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In today’s world where the Internet has become the norm, marketers should be able to think about their content on a global market scale.
Localized content is one way to catch new customers’ attention because it creates a place where they would want to spend their time and make their purchases. By building a personalized experience, you will be able to guide new and loyal customers through the customer lifecycle, regardless of where they are in the world.
In definition, localization means that the content matches a customer’s cultural expectations. It takes the element of context and applies it beyond just translating words. It helps customers connect with your brand on a deeper level and improves the chance of buying.
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This may sound simple as translating your content into another language. Sadly, it is more than that. Words should be presented in a way that matches a culture so that you will be able to build a relationship with that specific target market. For example, pictures and colors should match a customer’s cultural expectations. Prices should also be in their local currency. Companies should understand that localization is best suited to adapt their content to a customer’s culture, language, and mannerisms. These factors are a big help to a truly welcoming experience for a global customer.
When entering a local market, you should conduct thorough research into the cultural norms just as you would for any other part of your product or selling process. Learn about the specific religious connotations in the area or try to understand their heritage. Your global customers are expecting you to know as much as they are with regard to their culture and they want to be impressed by your initiative.
Now the next question would be, when do you localize content?
Content is an important part of your first impressions in a new market. Potential customers will expect an in-language experience on day one and they also expect you to adapt to changes in the market and culture as they arise. Take this into consideration in building your website. You can have a template for each local area to simplify the process. For video resources, create a time-coded script to go along with it. For texts, you may need to translate it in a specific language. Make sure that you translate everything perfectly and make it as efficient as possible. You can tap into human translators or native speakers to help you smooth over the potential jarring points and to ensure an excellent experience for your customers. Machine translation may make the process easier; it usually fails to fill the gaps in context and fails to fill in the nuances a global customer would other notice.
As mentioned, proper research is essential, and content should also well prepared in a way the customer would for fit every stage of the customer lifecycle. Create an awesome first impression and begin building brand loyalty with new customers around the world.
