Have you ever asked your product team about their worst nightmares? Chances are, discovering errors after a software product has gone live ranks right up there with a root canal or a visit from the in-laws. That’s why plenty of time usually goes into software quality assurance: Detecting and fixing bugs before launch can save companies a lot of money, time, and customer satisfaction issues.
Even though localization testing is equally crucial, it all too frequently gets overlooked in favor of more pressing localization issues. If you want your software to operate in a variety of markets, you should examine localization quality from every angle to help you avoid problems that might turn off your target market.
Although it may seem difficult, it needn’t be. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about localizing content, including what it is, when to do it, and how to go about it.
What is content localization?
In relation to digital marketing, content localization refers to the process of writing (or translating) specialized content for a particular locale or foreign nation. This entails taking into account any cultural variances, linguistic restrictions, personal preferences, and other similar aspects of the area into which you’re expanding. It involves much more than merely rendering the words “exhibit behaviors” in the target language. True content localization, on the other hand, embraces all local residents and works to meet their specific needs as consumers. When done properly, it can be a great chance for businesses to grow internationally and establish a strong global brand. It could, however, turn into a nightmare if you’re not careful.
How does content localization work?
It’s very easy. In the end, you are constantly localizing content. Yes, you can even create content for your domestic market.
Why? because your audience is the primary focus of all marketing materials (or at least they should be). Consider the procedures you use at home to produce content for your target audience. Your content marketing strategy will take into account issues like
- Who is our target audience?
- What do they want to learn about?
- What are their needs, desires, and pain points?
- What language will they be able to access the content in?
- How can we modify our language, tone of voice, and presentation to be more appealing to them?
- How can we assist them in resolving their issues?
The responses to these inquiries about the kinds of content your target audience wants to see change with their geographic location. Content localization is crucial for this reason.
Why Should You Prioritize Your Content Localization?
No one wants to be the company that misses localization issues before launch or that alienates users because localization quality isn’t up to par—whether it’s for a web or mobile app. To prevent this from happening to you, planning for content localization from the beginning is essential. Here are six justifications for localizing your content:
- Because it is more relevant to the audience and easier for them to understand, localized content is more engaging than non-localized content.
- Users now anticipate local relevance. Localized content can help businesses generate more sales or inquiries and reduce bounce rates. It all revolves around boosting customer satisfaction.
- Without localization, you risk losing out on a sizable portion of potential clients and customers. It’s important to keep in mind that only 25% of people on Earth are native English speakers. A tried-and-true strategy for growth is to localize your content for new markets. Create a customized experience for the key markets you should be targeting as a quick way to increase new sales.
- Localization is sometimes necessary to prevent putting your company at risk as a result of word meanings that vary from country to country. It’s for this reason that many car manufacturers localize the names of their models; a prime example is the Chevrolet Nova, which had poor sales in Spanish-speaking countries because “no va” means “doesn’t go” in Spanish. Not to mention the fact that KFC failed to translate its “Finger-lickin’ Good” tagline. This is referred to as “biting your fingers off” in China.
- Acquire a competitive edge. Many companies overlook the significance of localizing their content, even though doing so is frequently a tested strategy for staying ahead of what competitors in your field are doing.
- The use of existing content and marketing assets and their adaptation to promote success in new markets can help minimize the efficacy and expenditure of your marketing. Directly speaking, localizing already-existing content is less expensive than creating new content.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the success of localized software in international markets can be determined by how carefully planned and carried out the content localization programmed is. When content localization is done properly, the outcomes can give software companies looking to sell outside of their home markets a competitive edge. Successful content localization also depends on cultural sensitivity and comprehension.
If the reader of this post is looking for a professional content localization agency then they should consider contacting BeyondWordz.