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Marek Makosiej
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October 31, 2022
13 min read

Best Practices for Website Localization (Step-By-Step How To Guide)

Business person seeking global market opportunities

 

 

As the world becomes more and more connected, businesses are looking for ways to tap into new international markets. One way to do this is by translating their website into new languages. However, simply translating the text on a website is not enough – it’s important to take into account the cultural differences between various regions.

 

One of the best ways to reach out to the growing global market is to use website localization services. Currently, there are 4.6 billion daily internet users who only speak 25 percent English. Additionally, over half of all searches on Google are conducted in languages other than English. Business is not about English speakers only anymore.

 

 

What Is Website Localization?

 

 

Website localization is the process of adapting an existing website to the local culture and language of a particular country or region. It involves more than merely translating text from one language to another. Instead, website localization adapts a website so that it will be more accessible and understandable in different local markets. The process includes re-working the website content and adding new content in the local language. To learn more about website localization, read on.

 

 

Benefits of Website Localization

 

 

One of the most important aspects of website localization is establishing a more personal connection with your target audience. Studies show that seventy percent of customers give positive feedback when a company offers language interpretation options and multilingual customer support. Website localization services also help your business build a more trustworthy and reliable brand in a global market. Furthermore, your website will be more appealing to your audience if your content speaks their language.

 

Whether you're targeting the Chinese market or the French market, website localization services can help you reach more people. If you want to reach as many of these consumers as possible, website localization can help you expand your audience. This will increase the visibility of your brand and help you gain more customers from new markets.

 

In addition to increasing traffic and revenue, website localization increases brand credibility. Clients who feel satisfied with your website's local content will be more likely to recommend it and share it through word of mouth. A localized website can increase sales by thirty percent or more. Therefore, website localization is an important aspect of any international business. If you have not tried website localization yet, it may be time to do so. You'll be glad you did!

 

Website localization can boost your website's rankings on Google. It makes your website more readable for people from other cultures and helps you attract millions of new customers. Moreover, localized websites tend to have rich content, which is important for SEO. Therefore, it's crucial to make your website accessible to as many people as possible. If you don't want to lose your customers to your competitors, consider website localization.

 

Lastly, website localization services allow you to maintain brand consistency across multiple markets. A native market review ensures that your website remains consistent despite a translation's context. A native market review can also ensure that your translation doesn't contain any grammar or other mistakes. Also, it can help increase consumer loyalty across different markets. By ensuring that your website is in the right language, you can increase your revenue and expand your customer base.

 

 

1. Learn the Rules of Creating a Multilingual Website

 

 

When choosing a localization service, you need to keep in mind your target market. Your website must be easily understandable to a wide range of people. The language you choose will affect the way people view your site and the way they communicate. European French, for instance, may be seen as pompous by Canadians. If you want to target the Quebec province, you should translate your site into Canadian French. Similarly, the style and layout of your website must appeal to a variety of people.

 

Creating a style guide can also help your translations be more accurate. A style guide will provide a guide on how to create content, keeping the style consistent across languages. For example, it is helpful to include a glossary of terms and definitions that you'd like translated. This will help your translation company accurately capture the meaning of these terms. In addition to the style guide, you may also want to consider translating any relevant dates to be more appropriate for the target audience.

 

If you are trying to sell your products or services abroad, a localized version of your website will be vital to your business. Website localization services can adapt your website content to the target market. The ultimate goal of website localization is to create a version of your website that speaks the language of your target market. The content you translate should resonate with your target audience and deliver your message clearly. To ensure this, your website must be easy to understand and read.

 

Choosing a localization service is an important decision, as a quality translation service is essential to the success of your business. It is essential to choose a company that offers the highest level of localization services. The best website localization services have a professional project manager that will oversee the entire process and make sure that everything is done correctly. For example, they will test your website's content and ensure that the translated version functions as you would expect it to.

 

 

 


 

 

 

Related content: 15 Simple Ways to Kill Your Multilingual Website

 

 

 


 

 

2. Understand the Website Localization Process

 

 

When you're building a new website, the localization process can be a crucial step in ensuring its success. Localization involves making your website suitable to the target market, including translating content and adding regional and cultural elements. This step can make your website more accessible to your target audience, improve engagement, and drive conversions. Website localization can be a valuable investment in your business, but it requires careful planning and knowledge of your target market.

 

In the beginning, you should consider the culture of your target audience and determine how you can best accommodate their needs. If you're building a site for a specific country or continent, you should consider how fast internet connections can be in their country. If you're designing for a wide range of countries, you may need to make changes to the website's UI. This can make your website run more smoothly and load faster. A properly localized website will also ensure that your customers get a tailored experience, which in turn will improve your conversion rates and sales.

