Strong digital strategies are key for brand success. Having the right internet presence (rather than just an internet presence) can make a brand stand out as the authority.
It also increases visibility and can help gain loyalty from customers in regions you wouldn’t necessarily expect. With this in mind, localization services should play a key part in international digital strategies. They are vital to creating a tailored customer experience.
An overview of localization services
Localization adapts a product or service for audiences in specific places. While translation deals with language barriers, localization takes into account cultural factors too. Imagery, jokes, cultural references, and even tone of voice don’t have the same effect in every country.
Localization companies can work with you to transform any aspect of your brand, helping it have the right impact on audiences in new regions. They work with native speakers who understand your industry to create a local feel.
Website localization
Your website acts as a window into your brand. Customers around the world can visit and instantly get a feel for your brand identity. So your website needs to showcase your products/services in a way that reflects your brand’s values. This includes everything from language to the overall user experience.
Additionally, your website needs to be localized on a technical level so that it’s SEO-optimized and functions smoothly in the new language. Seemingly small factors can have a big effect on success. Airbnb grew its Chinese traveler customer base by an incredible 700% simply by allowing users to log in through Weibo or WeChat (Forbes).
Localization experts can handle even the smallest or most technical details, helping you connect with customers in various countries. The way they do this depends on your needs. If you have a small website, for example just a landing page, a one-off manual translation might be the best way to go.
For ongoing, bulk, or high-volume translations, translation companies can manage everything for you, even feeding your localized content directly to your website.
To find out more about website localization services, please visit our dedicated page.
Marketing and content localization
Whether you focus on content, social media, email marketing, or all three, you need to be sure your messages resonate with your audience. To do this, you need to consider more than just translation.
Let’s take examples of English-speaking countries around the world. Australia and the UK might share a common official language, but their cultures differ. Certain turns of phrase, imagery, cultural references, and humor aren’t shared by both places.
For instance, in Australia, slang words are abbreviated, becoming unrecognizable for many in the UK. Afternoon becomes arvo, surfer becomes surfie, etc. Recreating the same tone of voice for audiences in other countries requires expert skills and deep knowledge of culture, no matter the language.
App localization
There are around 2.87 million apps on the Google Play Store alone. To stand out from the crowd and capture a bigger market share, it’s important to engage users in different countries.
App localization services take into account technical, visual, and linguistic features. This includes everything from time and date formats to user journeys. To find out more about professional app localization and how it can help boost your brand, have a look at our mobile localization page.
Video localization services
Video localization can be done in several ways. Usually, the best method depends on the type of video, where it will be distributed, and the overall budget.
Some videos might need full localization, including changes to the storyline, script, and even setting. For others, you could translate and localize the script only, recording a new voice-over or simply adding subtitles in another language.
Future Trans – Localization experts
Whether you have a large or small digital presence, we can help you localize your content for audiences that speak MENA languages. Hiring a professional localization company means you can reach out to local audiences in a meaningful way. Please get in touch to discuss your project today.
