A Closer Look at Website Localization

We live in a world that is shrinking every day. Fast travel, quick shipping, and the rise of the Internet have all meant that it’s easier than ever before to reach the entire globe. And odds are that your website has already been viewed at least a few times by people outside your native country. While this is great news for businesses looking to expand their reach and maximize their potential, it also brings up a unique challenge: website localization.

Understanding more about the basics of website localization is important so businesses can continue to grow, evolve, and reach their ultimate goals. Read on for the quick version of website localization whys and hows.

What Is Website Localization?

Website localization is nothing more than the process of fine-tuning a website and its content so it provides the same experience to those from another country or those who speak another language. Essentially, it’s making sure that an international audience can view your page and get the same information from it that a local visitor would. This can include things like:

• Converting all currency and measurements
• Adjusting images or icons so they fit local cultures
• Translating text to convey the same meaning as the original content

From the images to the text, localization spreads your brand to other countries effectively and accurately.

Why Does It Matter?

This is an easy enough question to answer—because it helps you build your company’s future. Localization allows you to reach out to potential customers and partners around the world. Your message will be clearly understood by all visitors, your brand will be apparent no matter the user, and you’ll be delivering the right kind of user experience so you can expand your bottom line in a meaningful way.

Getting the Right Results

Once you understand what it is and why localization matters, the next step is obviously to complete the process properly. This can be tricky, and many times businesses try to use a software solution that will automatically translate all text.

But remember that this does so using a very strict code, and that language is much more fluid than this. You may have a single phrase or slogan that when translated word for word doesn’t mean the same thing it originally did. Or you may have many pieces of content that lose their intended meaning and impact after being translated.

The right option for most is to invest in professional translation services since your website is a reflection of your company and its quality. Reaching a wider market is a key part of any business or organization strategy, and the right kind of localization does just that. It’s an investment worth making.

To get the best results from your website localization efforts, you’ll want the pros. Contact ITC Global Translations today to find out more about how we can help you reach a wider audience than ever before.