 

After you've decided on the content, it's time to look at the layout of your website. While this step may be the most obvious, it can be one of the most time-consuming and expensive. It requires a substantial investment and a lot of manpower. Automated translation, or machine translation, can also be used to translate your website. Google Translate is an example of such a service. Regardless of which method you choose, make sure your IT team is prepared to tackle any localization issues that arise.

 

Before launching a new product, you should conduct market research in your target markets. The best way to do this is to analyze existing markets and look for opportunities in new markets. This research can also help you define your purpose and evaluate your product in the market. By understanding the operating environment of your target market, you can avoid costly mistakes and make your website more relevant to your audience. This can also help you develop a better strategy for expansion.

 

The process of website localization involves a number of steps. It begins with a content analysis, which can determine a timeline and project roadmap. The localization process involves many different elements that need to be accounted for, and the content of a website must be adapted accordingly. In addition to text, localization also involves the appropriate use of graphics and images. In China, for example, white is a symbol of death, while red is a symbol of happiness. It may also involve video content.

 

Before you begin the process of website localization, it is essential to research the market. It is no use just to assume that a country has a population similar to yours. You need to consider the language, culture, and general population of the target market. The process should also take into account the costs of transportation, customer support, and the process of website localization. It is essential to research the market thoroughly to ensure that you are targeting the right audience.

 

The process of website localization involves adjusting the web content to a specific audience. It typically involves translation, formatting, and usability changes, taking cultural preferences into account. Website localization is an excellent way to reach new customers, as well as expand your business internationally. By offering a website in a local language, your website will be more accessible to customers and increase organic traffic. It is not only an excellent way to attract new customers and increase sales, but it also helps establish your company's credibility in the target market.

 

During the translation process, the translator will review the website's content for relevance to the target audience. They must ensure that the translation is semantically accurate, conforming to the target language's text culture. The translation process is parallel to the localization process. During the localization process, the translator will check for any issues with the layout of the website, and will make changes to icons, colors, and other elements that may affect the user experience.

 

 

3. Know the Steps Involved in Website Localization Project

 

 

If you're considering launching a new website in a foreign language, it's important to know the steps involved in website localization. The most obvious step is content translation. You must have your content translated into the targeted language, and edit it to make sense in the target culture. Different cultures may have different connotations for certain words and phrases. Localizing your website is one of the best ways to expand your business to new markets.

 

First, you need to decide where you're going to launch your website. Website localization can be completed in as little as a few months. The entire process involves three main steps: internationalization, translation, and localization. Internationalization involves ensuring that your website's infrastructure is flexible enough to support multiple languages. For example, you need to make sure that your programmers understand Unicode encoding standards, so that they can support different languages. Website translation involves translating the source text into the target language.

 

Next, define which languages you'd like to localize. You should have a clear idea of what kind of content you need translated and how many of them. You can also use translation software tools to make sure that your website localization project is done in the right language. In addition, you should have someone review your website for quality assurance. The final step is to upload the localized version and conduct QA testing online to make sure that it's working as expected.

 

After analyzing your website's content, you should analyze the target audience's preferences and habits. In some countries, what's obvious to one Spanish-speaking audience may not be apparent to another. In this case, specifying the Spanish locale is important to avoid confusion and cultural misunderstandings. If you plan ahead, you can avoid issues and ensure a better end user experience. If you're unsure of how to translate your website, there are resources available to guide you through the process.

 

Once you've decided on a language, you need to determine the target market. It's important to know which markets you want to expand into. Having a localized website will ensure that the content is understandable to the users in the target market. By making the site more accessible to these users, you'll increase the chances of a successful launch. It's also important to consider the cultural and social context in which your website will be used. If you are targeting the right market, website localization can increase traffic and sales.

 

 

4. Master the Website Content Localization Workflow

 

 

There are many steps involved in website localization. First, you'll need to translate your content into the target language. Then you'll need to make any necessary edits to ensure the content makes sense in the target culture. Different cultures use different words, so you'll want to make sure your translation makes sense. Then you'll need to localize all of your visual elements, such as photos, infographics, call-to-action icons, videos, and more. The goal is to make the entire experience feel natural and seamless.

 

Once the content is translated, the next step is to update the layout. The layout should match the target market. It should also be user-friendly, and all links should work. The localized website should be easy to navigate and easy to find information. The steps involved in website localization can be daunting, but it's worth it when it's done correctly. By following these steps, you'll be on your way to launching a localized website that meets your international goals.

