The Rising Significance of Website Localization Over The Globe

[:en]The Rising Significance of Website Localization Over The Globe :  The 21st century has been a watershed when it comes to communication and inter-connectivity. The internet has veritably revolutionized the world by converting it into a global village. The physical boundaries of state, countries, and continents have ceased to exist owing to the rise of the World Wide Web.

The phenomenon of globalization has touched every domain of our lives, and language is no exception. We all, consciously or unconsciously, consider English as a universal language and assume that everyone knows the language to some extent.

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The assumption is not far-fetched as English is the most widely spoken non-native language, with 1.28 billion speakers out of whom only 260 million are native speakers. But, the elitism associated with English has garnered criticism in recent times because of post-modernism. As a result, dedicated efforts have been made to move away from an English dominated world to vernacular languages that receive their due importance.

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The internet has been a path-breaking tool to shatter many glass ceilings, and business ventures have to be at the top of the list. Nowadays, a physical setup is no longer mandatory for the inception of any business because everyone is selling at the internet marketplace.

Although we cannot wholly denounce the significance of a tangible market, the existence of virtual transactions, trade, and commerce have completely changed business dynamics. Eighty-seven percent of Americans believe that overseas expansion is vital for profit and growth. And, it is noteworthy to mention that cross-country business expeditions are incomplete without translation services.

One of the most crucial aspects to consider while increasing a business’s reach is website localization. It is converting the content of a site from one language to another, keeping in mind the socio-cultural nuances of the target region.

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Statistics reveal that 40 percent of netizens will never purchase from a website in a language other than their native language. Thus, numbers speak, and we can see the immense potential of localization. In addition, mobile app translation is a thriving field and can alter the lives of millions of smartphone users across the globe.

Localizing A Website – What It Entails

The process of website localization, in simple terms, refers to tweaking a particular website to suit the language, social, cultural, and religious tastes of a region. Thus, it is the process of adapting a website to align with a specific audience.

Localizing a website is a complex process that entails technical and linguistic specificities. The technical aspects include ensuring that the codes used by the sites can handle alphabets with diverse characters and symbols, making the payment processing system compatible with the currency of the target region, and so on.

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The linguistic aspects of localization encapsulate not only word-to-word transposing but also layering contextual underpinnings in freshly brewed content. A well-localized website pays attention to detail and alters everything, from colour to images to sounds, to match the preferences of the local clientele. Let us look at some of the steps involved in website localization.

1. Planning – Research shows that 4.5 billion people use the internet every day and the most prominent user pool comes from Asia, America and Europe. The underlying expectation is to stick to English because it is a ‘global language. But, there are 7000 languages globally, and obsessively focusing on just one of them is unjust, unviable, and an opportunity lost.

Seventy-two percent of netizens spend most of their time surfing websites in their native language. Moreover, 65 percent of internet users who are proficient in English are likely to repurchase from a site if the proceeding communication is done in their local language.

Also Read: Translate Website In All Indian Languages To Target Indian Buyers

Thus, localizing a website is fundamental to elevate business repute, reach and credibility. Planning is the most critical step of the entire process, and we must remember that less is more. While designing a website, it is essential to keep some room for website localization by making the flagship site flexible. Keeping more space in the web site’s page layout and including fewer yet relevant images and videos are the secrets for successful localization.

2. Market stratagem – The cost of localization depends on the number of languages and target regions involved. It may seem like a win-all situation to hop onto the localization current in full swing with all the glorious advantages.

But, a good market stratagem is vital before you proceed with website localization. Understanding the customer base and knowing their preferred language is all you need to focus on. For instance, if your clientele is concentrated in France, China, and India, you can choose to localize your website as per the linguistic priorities of these three countries.

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The key is to avoid generic content and be sensitive to the social thread of your target market. For example, broccoli – a vegetable despised by European and American children – is loved by Japanese children. This unique cultural distinction can play a massive role in the marketing tactics for children-oriented items.

Similarly, if you want to opt for mobile app translation, ask yourself some simple questions like – Is your app popular in the concerned market, what is the level of competition there, and cost of translation, and so forth.

3. Teamwork – Localizing a website has numerous stakeholders, making the entire process even more complex. Your budget decides the size of your team, but a smaller group does not imply lesser efficacy.

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Some intelligent decisions like personally doing the market research, consulting a locale of the target market to extract more information, and checking Google Analytics can provide respite to your pocket.

But, it is imperative not to cut corners while translating the site’s content. Lastly, a collaborative team willing to swiftly collaborate over different time zones can make all the difference during website localization.

4. Search Engine Optimization – Preparing keywords for the new market is vital to increase the reach and traffic of the website. International SEO can make a sea-difference in how locals perceive your website and how Google engages with it.

A well-optimized website with relevant and well-spaced keywords can bring you to the top searches. Lastly, it is paramount to test the website before the final launch. Linguistic testing is critical to ensure that all words are correctly translated; the content is accurate and well versed.

Also Read: Does My Content Need To Be Translated or Localized?

Conclusion

We can extract the unrivalled significance of website localization from the fact that 72.4 percent of netizens are more likely to purchase a product from a website that is in their native language.

Therefore, we can safely conclude that localizing a website is the optimal method of overseas expansion. If you are looking to localize your site, make sure that you opt for a credible company that is flexible, accountable and credible.

Also Read: How to Grow Your Small Business across India with Localization

Transparent policies, good reviews and a competent and communicative team are things that you should be eyeing. Devnagri is a translation service provider that offers the best localization and mobile app translation in the market.

The company extends premier translation services without burning a hole in your pocket. Devnagri has, undoubtedly, got the best of both worlds when it comes to meticulous localization services. If you are aiming to localize your website, Devnagri is the agency you should be rooting for.[:]