The facilitation of borderless transactions now transcends geographical regions and has resulted in consumers wanting to purchase a product or service that speaks to them in a personalized way. This evolution presents a challenge to businesses as “speaking a user’s language” does not necessarily mean translating content in the language the user relates to the most. A literal translation is just a fraction of what the process of localization really entails. It also regards conducting some research on the acceptable cultural, political and legal norms of the audience and their region to capture their attention and incite them to action.
It’s no wonder why you’ll find advertising campaigns of the same products and services varying based on the region where the target audience comes from. Given the varying languages and cultures of the customer base, the jargon used to promote the platform’s products for services to users varies.
Why Language is a Big Factor in Online Conversions
When you factor in the fact that just about 20% of the world’s population speaks English (the number 1 default language for most sites), then everything falls into perspective. According to recent internet usage studies, 72.1% of internet users are most likely to enjoy and engage more with content written in their native language. Furthermore, 72.4% of the survey sample size admitted that they would be more inclined to buy a product presented in their own language. Meanwhile, 56% said they wouldn’t mind spending more on an item in their language than a cheaper one in another language.
Localization is the easiest way to effectively enter a given market and increase sales. As already highlighted, the first step is translating the product information into the target audience’s local language. This in itself opens the business up for more potential transactions, given that only an estimated 26.3% of online transactions are conducted in English. To access an even larger demographic of consumers interested in a product, the language has to be the most preferred in their region even if they understand English well. Sites and apps that can be accessed in more than one language rank higher in search engines when they optimize their content in the specified language.
Localization Examples That Are Working
After translating the product into a language that is understandable and usable in the context of the user, other aspects also come into play. Currencies, payment methods, web design, time zones, and date & time formats, among others, will need to be appropriately customized. The Internet doesn’t give a chance for second impressions, especially if you commit a faux pas that finds its way onto a social media platform. Therefore, it’s vital to understand the culture of the target market before attempting to launch a product.
There is enough proof that localization has produced tremendous results for businesses in different niches. Excellent examples of localization by different industries today include:
Beverage Industry
The Coca-Cola website is available for more than 100 countries in over 45 languages. The company has gone a step further to personalize user experiences by portraying the brand as one specifically meant for the target audience and not as a uniform brand that applies the one-size-fits-all rule.
Retail Markets
Another major site that has put the strategy to good use is Nike. The site immediately redirects users to a language tunnel with options to select what region, country and language they would prefer. In addition, each localized portal has content that is customized for the country they come from and the language they speak.
iGaming Industry
Online gambling is becoming more popular, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic caused land-based casinos to shut down. Punters are increasingly finding it more convenient to bet online than walking into a physical casino establishment. A good instance is the payment systems available for players in different jurisdictions. Deposit and withdrawal methods vary from country to country, and user preference usually varies. For that reason, platforms like vulkanvegas.com/ca, once again, have not only language options but also the currencies and payment methods available in the target country.
Final Thoughts
As humanity continues to delve deeper into the possibilities that technology holds, consumer behaviour in various locales keeps shifting. It is, therefore, necessary for businesses to adapt, or they’ll lose out. So, if you are a marketer, you must ask yourself whether your presentation of a service or product will appeal enough to warrant action from consumers in different regions.
Localization is the key to effectively rolling out a product to new foreign markets, but that doesn’t mean that a business must be a big company to capitalize on this strategy. For starters, any business with a web presence already has a foot in the door to accessing global markets. From there, it is up to the marketing team to customize the advertising message to fit the bill, depending on the target demographic.
