There are billions of people in the world. These ‘billions’ comprise different cultures, languages, and backgrounds. If you’ve ever considered taking your business or product global, you’ve probably asked yourself how to localize it successfully. Companies can flourish in emerging foreign markets with localized products, services, and marketing materials. However, localization is not an easy feat and can sometimes feel daunting. If you’re considering localizing your product, service, or marketing materials, this guide is for you. This guide will help you identify and partner with the best localization company.
The Importance of Localization for Global Success
Localization is not just translation; it’s the complex process by which products, content, and messaging are adapted to a geographically defined region or country’s specific cultural nuances, linguistic preferences, and market dynamics. Smart localization is a strategic imperative for companies trying to:
- Establish a Strong Foothold in New Markets: Entering new markets requires a deep knowledge of local customs, tastes, and communication styles. Localization helps businesses reach their target audiences in a culturally appropriate manner, fostering trust and brand loyalty.
- Enhance Customer Experience: Creating regionally tailored products and content enables companies to give users an intuitive, frictionless experience, making them feel valued customers, irrespective of where they are.
- Strengthen Brand Identity: Consistent and culturally relevant messaging across all touchpoints reinforces brand identity and resonates with local audiences, increasing customer acquisition and retention.
Although localization is valuable for your business, it’s a highly specialized undertaking that demands a degree of expertise and investment. This is where a good localization company can help.
Criteria for Selecting the Ideal Localization Partner
Picking the right localization company is a crucial decision that can enable or hinder your international success. Here are some essential criteria to consider when making your decision.
1. Native Linguistic Expertise
Localization is more than a simple word-for-word translation. It’s about capturing and preserving the feel and flavor of a language so that the tone and meaning of the original are the same in the localized version. This will mean working with localization companies and native linguists who understand the target language, its idioms, and cultural nuances.
2. Language Proficiency and Scalability
Review the range of language services offered by potential localization partners. Your short-term needs might involve a single target language, but you might also have an eye on the future, envisaging growth in new markets. Working with a company that can supply a range of languages will make it easier to start localizing into multiple markets when your global footprint expands.
3. Industry Specialization
For some industries, such as healthcare, law, finance, and technology, technical terms are highly domain-specific. If your industry is such, go for localization companies with prior experience in such domains.
4. Quality Assurance and Control
As localized content is the face of your brand in new markets, the quality of this content affects your business. So, ask localization companies how they deal with quality control, including how they hire and vet translators, apply quality checks, and mitigate issues and errors.
5. Technology Integration and Automation
Almost all localization processes nowadays use computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and translation memory databases to automate the process and enhance consistency. Ensure your localization partner is working with the most recent tools and, even better, offering to integrate into your technology stack.
6. Project Management Capabilities
Localization tasks involve many stakeholders, tight timelines, and messy processes. Always check on the localization company’s project management capabilities (i.e., their ability to communicate with you, meet timelines, and adapt to changing project requirements).
7. Cultural Expertise and Local Market Knowledge
Good localization is not just about language translation; it’s about cultural understanding, knowledge of your target market, and local regulations affecting consumers. Ask your potential localization partner if you have access to local expert resources or consultants on-site who can help you with localization and whom you can ask questions about throughout the process.
8. Pricing Transparency and Cost-Effectiveness
While price should not be the only consideration, it’s vital that you understand how your language service provider prices services and how it can be an effective, affordable solution for your project and budget. Look for partners who can provide you with precise, transparent pricing models, realistic timelines, and a clear and simple way of delivering high quality at an affordable price.
9. Client References and Case Studies
A good localization company should be able to supply references who will confirm its skills and record of success in your field or on similar tasks. It should also be able to provide case studies that demonstrate the company’s strengths and weaknesses.
10. Responsiveness and Customer Support
Localization projects are fluid and require responsiveness and communication. Check the localization company’s customer support channels (email, phone, online support ticket, etc.) and their responsiveness and communication style.
Conclusion
Localization can be confusing, but with the right localization partner, you’ll have a much easier time being successful globally. By following the steps in this guide, you can make sure you’re choosing a localization partner that’s right for you, your industry, and your long-term business strategy.
Ultimately, localization is a cumulative, iterative process. Keep your relationship with your localization partner strong to maintain the consistency, quality, and cultural relevance of all your global markets. With the right localization partner and the right TMS platform, such as Alconost, you can scale and reach new international audiences, build meaningful and productive relationships, and leverage new business opportunities to drive your organization’s growth and success in the global marketplace.
