Developing a Content Localization Strategy: Step-by-step Guide and Considerations

Why do businesses need to develop a content localization strategy? According to a study conducted by CSA with 8,709 consumers across over 29 countries, up to 76% of online shoppers prefer buying products with information presented in their native language. Additionally, 40% of people stated that they would never purchase from websites written in a language other than their mother tongue.

Research shows that content localization plays a vital role in the success of a business in the international market. So, what exactly is a content localization strategy? Here’s everything you need to know about content localization strategies and how to ensure the success of your localization project.

What is a content localization strategy?

Content localization is essential when an organization or business wants to adapt its current content for a new market.

Content localization goes beyond translation from one language to another. It ensures that the target language aligns with the cultural norms of the local region. Besides, Website Translation needs to be SEO friendly in order to access more traffic on local search engines.

Meanwhile, a content localization strategy refers to a broader plan that a company or organization develops to implement content localization. This strategy includes steps such as defining goals, selecting appropriate localization partners, coordinating with translation and localization companies, testing, and assessing project success. These steps ensure your content is properly delivered to the target market.

A content localization strategy acts as a compass for the localization process, ensuring that your localized content resonates with your business objectives and target audience.

Steps to build an effective content localization strategy

To develop a comprehensive content localization strategy, consider the following steps.

Step 1: Define your localization goals

Before developing a strategy, you need to identify your localization objectives. This is the basis for developing suitable tactics to achieve your objectives.

Localization objectives could be introducing your product to a new market, adding new languages to your website, improving website visibility on search engines, etc.

This involves precisely determining which content needs localization and analyzing your target market, customer profiles, and their preferred language.

It’s advisable to learn more about localization examples of global brands to avoid common mistakes and problems.

Step 2: Choose a suitable localization service

In the next step, you’ll need to look for the most suitable translation and localization service. Some criteria for choosing a reputable content localization agency are:

1. ● Reputation: Evaluate their credibility based on their previous projects and clients.
2. ● A team of experienced and professional linguists: It is best to consider a translation agency with a team of expert linguists who are native speakers, possess in-depth market knowledge, and have a proven track record in localization projects.
3. ● Transparent pricing: Price is an important factor when developing and executing a content localization strategy. Therefore, an agency with transparent translation and localization rates can help you plan your budget and minimize unexpected costs.
4. ● Professional and transparent collaboration process: This is another crucial criterion to determine the credibility of a localization agency. A well-defined collaboration process ensures your localization project goes well and minimizes potential disruptions.
5. ● Complementary services: It is advisable to choose translation and content localization agencies that offer various complementary services such as SEO Keyword Research, Customized Integration, Expert Review, etc. If you wish to undertake additional tasks to enhance the success of your localization project, these options will optimize time, consistency, and service quality.

Step 3: Collaborate closely with your localization agency

Depending on the specific workflow of your localization agency, you can start working out the details to implement your strategy. This may include:

1. ● Discussing and clarifying your localization goals.
2. ● Providing your content for translation and localization.
3. ● Assigning a representative to work with your localization agency if possible.
4. ● Providing resources relevant to the project.
5. ● Collaboratively testing and evaluating your project performance.

Step 4: Test your localized content

Localization testing is an essential step before officially releasing your product. At this point, you may need to check whether the translated content uses appropriate language, adheres to cultural norms, and reflects the target market’s cultural nuances.

If the localized content is meant to be integrated into a software application or published on a website, functional testing is indispensable. Common problems may include interface and display errors, slow loading times, and others.

Step 5: Evaluate your project performance

In this final step, you may consider assessing the success of your localized content. To evaluate how well your localized content performs, establish relevant metrics based on your initial objectives.

For instance, if your objective is to enhance user experience on your website in a new market, measurement metrics might include website traffic, bounce rate, time on site, etc.

If any of these criteria fall short of expectations, swiftly identify the causes and address them.

Key considerations for a successful content localization strategy

To give your content localization strategy a boost, consider the following points:

1. ● Ensure that your software or website supports multiple languages. If your software or website doesn’t support multiple languages or allows users to switch languages, you may need to add this feature before initiating localization.
2. ● Make sure localization is done by human experts. Machines or AI can’t comprehend human emotions and culture, so human involvement in localization ensures authentic content that truly resonates with your target audience.
3. ● Provide a detailed brand brief. This can guarantee consistency in your brand identity across all translations, taking the guesswork out of the localization process as well as reducing the need for complicated adjustments later on.
4. ● Stay on top of your localization process. As mentioned earlier, cooperation with your localization agency is crucial for ensuring the success of your strategy. This can ensure timely completion and the highest efficiency.

Content localization strategy is vital in the mission of global business development. Therefore, translation and content localization agencies play a crucial role in accomplishing this mission.

At Thao & Co. Translation Agency, we have collaborated with various major businesses in their globalization efforts. We are confident in our capabilities to assist you with your content localization strategy and create an impact in your target market. All projects at Thao & Co. are done by a team of expert linguists who possess an extensive understanding of the market and expertise in various fields. Additionally, we are committed to providing you with a transparent workflow and a range of high-quality complementary services that cater to all your needs.

In this article, we have discussed everything you need to know for a successful content localization strategy. If you are seeking an agency for your localization project, please do not hesitate to contact Thao & Co. through our Get a Quote page for more detailed information!