Everything you need to know about website localisation

If you want to reach a global audience with your website, your first instinct may be to use English. After all, it’s the most utilised language, with 20% of the world’s population speaking it.

But the majority of those speakers aren’t native speakers, and empirical research shows they’d much prefer their website experience to be customised for their background.

Enter website localisation, the practice of adapting your website to the local language and culture in your target market using website translation and other methods.

Curious to learn about how it works? We explain the seven steps explaining the importance of website localisation and how to localise web content.

Research target markets

The first step of your website localisation initiative is to research your target market. Customers in different parts of the world will have different ideas about what they want and need.

Brands will often assume that they know what different markets want. But the only way to understand what your target audience needs is to look deeper into the markets you want to reach.

Try to identify elements of your target market that would make them a good fit. Do they want or need what you’re selling? How does their region or cultural differences affect what you’re selling?

Once you determine that there is demand for what you’re offering, it’s time to start catering your approach to those local markets.

Use professional translators

As technology advances, there are more and more tools for translating languages. Google has its own automated translating tools that many people rely on for their websites.

But don’t be fooled – these automated translation options are not as good as they seem. There will be many nuances that automatic translators miss, and there may even be errors.

Users will use automatic translators out of necessity, but they will not feel like they are being welcomed on your website. It will seem as if the burden of translating the website is on their end, rather than the website owner making it accessible for all users.

Always go for professional translators when you’re trying to localise your website. This is one of the most important steps of the process that you should not skip.

Allow users to switch between languages

Now that you have different languages available on your site, give users the options to switch between languages easily. Over 60% of people with high proficiency in English would prefer to use a website in their native language.

Allowing users to switch the languages on the website will give them the chance to create a custom approach. Many users will prefer to shop in English if it’s an English website, while others will prefer to switch to their native languages.

In addition, you can even target keywords in different languages so you can reach the people in your target market in a context that is comfortable for them.

Consider nuances in local languages

And it’s not just the words that are important get right when you translate. You also have to think about common local practices, like how things are written out.

Take English. It’s the native language of both America and Britain, but there are some differences in how it is written out. For instance, America and Britain write out dates differently. America writes out the month first, while Britain writes out the day.

Small nuances like this can make a large impact on your target audience. When you get these details right, they will become much more comfortable with your brand and your product. Details like these are yet another reason why professional translators are necessary for a localised website.

Account for cultural differences

To succeed in a new destination, it’s vital to understand the cultural norms and sensitivities of the people there. How do people communicate? What do they consider appealing or offensive?

The last thing you want is to seem out of touch with your target audience. It’s important to double-check all cultural references you make & imagery used on your site and determine if your copy is appropriate for that market.

Here you’ll want to enlist the help of locals to give you feedback. You may want to hire a native of that area to check quality control and give you honest input. A professional translator will also give insight.

Think about website design

Website design often centres around the way that text is presented. Certain paragraphs or lines will look different depending on the way that text is structured.

When translating copy, your website design will look the same if translations are neat and match word-for-word. But realistically, translations will end up making your copy look quite different.

A line of copy that is two even sentences in English may become three uneven lines of text when it is translated to French. Sentences and paragraphs typically won’t run at the same length depending on the language.

To cater to the different languages on your site, make sure that your design is responsive. Responsive design will adapt to the changing parameters of your site to give a seamless result, regardless of the language used.

Test with your local audiences

Lastly, keep in mind that localising your website is ongoing and requires a collaborative effort. The first time you make changes often won’t be the last – it is worth taking some time to get your website right.

When you’re targeting markets that you have little to no experience with, factor in some time to test out your website. See what content on your website resonates with users in your target market, and make changes.

Your website should continue to evolve as it gives localised users the best experiences possible. Consistently measure your results over time so that you can update your website as people’s needs and experiences change.

Mastering website localisation

Mastering website localisation will allow you to reach your target audience in any area. With the help of website translation from professionals, you can localise your website.

Global Lingo has professionals that have expertise in translation, minute talking, transcription, and more – all of which will benefit your website localisation. We have expertise in 150 languages! Contact the Global Lingo team to learn more about our services.