Localize Your Website to Reach a Global Audience
Translating into another language is the first step for many projects. The next step is to localize, not just transferring words from one language to another but refining them to read as if they were written in the target language. Localization experts at Ubiqus On Demand can help you achieve this.
Most languages can be understood in all the countries in which they’re spoken, but regional differences exist. This page, for instance, calls this service “Localization”. In England or Ireland, it would be “Localisation”. Americans go on vacation, while many Europeans go on holiday, and the list goes on.
Websites, mobile apps and other marketing channels need to be translated. To be more precise, they need to be adapted to the target audience’s currency, cultural sensitivities, and even search behavior. Translators are fluent in the target language, but localization experts look beyond the words to optimize your message and make it easier to find in global markets.
How is Localization Different from Translation?
Ubiqus On Demand translates numerous materials, but there are times when localization services are the more appropriate solution. Not sure which one to choose for your project? Here are a few questions to ask.
- Is your message being delivered on a digital channel?
- Is there the potential to generate a financial transaction?
- Do certain words or phrases make sense in one country but not in another?
- Are there graphic elements involved (photos, videos)?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your project would benefit from localization services.
Localization Services Experts Available
What does a localization team do that a translation team doesn’t? It adapts the non-text elements of your message to fit the sensibilities of your target market. Such elements include:
SEO
The most effective keywords vary depending on the visitor’s country, culture and preferred search engine. Our experts understand these variances and will create a strategy to get your site a top tanking in your target market.
Graphics
Photos and videos are more effective when they reflect the culture they’re targeting. Our team will choose the right photos and color schemes for your target region and avoid confusion or, worse, offense (green, for instance, has positive meanings in the U.S. and Ireland, but is considered taboo in Pakistan).
Currencies
Some English-speaking countries buy and sell with the dollar, while others use the euro, the yen, or the peso.
Measurements
The U.S. measures distances with miles and feet; everywhere else, it’s kilometers and meters (or, more accurately, kilometres and metres). Weights measured in pounds and ounces in the U.S. are measured using kilograms and grams everywhere else.
Slang
An idiom that makes perfect sense in one country may not make as much sense in another if literally translated. A localization team will know which turn of phrase works best in the target market.