Why Localize Your WEBSITE Globalization vs Internationalization & Localization vs Translation As companies look to expand their global audience, they often come across a few terms that may seem synonymous, but in reality have different meanings. Before starting your website localization project, we’d like to define for you the meaning of these terms, which should help you better understand the scope of this content. Globalization (G11N) Globalization is the process of interaction and integration that takes place among nations, cultures, people, governments, and companies. This process occurs through international trade and in recent years has been expedited by advancements in information technology. On the business level, globalization occurs when businesses decide to move their prod- uct and service offerings beyond their domes- tic markets and expand into international markets around the globe. When this happens on a wide scale, international trade trade increases and cultural exchange happens on a global scale. Globalization occurs on a global level, and each nation, culture, government, company, and individual involved in international trade adds to the ongoing movement. Globalization is abbreviated as G11N, which means “G – eleven letters– N”. Page 01 SHARE THIS EBOOK Internationalization (I18N) Internationalization involves the process of designing products and services in order to meet the needs of consumers in specific countries and cultures, resulting in a native product or service experience for the end users or consumers. Internationalization is also known as localization enablement, which occurs during the designing or planning stage of the product / service offering, and is preparatory to localization and translation. Localization (L10N) Localization occurs when an effort is made to adapt products, services, and materials, in a way that will specifically appeal to and meet the needs of a particular culture, region or country. The intent of localization is to create a native experience for the target market. In regards to your website localization project, you will need to keep in mind factors such as images & graphics, design & layout, local formats, and market tastes, in order to create a native experience for your target market. If you are localizing your website for more than one target market, you will need to keep these factors in mind for each market and provide native experience for each one. Localization is abbreviated as L10N, which means “L – ten letters– N”. Page 02 SHARE THIS EBOOK Translation Translation is the most granular of the four In regards to your website localization terms listed and is used in all three of the project, translation will be the majority of above instances. Translation is the literal the work that will need to be done, as all changing of words from the source (native) content will need to be translated from language into a target language, while also your source language to your target keeping the same meaning in the context of language(s). the original language. Translation involves both written and verbal language, though This guide will cover how you can prepare verbal language translation is often referred for the localization of your website in order to as interpretation. to deliver a native brand experience, while also accurately translating your website, in Accurate translations that offer the order to portray the same meaning in your sammeaning in one language to next is key target languages as that of your native to driving the desired results. Truly under- language. standing the context in which language is used in the source language and understanding how to communicate that same message in the same context in the target language is how to bring about accurate translations. Page 03 What Is A Multilingual Website Global business growth requires global accessibility and this often begins with a multilingual website. A multilingual website is one which offers content that has been translated in one or more languages to serve the needs of people in different markets. Many top corporations and institutions run multilingual websites as they serve large numbers of people across many different countries and markets. While multilingual websites are those that offer content in various languages, multi-regional websites serve to target consumers that reside in different countries. These consumers may speak the same language as one another, for example most consumers in the United States speak English while large portions of consumers in Canada do as well, or they may be residents of different countries who also speak entirely different languages. You may decide to create a multilingual website, hosted on the same domain with different language options, or may choose to create a multiregional website hosted on subdomains of your main domain, or even on separate domains. That will depend largely on your web strategy, which should be linked to your global business strategy. When To Adopt A Multilingual Website You might be asking yourself, would your business benefit from building a multilingual website? The first thing to consider is whether or not your business has customers (or site visitors) who speak languages other than that which is on your site currently. If this is the case, you may not be fully serving them with the content they need to understand your product or service offerings. This makes it difficult for your site visitors to proceed in the buying cycle. If you do have customers who have purchased from you or you see a trend of many site visitors who speak a different language, this might be a good indication that your site is ready to take on some new languages. Page 04 SHARE THIS EBOOK Maybe you don’t have customers who speak another language. If this is the case, you’ll still want to consider the potential benefits of creating a multilingual website. Some of these benefits include: Extending your reach to new markets and customers. Improving your image as a company that seeks to serve various market segments. An increase in customer engagement. Adding credibility to your global brand and company image. A boost in international SEO results, which can in turn increase sales and entice more consumers to do business with your organization. These are a only few of the benefits that you might get from taking on a website localiza- tion project. There are sure to be more depending on the type of website you have and the industry in which you operate. Now that these are on the top of your mind, let’s look at the top languages spoken worldwide (and over the internet) so you can get an idea of the potential audience size you may be able to reach choosing to take your website global. Page 05 The Most Used Languages On The Internet & What It Means To Your Multilingual Website Top Spoken Languages Worldwide In order to truly understand the potential impact a multilingual website can have on your business, it’s important to start by learning SALUT just how many potential customers are available to you in your target market and how to maximize your reach to your intended audience. HOLA Though English speakers still make up the second largest group Hi! bye among languages spoken the world over, it’s worth noting some of the top languages and how many people speak each. The top spoken languages include: hej HEI Mandarin Over 1.2 billion English 850 million Spanish 500 million Arabic Over 490 million Hindi 380 million Russian 260 million Portuguese 220 million French 220 million Page 06 SHARE THIS EBOOK One Country May Include Multiple Languages Even if you aren’t looking to expand your business globally in the literal sense, it’s worth noting that most countries have large groups of people who speak a language other than the region’s native language. The United States, for example, has a large Hispanic market which makes up about 15% of the country’s labor force with significant growth expected in the near future. The Hispanic market within the United States holds a purchasing power that exceeds $1.38 trillion dollars and will continue to rise. This particular group represents a huge potential market for business owners who could grow their customer base by leaps and bounds. Consider the various languages that are spoken within the country or countries you’re looking to target for future growth. By localizing and translating your content into one or more of these languages, you open the door for your business to reach largely untapped markets and move toward greater growth. Top Languages Used On The World Wide Web English speakers continue to dominate the internet with 565 million users speaking English as their rst language. However, a close second are Chinese speakers who make up 30% of internet users at 509 million users. Many new businesses often overlook this huge group which may hold thousands, if not millions, of new customers for those who want to take their business global. Below you will nd the top spoken languages by internet users and the percentage of content you will nd on the internet by language. These numbers give a high level overview for who is on the internet and where potential content gaps currently exist on the world wide web. Page 07 Top Spoken Languages By Internet Users (2015) 3% 2% 3% 4% English 4% Chinese Spanish 5% Japanese 33% Portuese 6% German Arabic 10% Russian French Korean 30% % Of Internet Content By Language (2015) 1.7% 2.5% 2% 2.8% 4% English German 4.6% Russian Japanese 5% 55.7% Spanish French 6% Chinese Portuese 6% Italian Polish Page 08 SHARE THIS EBOOK So What Does This Mean For Your Multilingual Site As seen, English speakers make up the biggest segment of internet users at about 33%.