Localization is the art of tailoring a text, product, platform, or website to fit within the target audience’s culture and traditions. It is a deep process that requires attention for it to resonate with the audience and to leave its print.
Since it is a deep and detailed process, it follows steps and guidelines. These guidelines, if followed, will guarantee your product or service customer loyalty and trustworthiness.
This article aims to focus on the checklist for a perfect localization service, as well as why having a localization plan matters.
Localization Checklist
Identify your localization needs
First and foremost, the localization checklist is to identify your localization needs and the scope of your project. This can be done through various steps such as identifying your target market and audience as well as highlighting your business goals in that market.
You also must thoroughly examine your competitors in the new target market before fully merging in your localization plan. Identifying your localization budget is crucial as well for your plan.
Choosing your content
Now that you have established firm grounds for what your target market is, as well as your goals, competitors, and budget, it is time to start choosing your content. This is a meticulous step that should be done with careful consideration of the target audience and their culture.
You can use marketing tools to help you find out the content people in your target country interact with the most. The content that will grab your audience’s attention is your starting line.
Language and culture
After choosing the content it is time to take a closer look at the target audience’s language and culture. It is important to note that countries speaking the same language do not have to share the same culture, traditions, or jokes.
For instance, when you are localizing a product or service for French-speaking countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo or Cameroon, it is crucial to remember that these are French-speaking countries due to colonialism.
Hence, making references to French culture might be offensive in the situation and will drive the customers away from your services.
Website localization
Website localization is one of the most important steps in the localization process. It is highly important to have different localized versions of the website, in order to ensure more customer engagement with the offered products or services. This involves website language, appearance, and functionality. It is a comprehensive UX-oriented translation.
Quality assurance and testing
Testing and quality assurance come towards the end of your localization plan. This step revolves around making sure that the localization project has succeeded in delivering the desired message to fit within the target audience’s culture and traditions.
This step includes linguistic testing and revision, as well as the testing of the product’s functionality and the user’s experience.
Why is it important to have a localization plan?
Like any project in the world, localization follows a strategy that has guidelines.
Following a localization plan will ensure its success and efficacy. This will in turn have a positive impact on the businesses’ sales and reviews in the target country. The effects of following a localization plan may show in so many ways, including:
Improved SEO results
Following the localization steps and guidelines will definitely affect your search engine optimization (SEO) results. This comes as a result of your focus on tailoring your website and marketing campaign to suit the preferences and behaviors of your target audience. Hence, increasing your SEO results and your reach on the internet and social media platforms.
Standing out in the crowd
When you follow the guidelines for a localization project your product will stand out in the crowd of competitors. Following the guidelines will make you relevant in the market, which most probably includes native companies from the target country. The guidelines will make you sound like a native company, and it will make you stand out from foreign competitors who do not localize their websites, services, or products.
Brand loyalty
The customer’s loyalty to a brand is guaranteed to increase when it addresses their culture and traditions. When the localization guidelines are implemented, a deep bond is created between the business and the target audience, which will eventually foster trust and loyalty towards the brand. This will lead to higher satisfaction and better reviews on social media platforms and the internet.
User experience
A localized product or service usually has a faster adoption rate as well as improved user satisfaction in reviews. Moreover, connecting with your customers via customer service in the target audience’s mother tongue and during their local working hours will also enhance the user experience. When your customers feel heard and appreciated, they will be satisfied with the services your company provides. They will also most definitely suggest the company and the services to their family and friends.
Summary
To wrap it up, there is a set of guidelines and rules that each business should have for localizing a product or a service. These guidelines will help you create a localization strategy that will in turn lead to a successful localized brand that resonates with the target audience.
When followed and implemented correctly, the localization strategy will divert the attention towards the product, making it trustworthy and credible. This will then affect the company’s review, SEO results, sales, productivity, and so much more.
Only then will a company be ready to fully embark on a localization journey with confidence.
