Businesses looking to expand their marketing to an international audience have a lot to consider. Small businesses, in particular, have a difficult time pulling of this expansion because they often have very limited marketing budgets.
Internet Localization Defined
To present a “local” look and feel to potential customers, businesses usually begin by translating their website. The website can be coded to select the language based on visitor location or the site visitor may be presented with a language selection option.
The localization of a website involves the translation of the content, of course, but it also may require the replacement of images that fit in with the targeted culture. Shopping carts must be able to handle transactions in local currency and site menus require translation as well.
The idea isn’t to fool the visitor into believing that the business is a local business, rather the intent of Internet localization is to demonstrate that the company is sensitive to the variations that exist between countries and cultures.
Social Media Implications of Internet Localization
To have a truly global reach, companies have embraced social media and have tried to leverage its appeal among consumers. Unlike the process of localizing a website, which can be worked on behind the scenes until it is ready to be launched; social media interactions take place in the now, with little time for contemplation.
Social media strategists may devise a plan and have scripted responses for many of their interactions, but the possibility for off-the-cuff or ill-thought out postings cannot be eliminated entirely. It’s difficult enough to avoid posting things that someone won’t find offensive in your own culture, so you can imagine how easily an inadvertent offense could occur in another language.
Human Translation vs. Machine Translation
In light of the social media implications that we’ve just covered, it seems clear that human translation is preferable to machine translation for social media interactions. The nuances contained in a short blub from a potential customer, or a disgruntled one – such as what would be found in a tweet, can be easily misunderstood. A blunder in the interpretation of the message or in the response to one can expose a company to negative repercussions, such as their tweet being retweeted disparagingly for all to see.
The clarification or apology that the company issues later is not likely to garner as much attention as the original mistake.
The Challenge of Internet Localization
Anyone who has managed a website or the social media for a company knows that it’s difficult to maintain a high level of fresh content and active engagement in a single language. Investing in Internet localization requires a multiple of that level of effort. A stale website in any language will not draw visitors, so the challenge for any company considering a localization strategy is to resolve to dedicate the necessary resources to the effort.