In today’s interconnected world, the internet serves as a gateway to an expansive global audience. Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, or a multinational corporation, expanding your online presence beyond borders is essential for growth and success. However, reaching and engaging with international audiences goes beyond simply launching a website in multiple languages. It requires a strategic approach known as website localization.
What is Website Localization?
Website localization is the process of adapting a website’s content to a target market. At its core, website localization includes adapting your website’s content, design, and functionality to meet the linguistic, cultural, and other unique requirements of your target audience.
The goal of website localization is to ensure your business is accessible and relevant to visitors or potential customers from a wide range of regions.
Website localization differs from translation, although translation is a significant part of localization. For a successful adaptation to worldwide audiences, social norms, dialects, spelling conventions, consumer behaviors, and legal requirements should also be taken into account.
Why is Website Localization Important?
90% of online shoppers prefer to use their native language if it’s available. And that’s not all! According to a CSA Research study, 75% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand if the user journey is in their native language.
Furthermore, a staggering 87% of consumers who don’t speak English won’t even consider buying from an English website. These statistics showcase the significance of reaching new audiences in their preferred native languages.
By tailoring a website to the preferences and cultural norms of different regions, one can enhance user experience, build trust, and ultimately drive conversions.
Benefits of Website Localization Services
- Assist in reaching a broader and more varied audience
- Boost user interaction
- Elevate user satisfaction
- Enhance conversion metrics
- Facilitate competitive edge
- Uphold brand consistency
- Enhance visibility on search engines
- Offer valuable analytics and insightsAssist in reaching a broader and more varied audience;
- Boost user interaction;
- Elevate user satisfaction;
- Enhance conversion metrics;
- Facilitate competitive edge;
- Uphold brand consistency;
- Enhance visibility on search engines;
- Offer valuable analytics and insights.
Website Localization in 6 Steps
Building a localized website requires careful planning and execution. Here are the six essential steps to guide you through the process:
1. Define Your Localization Strategy
Start by identifying your target markets and understanding their unique characteristics, including language, culture, and consumer behavior. Establish clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your localization efforts.
2. Design Pages with Localization in Mind
Incorporate localization considerations into the design phase of your website development. Anticipate text expansion and contraction, accommodate diverse layouts, and select images that resonate with your target audience.
3. Internationalize Your Website
Implement internationalization (i18n) practices to prepare your website for localization. This involves designing and developing your site to support multiple languages, cultures, and regions from the outset.
4. Create a Localization Workflow
Establish a streamlined workflow for website localization, involving developers, product managers, translators, and QA specialists. Choose between waterfall and continuous localization methodologies based on your project’s needs and scale.
- Waterfall Localization: This methodology involves a step-by-step workflow wherein localization occurs once the website in the base language has been finalized.
- Continuous localization: Also known as Agile localization, this approach includes an ongoing process where localization happens simultaneously with website development and content updates. This ensures that whenever there’s a modification, regardless of its scale, it is automatically translated as part of the process.
5. Translate Your Webpages
Begin the translation process, ensuring accuracy and cultural relevance in your localized content. Consider using a combination of machine translation, human translation, and AI tools to optimize efficiency and quality.
6. Measure Localization Quality and Strategy
Evaluate the effectiveness of your localization efforts by monitoring key metrics such as incremental sales, SEO performance, conversion rates, and customer engagement. Continuously iterate and refine your localization strategy based on performance insights.
Which Components of a Website Need Localization?
- Content: text, images, videos, and multimedia elements.
- User Interface (UI)
- URLs and directory names
- Meta tags
- Currencies and pricing
- Local payment options
- Date and time formats
- Units of measurement
- Images and graphics
- Forms and databases
- Reviews and testimonials
Website localization requires a holistic approach, ensuring that every visual, linguistic, and audio element—both in the website itself and in all promotional materials—resonates with the target audience.