Get the Facts About Localization and Going Global With Your Product

Besides having your product translated into numerous international languages, think about how your product would be received if you kept it marketed to just Americans? You wouldn’t be able to relate to many countries would you? Therefore, you need a localization tool to help create the look and feel of different places all over the world where people will see, hear and understand what you are selling.
Localization is all about making a buyer feel like they are buying a quality product that speaks to them in not only their language, but to their culture and ethics.

Understanding your audience is essential. If you don’t know who you are selling to than how will you know if your product is speaking to them? With a localization tool like investing in a language translation company, your product will be fully translated by someone either was born in the country of the language they are translating into and speaks the language or is residing there and also speaks the language and of course- yours too! The intelligent people who are translators for a living know the responsibility that is expected and crucial to the success off your product in other countries.

Localization Topics to Think About For Your Product
  • Software localization- not every country’s computers work the same. The software needs to be localized so that your product, if it’s a software product can be understood- not a ton of poor coding.
  • Language translation- obviously your product needs to be in the native language of where you are selling it to.
  • Spelling too- Just because a country speaks English doesn’t mean we all spell words the same way, or use the same form of grammar.
  • Audio- If your product is going to have spoken language in it, the translator needs to be of course fluent and the subject needs to be culturally, politically and ethnically sensitive.
  • Graphical representation- A product sold to Saudi Arabia shouldn’t have snow covered Bavarian towns as graphics and the same for all other countries. It isn’t to say people should be blatant and stereotype but common sense should be used as well as sensitivity.
  • Numbers, weights and measures- As necessary as language and graphics, currency, weights and measures all need to be converted and written correctly.
Your name, your brand and your product only get one chance to make a first impression. Once you have created your own product successfully and have found the right translation company to perfectly localize your product, you can feel confident knowing you have covered your bases and sell with confidence.

About the author : Melissa Peterman is a web content specialist for Innuity . For more information about localization , go to www.multiling.com.

By 10x Marketing
Published: 4/18/2008
 
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