Would you like to give your sales a boost and increase your income? One option is to take your company’s name overseas. And using social media to your advantage is a great method to reach new customers and expand your business.
What might your company accomplish if you told your brand narrative to different audiences in their native tongues, given that one in three people on the planet use social media?
But, it’s not easy to establish a solid bilingual social media presence.
Let’s say you have a global audience and you want to encourage them to buy your products and services by engaging with them on social media. As such, you should engage in conversation with them in ways that are interesting and helpful to them.
That is, you’ll need to adapt your material to the target audience’s language and culture.
Just what is meant by “localised content,” and why is it so vital?
Content that has been localised has been modified so that it not only communicates with its target audience in their native tongue but also takes into account the unique needs of that audience in terms of context and culture.
If you want to reach out to people all around the world, you need to translate your material.
Eighty-seven percent of respondents in a study by Common Sense Advisors said they wouldn’t make a purchase on a confusing website.
Yet, there is a caveat: just because you can communicate with someone in their native tongue doesn’t imply you’ll be favourably welcomed. Translating material is only one part of localization.
Word-for-word translations frequently alter the meaning of the original text, which can have disastrous or humiliating consequences, because language is just too subtle and carries so much cultural baggage.
Visuals are equally important in localising content. In their haste to expand their company, many companies overlook the fact that:
There is more to localization than just words and grammar.
How you present yourself while saying it is equally important. Appearances count for a lot in this field.
Companies who can make use of locally relevant material
Businesses of any size can gain from adopting a localization plan. Yet, not all businesses can gain equally from it. A few examples of these types of businesses are:
Services relating to tourism and the hotel industry
In a field where clients want to be catered to in accordance with their own cultural norms and linguistic preferences, the ability to localise information may set you apart from the competition.
Businesses based solely on electronic trade
Content localization is essential for every online business that wants to grow internationally. One reason is that people have higher faith in content provided in their own language. After all, hardly many consumers would part with their cash if the goods on sale are not explained in their native tongue. That’s why 55% of buyers feel it’s more crucial to have content provided in their native tongue than to have a low price.
Methods for developing a plan for localization
Just because you translate your material into the target language doesn’t mean that the target audience will automatically desire to buy your products. For your localised content to help you achieve your business goals, it must reach the right people at the right time in the right location.
So how can you localise your content for different audiences and distribute it efficiently and effectively across various social channels and platforms?
You can benefit from a well-thought-out localization plan.
Here are the measures you need to take to perfect your localization plan.
Identify your ideal clientele
Just which emerging market do you want to enter next? Put your guard up; anything might go wrong. You shouldn’t put your money into a new market before researching it, especially if your funds are restricted.
When attempting to reach an international audience, you should think about the following.
- Can you make a profit selling your wares in that niche?
- Is a contest in the works? About how tough will competition be?
- Do you think locals will be able to afford your products?
- Find out what kinds of things they like to buy the most.
- Do you have enough money to fund your many marketing initiatives, distribution methods, customer service efforts, etc.?
Learn what needs to be translated and localised
After deciding which international markets to enter, it is time to determine which pieces of content will need to be adapted for the new target demographics. After all, not every material is equivalent. You also don’t want to expend effort and money on localising content that ends up being irrelevant to your target audience in the target market and ultimately doesn’t result in any sales.
Adapt your content for each and every customer at every touchpoint.
People in other countries are just as likely to be distracted by their phones and sceptical of brands as people in your home country. Don’t get discouraged if people on social media don’t immediately purchase your products (or any platform for that matter).
Adapt your most successful pieces for a new audience
Start with something you know will be successful. If they were successful the first time around, there’s a good chance they’ll be successful again. Once again, head over to Google Analytics to see which articles are bringing in the most readers and making the most sales.
Keep track of information that has been translated into the target language
The next step is the most difficult: controlling content that has been translated into the target language.
Customers (whether domestic or foreign) may be found on social media, email, applications, mobile devices, and who knows where else. The success of any localization campaign depends on adapting to the preferences of your target market.
Hence, you’ll need to adapt your material for different languages and regions across various social media sites. Your return on investment (ROI) in localization and engagement will suffer if you don’t.
