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| Dynamic Language Newsletter Article - June 2008 |
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Globalizing Websites: What really matters? When businesses think about entering the global market, translation is one of the first things they consider. Reaching out to multi-ethnic customers in their native language is not only a savvy business decision, it creates a competitive advantage. But globalization of websites is much more than simply translating marketing copy and product information. In order to be competitive in international markets, it is important to include country-specific information to increase the website’s relevance for those customers. A recent Common Sense Advisory report on globalization emphasized the use of "geolocation," which refers to "identifying the real-world geographic location of an Internet connected computer, mobile device, or website visitor." Identifying customer geolocation is important in website localization because, as the report notes, "Languages do not map [directly] to countries. Four of the five most economically significant online languages serve as the official tongue in more than one country. These same languages account for 71% of e-GDP, a proxy for the total spending power represented by online populations." For businesses looking to connect with a global market, it is important to provide country-specific websites that are culturally relevant to the target audience. Consider designing each website differently to address the diversity in cultural issues; adding related news, events, or campaigns; even obtaining country-specific domain names, with extensions such as .jp, .uk, etc, can be a smart move. These strategies, along with high quality language translations, will enable businesses to globalize with multilingual websites that are as content-rich as their English site, and reach a whole new world of customers. |
