Nowadays, the world of business is getting more and more connected. The future of shopping is online and companies are trying to expand their brands all over the world.
However, people still use their language for daily communication and shop with their currency. So if your brand doesn’t match their language or culture, you’ll have fewer chances of success.
That’s why localization is essential. If you’re interested in building an excellent localization strategy for your brand, follow these four tips and get ready for serious sales growth.
What is localization strategy?
Before getting into different ways of building your localization strategy, we have to explain the meaning of localization. Simply put, it is a strategy that determines how your company will connect with local audiences all around the world. It consists of the languages you use on your website and everything that aligns with the culture of your target market.
The goal is to create a natural, positive customer experience as if you were a local brand. A localization strategy includes your plan on how to translate your content to connect with a country with a different language and culture. You need to do it professionally so that it sounds familiar because your strategy determines how successfully your brand will enter the target market.
When localization is successful, your brand resonates with customers because you’ve taken into account all relevant cultural differences, unlike simply translated English. With a good localization strategy, your entry into new markets will go smoothly.
Hire a local translator
Consider hiring a local translator because they are your best localization experts. You can research local experts on your own or through agencies, maybe partners in your country of choice. You should do this for every target market you want to target.
Hiring a local ensures that your brand has the best, most authentic localized experience for your target audience. Customer experience is a crucial part of every localization strategy. It is the key to your potential customer’s happiness. If people feel appreciated, they will leave you good feedback and are more likely to buy from your brand again.
The feedback should be taken very seriously. Always do research on the market before localization to truly comprehend the culture, preferences, competition, and local websites. A local translator who is familiar with the local culture, as well as the language, will help you understand this properly and use the right marketing tactics that will work amazingly.
Local market research
Good local research is vital if you want to expand your business market. You need to know if your products and services are relevant in each location, and also how to maximize your profit potential in other countries.
Consider hiring local expertise, as they will help you adapt and analyze everything more quickly. Hiring a professional may cost a bit more than doing it yourself, but it will be a major time-saver.
This is the same as launching a product in your local market – you should always do detailed research first. Just because you are making good sales, don’t assume that your marketing strategy will work as well in foreign countries. Everything has to be localized, and you need to be available for every customer at any time.
Think about the markets that will fit your brand the most and where you think you are likely to succeed. Analyze competition and website traffic, and also see what other country visits your website most. That is where you should focus first.
Don’t forget your mobile audience
Everything that you apply to your website and incorporate into your localization strategy needs to be visible to your audience who uses mobile phones. Optimizing for a mobile audience ensures that the service and experience you deliver are fit for every audience.
Although getting everything right on a desktop is a priority, focusing on mobile platforms will get you more customers. More and more people use smartphones for shopping because it takes less time and effort to scroll through mobile apps.
This is your opportunity for sales growth. Mobile app localization makes it easier for audiences around the globe to discover and download your app. Although it takes time and effort, it pays off in downloads and new users.
Final words
Many businesses are already turning to global markets and it is time for you to catch up. The right localization strategy will give your business advantages when you’re venturing into different target markets and help you outperform the competition.
Once you follow these four steps, you’ll be on the right track to localizing your brand successfully. Don’t forget that the key is to understand each target market so that you can adapt effectively. A good localization strategy goes beyond merely translating content.