Writing localized content is simply adopting the language of your current content to suit your audience’s location or country. It includes not just simple translation but also aligning it in context. Most web content globally is written in English.
Localization enables you to present this in your audience’s preferred language in context to your products. Usually, 3rd party agencies are hired for this task. You can also get proficient native speakers to save costs. This practice gives the user journey a human touch. It builds credibility and trust.
Importance of Localized Content for SEO & Conversions
1) Improved Organic Traffic Through Keywords
Most searches online occur in a person’s native tongue. Google respects content that is served to suit an audience locale.
You may lose out to competition if you don’t localize. Localizing allows you to add specific keywords to your content. These keywords are specific to the location and in relevance to a user’s query.
For example, keywords a user looks for in the local language. You miss out on leveraging these keywords for organic traffic when you don’t localize.
Your organic traffic grows stronger when you use keywords that rank locally. Google considers your site and content worthy of credibility when it sees content localized for a region.
2) Boost Conversion Rates
Localizing your content can have a lasting impact on sales. Your conversion rates and leads amplify. Content in the local language goes a long way in building trust with your target customers. This increases the chances of a prospect turning into a purchaser in a significant manner.
Localization is a proven way to enter new markets. It pays off to get SEO and brand campaigns in the local context and language to build a brand presence. It helps you go heads on with your competition.
These factors encourage new prospects to try your brand and engage with your sales and promo campaigns in their region.
3) Acquire Quality Backlinks and Domain Authority
Backlinks are the backbone of the internet. A reputed site linking to yours can do wonders for SEO and sales. Imagine if you have great content that is popular but not localized. Your new audience in other parts of the globe is potentially missing out on it. Localizing it could lead to more visits and shares. This, in turn, directly translates to conversions.
Localizing will encourage local sites to link to your sites. Quality backlinks add credibility and trust to search engines and consumers alike. It boosts your authority in your domain as a leader. But make sure to follow the best practices when you build your backlinks.
Monitor backlinks after localization to leverage its full power to gain sales and better SEO.
How Can Localized Content Improve Your Sales/ROI?
1) Personalizes Your Brand
Seeing a famous global brand talk to you in your language gives it the human touch. For example, imagine a brand like Pepsi with campaigns in the local language when entering your market. It is sure to form a more meaningful bond with the audience.
Localization personalizes the brand. It makes the user journey feel as though it is specially curated for them. Consumers always take notice of such details, and it leaves a lasting impression.
These factors drive a strong sense of loyalty and trust. It motivates new buyers to promote your brand with friends and family. Local context is crucial to establishing yourself in new revenue centers.
2) Sets a Local Context
The adage says, to go global, one must go local first. This is true if you wish to grow as a brand and gain a global following. Localization is one way to achieve this milestone. Often localization is confused with translation. While this is true to an extent, localization is a lot more than mere translation.
Localization makes your content culturally relevant to your audience. It takes into account the mannerisms and other nuances of a new culture. Doing so deepens your relationship with your audience. It sets the stage for a successful future interaction that can help you generate leads and boost your sales.
3) Enter New or Emerging Markets
Localizing your content is a proven way to succeed when you enter a new market. This is also true for new revenue centers or emerging markets.
Every new market has its nuances, and one size does not fit all. Localization can be a big help in this regard. It can help you establish a foothold in a new arena. Talking to your audience in their language helps gain trust and boosts brand presence.
You tend to start getting great sales straight away when you take on local competitors with targeted, localized content and landing pages. Localization shows the audience and search engines that you are here to stay.
4) Widens Your Audience Reach
English is the lingua franca of the world. It is widely spoken in large parts of the world. While content and sites in English are usually enough to garner a customer base, it is not always enough. It would help if you bonded culturally with local audiences in order to maximize sales and SEO rankings in the region.