 

One of the most important steps in website localization is choosing a language. You should ensure that your website is compatible with the native language of the country you're aiming to reach. A majority of global consumers prefer to access information in their own language. Moreover, 76% of consumers prefer to make decisions and purchases on a website in their own language. Many entrepreneurs underestimate the value of reaching out to foreign markets. According to a report by 2021, the e-commerce market in non-English speaking countries is much larger than the one in English-speaking countries.

 

Besides translating the content of your website, you should also ensure that your multimedia elements are also localized. Video localization is an important step, but it requires expert knowledge. According to studies, 72% of customers prefer to learn new things through video than through written content. Images should also be audited for accessibility. For example, a photograph in one culture may be perfectly innocent, but in another culture, it may be offensive. To make sure that your images are readable, you should use alt tags on them.

 

 

5. Don't Forget the Glossary Tools

 

 

One of the most overlooked categories of glossaries is keywords. Keywords are the most commonly searched terms in a particular local market. To make sure that a website is localized for its target audience, keyword inclusion is essential. Often, the glossary includes metadata, context, and parts of speech in addition to the translation. Similarly, it may contain terms found in user interfaces or technical documentation. This type of terminology management tool is especially useful for translations that need to be localized in different languages.

 

While machine translation is an indispensable tool for website localization, it is ineffective without human experts. Even the best translation software needs to be reviewed by a linguist to ensure that the content makes sense when localized. Moreover, a human review helps improve the translation engine's accuracy and improve the quality of translated content. A glossary tool that combines these two processes can greatly help in website localization.

 

One of the best glossary tools for website localization is a translation memory tool. With this software, you can leverage the resulting language assets. Moreover, it helps create a centralized database that includes a glossary of frequently used words. By using this tool, you can reduce the burden on your translation team. It also saves time because your team will not be required to translate the same word or phrase more than once.

 

Another benefit of a glossary tool is its ability to ensure consistent terminology. Having a single source of terminology across different countries helps the team avoid confusion, which makes a brand look unprofessional. Glossary tools also allow for collaboration among team members, making it possible for multiple people to work on the same project. They also help ensure consistency throughout the localization process. The use of glossaries is a great way to ensure quality and accuracy.

 

 

6. Keep in Mind Other Best Practices

 

 

When it comes to website translation, there are a few best practices to keep in mind in order to reach your international audiences. First and foremost, it's important to consider the potential customers in new markets - what languages dos your target local audience speak? What search engines do they use? What are the cultural differences that need to be taken into account?

 

Localization is key when expanding your business in global markets. You'll need to ensure that your website is available in the preferred language of each new market, and that all culturally-specific content (such as date formats and phone numbers) is accurate for each region. The process of website localization can be complex, so it's important to work with professional translators who have local knowledge and understand the nuances of different cultures.

 

That's why there's another important thing you'll need apart from the glossary tools and terminology management: style guide and tone guide. For each language and each market. After all, you can't communicate with your markets effectively if you don't know how to speak to them, right?

 

 

7. Find a Website Localization Company

 

 

One of the biggest investments that you can make to improve the success of your website is website localization. Hiring a reputable website localization company will ensure that your website is translated accurately and that your branding is represented correctly. When choosing a website localization company, you should consider their experience and reputation, as well as customer reviews. Check references from previous clients and ask whether they offer money-back guarantees. You should also consider the quality of their translations, as well as the quality of their work.

 

Before selecting a website localization company, you should make sure that you are targeting markets that you already operate in. This is important, because it will give you a clearer picture of your target audience. You should also consider the type of business you operate in. For example, if you are a global platform, you will want to look for markets where you can achieve higher ROI. The GDPR regulations have created work for businesses in the EU.

 

Before selecting a website localization company, make sure that you understand the business side of your project. Considering the cost of website localization, you should think about whether your product is worth launching in multiple languages. You should also consider the cost of domain purchases, servers, and website maintenance. Moreover, you should consider the demand of your products and services in the different markets, as well as payment and delivery methods. You should also consider any local laws or regulations.

 

When hiring a website localization company, it is important to ensure that your target audience can understand and use the website properly. This means that your content, images, videos, and contact information should be accurate in the different languages. In addition, localized content will help you connect with new audiences and boost your bottom line. It is important to choose a website localization company that is familiar with the target market's language and culture.

 

After the content editing process is complete, the next step is to choose a layout. A localization company should take into account the country or regions that your website will be targeting and determine the best way to present your product. In addition to this, make sure that all links and menus work properly. You should also consider the type of language your target market prefers. If you're planning on launching the website in a different language, make sure to choose a company that has a team of specialists that will work with you.

 

 


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