The first question is: What is localization? What does it mean to business?
“All politics is local,” is a famous phrase that reminds politicians that everything they do affects someone personally. In the age of the internet and global business, we can rephrase that to, “All business is local.”
As much as designs and items from other cultures can seem exotic and fun, some of the things we have today need to design for our needs and cultures. The most obvious of these are digital products. Mobile apps, software, websites, and anything else that can be transmitted digitally will struggle if it doesn’t adapt itself to the people who will be using it.
Localization means to change more than simply the language. Cultural references, the structures of the pages, and images should all be reviewed in light of a new culture. One of the places that are often forgotten is error pages, instructions and headers. Often, these things are not changed from their original language.
So why localized a piece of software, a website, or a mobile app?
- Familiarity breeds loyalty – It’s fine for Coca-Cola to be all over the world, but something like a mobile app needs to have a local flair. The language, colloquialisms, and images need to be adapted to your new audience when you…
- Open new markets – Very few products (Coca-Cola is one) are truly global. Chances are there are markets that your software, app, or service can still be introduced. Localization will open these new markets by creating products that seem like they were created locally, not on the other side of the planet. This will lead to…
- Higher customer satisfaction – Your customers want to feel that you are there for them. They want to know that they were who you had in mind when you made your software or app. This will make them feel great about your offerings and increase their satisfaction. This will also…
- Reduce risk of embarrassment – You don’t want to put out a soda pop that promises to bring back dead ancestors (Pepsi-cola did that in China). Mistakes like this are more than an embarrassment; millions are spent to enter a new market and if you have to start all over because you didn’t know that something you were doing was foolish, it can be painful. This will lead to…
- Reduced costs – Preparing things well for a new market can make it much more cost effective. The time spent preparing will be more than rewarded by more quality time actually selling in the market. It’s all about localizing your product to the new markets before you ever send your products in to be sold.
Localization is not nearly as expensive or inconvenient as it seems. In fact, with the right subcontractor, the localization can be handled for you by people who live and work inside of the new market you looking to enter. Contact us now for more details and get your free quote.