Localization gets your brand voice heard louder than ever before—your avenues to gain more customers increases in a big way. People trust a brand that respects their cultural nuances and sentiments. Use local phrases and images in your site and campaigns to generate interest and drive engagement.
5) Deeper Customer Engagement
Presenting your brand and content in a foreign language has immense benefits. It shows that you respect the local culture. Your brand comes across as going the extra mile to blend with the tradition of the country or region.
Any campaign you create with local context is bound to engage your customers. Take advantage of local holidays and festivals to curate special sales events. These go a long way in attracting customers and establishing your brand in a new locale.
Creating localized social media content engages your customers regularly. Keep your audience hooked with promos, contests, and teasers. Getting them to participate is a sure way of driving sales.
6) Reduce Local Competition
Never underestimate local players. It is the most common thing to overlook. As a business exploring new markets, your local competition is your primary concern. With the help of localization, you can take them on a level playing field.
To win locally, your content must stand out and appeal to the audience with its quality and cultural relevance. Avoid bland and generic content. Work with reputed local vendors and sites to set up a strong messaging for your brand. This will help you overcome initial setbacks due to fierce competition.
Always keep an eye on what the competition is doing. Curate unique promos to beat the competition.
7) Better Local Search Visibility
Localization is crucial for better sales and SEO. Using generic English keywords that work in your primary markets won’t do you any good in a new country. Localization gives you a lot more keywords to use in your content. These short or long-tail keywords make all the difference in your brand being found by users online.
Search engine visibility is amplified with localization. Well-researched keywords and local phrases are the keys. They deliver high search volume with the least competition. This results in faster market growth and brand recognition. A combination of all these factors working in tandem leads to organic growth and more sales.
8) Save on Support Costs
When a customer contacts your support team, your costs increase. Whether they do this by phone or email. An excellent way to keep support costs down is to provide quality help content on your site. Doing so will answer their query online and reduce another support touchpoint for the business.
Localization can play an essential role in keeping costs down. Customers are less likely to contact support if they can find the help they seek in the format and language they choose. Ensure that all help content, including Chabot’s (if used), is localized for optimum customer experience. Update the content regularly along with your English content.
Localized Content FAQs
1) How Much Does Localization Cost?
Localization costs vary depending on the language set and the method used for it. There are pro localization agencies who can do this for you. They may cost relatively more than hiring a freelance expert. Enquire with agencies and freelancers for a quote to pick the best option for your budget. It is advised to go with an agency if your content is huge.
2) Should I Localize Video Content Too?
Yes, if you want to capture your market truly, all content, including videos, must be localized. There are two ways you can approach it. You can remake the video in the target language or keep the voiceovers in English and add subtitles for the new language. Another option is to dub the new language over the existing video. Subtitling an existing video is the most cost-effective.
3) What is The Difference Between Translation and Localization?
The words translation and localization are often mixed up. Translation is the process of converting any text into a new language. It does not take into account any cultural nuances and local subtexts. Localization, on the other hand, considers many different aspects. One could say that translation is a part of localization. Always choose localization for SEO gain and better sales.
4) What Are Some Popular Localization Tools?
Many pro localization tools are used by freelancers and agencies the world over. Each tool has unique features which may make it more suitable in specific scenarios. Some popular tools are:
- SDL Trados
- MemoQ
- Deja Vu
- Termbase
You can also use free tools for localization, although it is best to go with professional software for the best results.
5) Can I Use Google Translate to Localize My Content?
Google Translate uses machine translation. This works for small and simple sentences. Avoid it for more extensive content on your site. The main issue with it is that it does not know the context of what’s being translated, unlike a professional. Using it without quality checks can lead to messy content that does more harm than good. Poor localization leaves a negative impact on users.
Localized Content: Final Thoughts
A well implemented localized content strategy can be an extremely powerful tool used to help businesses succeed online. We hope you have enjoyed this article and hope it helps in developing your localization strategy. We would love to hear your thoughts or further ideas, feel free to leave us a comment below.
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