Localization is basically the process of adapting translated content for a specific country or region. It is usually the second step in the translation process and relies on cultural adaptation to make sure the content takes into account market differences.
Looking for some quick localization tips?
Going global can be fun! Don’t miss out on these 5 EASY localization tips to make going global just a bit easier.
- Currency! Not everyone purchases with the good ol’ American dollar. Remember to convert your prices to the local currency so that you customers don’t need to drag out their calculator in order to click “purchase.”
- Address! Updating your address on your business card, marketing material, e-mail signature and website is crucial when going global. Our headquarters are based in Saint Paul. Guess how many Saint Paul’s there are in the world? There are 14 alone in the United States. Make sure you include city, state and country when going global.
- Phone! This is a quick and easy fix. Simply adding a +1 before the area code symbolizes to your potential customers that you are serious about going global, and that you can be reached. Make is easy for clients to call you!
- Time! It’s a big world out there. And that means 40 different time zones. Whoa. We can hardly keep Eastern Standard and Central Standard apart. Make sure you list what time zone you are located in on your website so people know when you are open for business.
- Weather! If you’re like us, it’s pretty hard to calculate the difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius in our heads. Don’t make your customers get a headache when trying to book a room in your lovely Bed and Breakfast.
Going Global is full of amazing market potential. Don’t miss an opportunity to sell to an international market by missing one of these 5 important steps. The localization process is most generally related to the cultural adaptation and translation of software, video games and websites, as well as audio/voiceover, video or other multimedia content, and less frequently to any written translation (which may also involve cultural adaptation processes). Localization can be done for regions or countries where people speak different languages or where the same language is spoken: For instance, different dialects of Spanish, with different idioms, are spoken in Spain than are spoken in Latin America; likewise, word choices and idioms may vary even among countries which share a common language.
Need to start with basic translation services first? Check out some information here.
Looking for more? Contact us and we’ll be happy to talk you through localization and what going global can mean for you.