Latest Content Marketing Trend: Localization

What is localization? Why are people talking about it? And why is it important in content marketing?

If you’ve been wondering the same thing then you are in the right place. Here we take a brief look at the new emerging trend of localization and why it is important in content marketing.

What is Content Localization?

Content localization is the process of adapting your content to the unique culture and interests of the target market. Following are the processes involved in localizing your content.
Translation: conversion of the same content from one language to another. In some cases, just translation is enough, but it is not always the case.
Localization: It is the adapting of things other than just language such as the date format, slang, measurements, etc.
Transcreation: it includes rewriting the sentences, changing the content if necessary to adapt to the culture of the target market.
In any field, but especially in marketing, it is very important for the copy to seem original. It should be as if it were written in that language originally.
For this, you require an expert that can fir your content in a style that appeals to the target market. You don’t want to be stuck with a copy that, even though is linguistically correct, makes no sense at all.

Why is Localization Becoming Popular?

The basic goal of content marketing to reach out to as many people as possible. That is also the ultimate purpose of localization.
With companies entering the international market by the minute, maintaining a strong presence is becoming a challenge. What localization does is give you a better fighting chance. Other than that there are some other reasons that have contributed to the emergence of localization as a trend.

People Who Don’t Speak English, Don’t Buy From Businesses That Do.

Content marketing is about reaching out to your customers. Localization helps you do that better. It is about taking the same model and presenting it to a different set of people in a way that they will find it easy to understand and accept.
It is all about bringing originality to your translated idea. From the words that you use to the tone that you imply, as well as the images, graphics and even the colors need to adapt culturally. Rolling out the same website in the same language in different countries is just not an option anymore.
People who don’t speak English as a first language don’t really enjoy content in it either. So if they come across your website, and it is in anything other than their native language, they will abandon it quicker than you say ‘new visitor’
Businesses have picked up on this stream and are now embracing localization as the solution.

Avoid Bounce Rates

Say you localized your website for the sake of your customers, there is still nothing. It is because the rest of your content is still in English. How are the customers to know that your website is available in their native language if they don’t see a preview of it through other content like social media?
There is also the reverse situation. Localizing just a few sections can be actually harmful. The consumers will get the idea that your business deals in their native language, and when they visit your website they are hit with good old English.
You wouldn’t believe the speed with which they will exit your page.
So an overall localization helps you prevent any misunderstanding, and consequently bounce rates. Translating some sections is not enough, it is becoming necessary to localize your business overall.

Different Languages, Different Marketing Channels

When we say localization is the adoption of the target market’s culture, we also mean the adaption to the marketing channels.
Most of the countries use the same social media, but that is not the case for every country. Some countries, like China, prefer social media other than the popular ones like WeChat. Now if you want to market your content in the said country, you will hit a big barrier. After businesses have encountered the same problem, they have finally realized that the only way around is localization.
Through localization, you adapt your business to the preferred marketing and search engines of the country, so that the target audience can discover you. At this point, localization has gone beyond being a trend and become a necessity.

Localized Content > English Content

Considering that 8 out of every other 10 consumers don’t speak English, it is not much of a surprise to find that localized marketing outperforms the plain English content.
Majority of the consumers prefer to read and enjoy content in their own language. Moreover, it also helps them understand it better and develops a sense of connection with them.
Not only does localization make your content more appealing to the consumers but it also makes it more discoverable on the search engine. That is because localization also involves the optimization of keywords in accordance with the market that you are targeting.
So ultimately, localized content has a better response than English content in international markets.

What You Should Take Care of While Localizing?

Here are some of the key factors that you need to take care of when you localize your content.

Language

The translation is generally the first step. While it means that you should convert your content in a language that your audience understands, it also means that you have the spelling and grammar that is used in that particular region.

Format

Localization also requires that you change the format and units according to the target country. This means modifying the date format, measurement units, currency, etc.

Cultural Sensitivity

The most important factor when you are localizing is that you take care of the culture. Your content should be in accordance with the customs and traditions of the country. If you can’t be specific, then try and use neutral content to avoid any kind of potential offense.

Conclusion

Localization is the key to a global presence these days. Businesses are realizing that by the minute and that is why localization has emerged as something of a trend.