09 Feb Multilingual website: which parts should be translated?
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Translating and localizing your content helps you establish a relationship based on trust with your target market. Seventy-two percent of online users prefer to stay on a multilingual website that displays content translated into their own native language.
The localization of a website consists in adapting the platform from various angles. Therefore, it’s not about a simple task of translating but rather a process of adapting the component parts of the site so they are aligned with the language and culture of a specific target audience. But which parts of a website can be localized?
- Why is the localization of a website important?
- Which parts of a website should be localized?
- Conclusion
Why is the localization of a website important?
A website that is properly localized will manage to put its users at ease. The process of localizing an online platform enables you to adapt its structure and content to one or more specific target markets of a culture that is relevant to your business.
The job of localization often stands side by side with the work of transcreation, which involves adapting content that appropriately reflects the style, tone and structure of the original website. This allows your brand to create texts and messages that are in line with your brand identity and the local cultural domain.
These shrewd tactics make browsing a hassle-free and intuitive experience for users who will feel naturally engaged and thus more inclined to stay on the website for a longer time. Consequently, this facet of the business helps increase customer loyalty and potentially boost conversions.
Which parts of a website should be localized?
Textual content
First and foremost, it’s essential to change the texts on the website into the target language so they are more easily understood by users. In many cases, just translating content doesn’t seem to be enough.
It’s important to adapt textual content in the majority of situations, keeping in mind the tone of voice of the brand, language conventions and local expressions. Some localised websites automatically change the language based on the user’s IP address; alternatively, it’s possible to include a sidebar that lets users easily select their language preference.
SEO elements
SEO strategies in multiple languages assist in improving a website’s ranking on search engines and consequently boost its visibility online. When referring to localized websites, with pages in a different language, it’s vital to accurately choose keywords that will be associated with your content and to develop titles, meta descriptions and customised texts based on your target market.
Images, video and other digital content
You should be certain that all the content displayed on a multilingual website conforms to the cultural context of your relevant target market. While conveying a clear picture of the business identity, images, videos and other digital content help users see a part of themselves in the brand.
It is therefore important to select content to be displayed on your website so it reflects the expectations and tastes of potential customers. Images help users identify with the business narrative, yet depending on the situation, not all images end up being appropriate in the context of the culture in question. Videos, on the other hand, are able to convey emotion and heighten the level of user engagement. It’s essential to ensure the videos are subtitled or dubbed in the target language so their effectiveness is not negatively affected.
Graphic layout of the website
The graphic design of a website can considerably influence the user’s browsing experience, which is why it should be developed so it ensures a good user experience even to customers who are culturally different.
With reference to the process of localization, it’s important, for example, to take into account the length of content pieces, the graphic layout of various languages and the choice of colour associated with the brand. These features can have an impact on the graphic design of a website or an e-commerce platform.
Units of measure, currencies and product descriptions
Although they may seem on the periphery, attention to small cultural details like the format of currencies, units of measure or the character sets used will convey an in-depth knowledge of the relevant local culture to users.
Specifically in the case of e-commerce sites, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the choice of features concerning transactions. A proper localization of the dedicated payment section is capable of making users feel at ease when they enter their personal data. In addition, it’s important to ensure that the items related to the payment process are localized and reflect how local purchases are conducted.
It still is good practice to localize product descriptions, a fundamental feature of online selling. Clear, thorough and creative descriptions allow users to face a decision in their online purchases in an informed and relaxed manner.
Customer care service
Providing prompt and helpful assistance to customers is of the utmost importance. When a business opens up to the international market, it must be certain it can offer a localized customer care service that honours the requests of its users.
For this reason, it’s crucial that the page with contact details displays the telephone number, address and dates so they are accurately adapted to the users’ geographic location.
Legal documents
The correct adaptation of legal documents shown on a website should demonstrate a detailed understanding of the pertinent cultural environment and legal context. And this will accordingly inspire a greater sense of trustworthiness.
Brands that operate on the international market must take care to respect the local rules and regulations. Such as those regarding privacy or product performance. Localisation in this field is a particularly complex and delicate matter, often requiring the support of competent and expert professionals.
Conclusion
Localization of websites is therefore an especially complex process, which demands the input of several professionals on many levels. If you want to find out more about website localisation, or you’re searching for a bespoke solution for your project, don’t hesitate to contact us!
