How to Localize Your Website
At its simplest, website localization is the process of refining and optimizing web content through culture, language, and flow to provide the most useful and relevant experience for users. It’s not the same as translation: localizing content takes into consideration the nuances of the target region. Some words can have the same definition, but different meanings in different contexts. Similarly, there are always different dialects of a language, like Spanish in Spain, Spanish in Mexico, and Spanish in South America.
Most companies may not understand the difference between localization and translation, but effective website localization is far more nuanced than simply displaying words in a new language. Continue lendo para saber como pensar sobre a localização de websites, e como executá-la de maneiras poderosas e autênticas.
Globalization vs. Internationalization vs. Localização
Globalization, internalization, and localization are three different concepts related to how businesses operate and expand their operations. Globalization refers to the integration of economies, cultures, and societies across the world. In business, globalization involves expanding operations into different countries and regions, establishing a global supply chain, and adapting products and services to meet the needs of diverse cultures and new markets.
Internationalization is the process of creating software or mobile apps that are then localized to target unique cultures, regions, and languages. Software developers and engineers do this to help ensure that websites are successfully localized and that the website can support other languages and cultures.
Localization refers to the process of adapting products, services, and marketing strategies to meet the specific needs and preferences of a particular local market. This can involve changes to language, design, branding, or product features to better appeal to local consumers. Website localization can help companies gain a deeper understanding of local markets and establish stronger relationships with customers.
Os fundamentos da localização
A localização de um website requer cinco elementos-chave
- Language and regionalisms ensure that copy, content and brand voice come through accurately and authentically—and make users feel like the site experience has been customized for them.
- Cultural elements of communication like date and time formats, units of measure and local holidays ensure that websites communicate an understanding of global nuances and make users feel at home on the site.
- Transactional elements such as currency, payment options, addresses and character sets are not only important for the local feel of the site, but for the accuracy and proper handling of transactions and on-site conversions.
- Local communication and trust elements such as phone numbers, local addresses, in-language customer support, legal notices and security banners may not seem mission-critical, but they're key to engaging with local audiences. Eles também garantem que suas equipes de marketing e vendas no mercado tenham as informações necessárias para atender seus clientes.
- Navigation and discovery for your translated site is critical to helping users select the language they need, and immediately start interacting with your site in an authentic way.
4 Benefits of Website Localization
Website localization can provide several benefits for businesses looking to expand their global reach. Here's what you can expect to gain from the right localization for website strategy:
- Increased sales and revenue: A localized website can help businesses tap into new markets and reach customers who may not have been able to engage with the brand otherwise. By providing a website that is accessible and relevant to local customers, businesses can increase sales and revenue and establish a stronger foothold in local markets.
- Improved SEO and website traffic: Localized websites that are optimized for local search engines and keywords can help improve search engine rankings, which can drive more traffic to the website. By using the right keywords and phrases in local languages, businesses can increase their visibility to local customers who are searching for their products or services online.
- Increased customer engagement: Localization allows businesses to tailor their website to the specific needs and preferences of a local market, which can increase customer engagement and satisfaction. By providing content that resonates with local audiences, businesses can create a more personalized experience that encourages customers to spend more time on the website and engage with the brand.
- Improved brand reputation: Localization can help businesses establish a stronger presence in local markets, which can improve their reputation and credibility with local customers. By showing a commitment to meeting the needs of local customers, businesses can build trust and loyalty, which can lead to long-term success and growth in new markets.
How to Begin Localizing a Website
Você está pronto para localizar seu website? Para estabelecer uma base sólida, você deve perguntar-se:
- Estou comprometido a criar um site multilíngue totalmente autêntico, para que meus usuários saibam que estou empenhado em sua experiência? Você lerá mais sobre este assunto na próxima seção.
- Do I have the right professionals on my team to support my site as it scales? Um ótimo parceiro pode ajudar a facilitar isso.
- Minhas equipes de vendas no mercado estão pedindo uma experiência on-line robusta mais completa para seus clientes? Se existir demanda, pode ser a hora de atendê-la.
- Is my content engaging and enriching enough to attract local audiences? Você já investiu em uma experiência on-line excepcional, e deseja maximizar o retorno sobre esse investimento.
How to Keep Your Website Relevant
Quando você localiza, as pessoas do mercado que visitam seu site devem ser capazes de vivenciar todos os elementos, conceitos e conteúdos que utilizam em suas vidas diárias.
That means making sure your content uses the culturally relevant, preferred terminology, phrases and slang of the local customers you’re serving. Traduções literais estarão obviamente totalmente desconectadas da cultura local, e podem comprometer coisas como SEO e integridade da marca.
Essa abordagem também inclui a localização de conteúdo multimídia. Ter imagens, conteúdo de vídeo e PDF traduzidos no idioma local correto pode aumentar a credibilidade da marca e incentivar interação com o conteúdo.
Como sempre, o diabo está nos detalhes. É preciso assegurar que todo o conteúdo de seu site, desde opções localizadas de moeda e pagamento até unidades de medida, formatos de endereço e informações de contato, seja compreensível e utilizável nos idiomas de seus clientes globais. Com essas localizações fundamentais implementadas, seus clientes entenderão tudo ao utilizar seu site.
What Needs to Be Localized?
Great website localization means thinking beyond the site itself to all the digital assets, content and channels that make up your international digital presence.
Em primeiro lugar, considere como os residentes locais descobrirão seu site. Garanta que os mecanismos de busca locais saibam sobre novo seu website local para que seja fácil encontrar você nos resultados de busca. Working with a website localization or translation partner that knows SEO can give you an advantage, too, by thinking beyond localized keywords and leveraging advanced technologies like Proxy. Isso garante que a versão traduzida de seu website seja exibida corretamente nos resultados do mecanismo de busca local de seus clientes.
The most advanced providers can help with powerful user preference-detection technology for your site that can do things like seamlessly welcome first-time visitors in the language they’re likely to speak and help them find the localized site that best fits their needs.
E assegure-se de que seu conteúdo omnicanal, como campanhas de e-mail, publicações em mídias sociais e ativos off-line, também seja traduzido. You need to consider things like social media handles and pop-ups, as well as how localizing affects format. For instance, Arabic reads right to left, which must be taken into consideration. Work with a partner that can help you find and localize this content and ensure that it's connected to your digital presence in all the right ways.
Por que microssites não bastam
As you expand to international markets with your digital presence, one thing becomes abundantly clear: local markets expect a website experience that is every bit as fantastic as the one on your flagship site.
Pode ser tentador solucionar o problema de localização com um microssite simplificado que pegue a informação essencial de sua empresa, a traduza para o idioma local e ofereça uma experiência resumida para esses usuários.
But users regularly abandon websites that don’t provide consistent language experiences or deliver compromised experiences in favor of taking a simplified approach.
As you extend your global reach into new markets, strike the right balance with powerful website translation that doesn’t compromise the user experience.
Website Localization Is an Investment in Your Global Business
As you consider ways to adapt your company’s website for local markets, look for solutions that deliver accurate and authentic website translations and offer engagement-boosting localizations.
A localização de websites requer tradutores de primeira classe, tecnologia avançada para fornecer o conteúdo localizado certo aos públicos certos e recursos avançados de gestão de fluxos de trabalho e tradução para publicar, monitorar e atualizar facilmente o conteúdo personalizado em que você investiu.
Seus negócios globais merecem a melhor presença digital possível. Trabalhe com um parceiro que possa utilizar elegantemente a tradução e localização de websites para garantir um conteúdo claro, eficaz e pertinente para todo mercado onde você faz negócios.