4 steps to ensure an accurate process of e-learning localization services

Companies that offer e-learning services to school and university students along with professionals willing to learn new skills are mushrooming all over the globe. However, only the ones that choose to localize their e-learning content will be able to have a stable national or global client base. The reason is simple – localized e-learning content lets a learner feel included, engaged, and inspired.

So how can an e-learning institution localize its e-learning content?

Well, they can always take the help of a localization agency.

What steps does a localization agency take to localize e-learning content?

Well, localization agencies localize e-learning content using the following four simple steps – 

Localization needs to be focused on both language as well as the design of the content

Agencies specializing in offering eLearning localization services have a huge team of – 

• Linguists
• Editors
• Native voiceover artists
• Graphic designers and
• Quality assurance experts.

All of the aforementioned localization experts work in tandem to ensure that the –

• Videos
• Graphical elements and
• Images – used in the e-learning content they are tasked to localize entail localization steps that conform to the preferences of the target market segment or target audience.

For instance, one can easily use the graphical representation of a ‘thumbs up’ in a presentation meant for e-learning a course targeted toward students in the US. But, the thumbs-up graphical element has to be replaced with something else if the same content is being used to target students in Iran as in the nation, it is considered an insult to show thumbs up to anyone.

Understanding the audience is necessary before conducting localization

It won’t be possible to localize e-learning content without first understanding the requirements of the target audience.

Hence, e-learning institutions need to hire revered providers of elearning localization services who can appoint e-learning localization experts in a bid to – 

• Conduct in-depth research of the target market segment(s) based on their cultural 
• Choose the perfect tone for the content and
• See to it that the localized content conforms to the socio-political as well as religious sentiments of the target audience.

If e-learning content is localized without first researching about the target audience then the engagement factor for the localized e-learning content will go down drastically.

Identifying the best localization language(s) is crucial

It is to be noted that before the e-learning content is localized, the e-learning institution owner should consult with their preferred e-learning localization service provider and identify the target languages.

Globally, people speak more than six thousand languages and each language has countless regional dialects.

It would be unwise to localize e-learning content by targeting all known languages and their dialects.

According to experts, e-learning institutions that intend to attain a global foothold should localize their e-learning content by choosing the following major target languages – 

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Hindi
• Russian and
• Mandarin.

Voice localization should not be ignored

According to leading localization experts specializing in e-learning websites and e-learning material localization services, the voice-overs that entail typical e-learning content like slides, videos, and audio modules need to be localized using the latest voice localization norms.

Without localizing the voiceovers of the aforementioned forms of e-learning material, the e-learning content would not be able to engage with the target audience as there will be no visible correlation between the voiceover and the on-screen graphics as well as textual content.

Furthermore, e-learning institutions should see to it that when the voiceovers of their e-learning content are being localized, the project is handed over to veteran localization agencies. In this way, owners of e-learning institutions can rest assured that the voiceover artists working on localizing the e-learning content fit the brand image of the e-learning institution.

BeyondWordz associated with the localization sector for more than 30 years. We have a pan-India as well as a global footprint. Our client base consists of national as well as multinational enterprises. For more details, send an email to sales@beyondwordz.com.