresight.
Explore your Localization Options
Localization can take many forms depending on your budget and the type of content you want to publish. Likewise, the number of languages you choose to translate into will be a major decisive factor in your choice of localization.
For example, if you plan to create a lot of multimedia content for YouTube and social media, localization subtitling may be a great option. On the other hand, you may want to opt for full written localization if you write a lot of blog posts and emails for marketing purposes. Start slow and simply write content – use services such as Wow Grade and Grammarly, as well as Supreme Dissertations, Evernote, and Top Essay Writing, respectively. Write articles and create multimedia as planned – the right type of localization will make itself clear to you in time.
Prepare for Localized SEO
The more languages you feature on your website, the more attention you’ll have to pay to global and local SEO. Keywords and phrases which work well in English will not have the same impact in Italian or Greek. Thus, platforms such as Google Keyword Planner should be made an integral part of your content strategy going forward.
Even if you localize and publish content transcription alongside original writing, you will still need to search for relevant keywords. Make sure to always look for trending keywords to incorporate into your localized content before you publish it. This will increase its appeal for global search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing and ensure a higher ranking for your domain name.
Be Mindful of Your Fonts
When it comes to localization, you should prepare your website to handle different languages and dialects in the technical sense. Many fonts are ill-equipped to handle different languages and their glyphs – be mindful of the ones you use. Rely on an online platform such as Google Fonts and choose the fonts you will use from there instead of opting for a DIY approach.
Henry Timothy, Head Content Writer, and Editor at Grab My Essay, said: “The writing you localize will only be as effective as your website’s back-end optimization. Fonts and formatting play a large role in your articles’ legibility and general UX appeal. Pair your writing with fonts and multimedia, which will add value to your original ideas, and the localization you put into place will pay off.”
Localize Alt-Text Tags
Any piece of multimedia you have posted on your website can be used in your favor in terms of localization. Alt-text tags represent textual explanations of individual images and videos for people with a poor internet connection or health-related issues.
Global search engines favor websites that offer alt-text on multimedia, especially if it’s localized into a variety of languages. In addition, you can easily integrate SEO keywords into alt-text and further boost your site’s performance. This can help you gain a positive brand image as an accessible and user-friendly brand which anyone from around the world can enjoy.
Double-Check your Localization’s Context
Lastly, you should always check the validity and cultural context of your localized writing before you publish it. Publishing localized content that is done in poor taste and unintentionally disrespects certain groups, religions, or peoples can have consequences for your brand’s reputation.
Cultural context should not be taken lightly, especially if you are new to localization and don’t have experience with the people you localize for. Make sure to contact linguists for approval and final review before you post localized content on your website to ensure it meets your quality standards.
Gaining Worldwide Appeal (Conclusion)
Content localization is a powerful marketing tool, but it can also backfire if you don’t plan your strategy carefully. A good rule of thumb is to think about your own language and how you’d like others to translate content into it.
Be respectful of other peoples as you would with your friends and family – double-check every piece of information you localize until you settle into it. Once you start building a reputation as a pro-consumer brand with multilingual content, it will be far easier to attract customers and grow your business worldwide.
Author's Bio: Kristin Savage is a professional writer at Trust My Paper and content editor at Classy Essay writing services. She loves to work on writing projects which involve thorough research and publishing for a global audience. Kristin is an active collaborator and contributor to Subjecto, where she aims to develop her writing skills even further. She spends most of her free time resting from work and enjoying pop culture such as books and movies.