How To Define The Right Localization Strategy?

Oleg Semerikov
5 min readJun 7, 2021
Let’s look at how a localization strategy is designed

Carry out a Personalised Analysis

It would be unwise to launch products to brand-new markets without understanding if your business has the chance of succeeding. This is a “why” market, and competitive analysis must come first. Do clients want your goods or services? What choices are available on the market? Which sales channels are functioning most effectively? The competitive positioning you use in one country often won’t work in another. Make sure to look into industry quantities, pain points, and foreign market needs before investing.

Stay Ambitious

In order not to lose face and not to sully your image think about:

  • Whether the packaging is appropriate. Some countries have banned plastic, and some have banned paper.
  • Does your logo have any offensive or hidden features?
  • Does the product name make sense elsewhere, or does it sound ridiculous?
  • Remember to compare prices of similar products to determine if marketing the product is profitable.
  • Does the trading site (site, social networks) take into account the UX?

Consumers have expectations when communicating with a brand, and you should encourage trust and engagement at every stage. On the other hand, it is worth getting the scale of spending so as not to be in a losing position after your product is launched in a foreign market.

Consider Compliance With Local Laws and Customs

If you plan to hire foreigners, it is necessary to thoroughly study trade law, the necessary categories of licensing, permits for trade, as well as the labor code. You will also need to know the rules for registering a company and your trademark, receiving and sending payments, tax rates, customs duties, and restrictions. It’s necessary to inform yourself of regulations on advertising (including those relating to texts, symbolism, and videos) since these vary depending on the region and country. Content that passes in your home market may be judged too radical in another.

Prioritize Content

Analyzing competitors and web resources of companies in your target market will help you ascertain the classic content. Choose in order of importance what should be adapted first, i.e. the product portfolio, and what can wait, for example, a blog or photo gallery.

Perform Advertising Analysis

Advertising also needs to be localized. Have a marketing specialist prepare a promotional package for the first three months. This is a priority task if you do not want to get lost among domestic producers.

Don’t Neglect a Good Translation

Translating is simple, right? It’s just converting words from one language into another. However, a lot more goes into it when you’re trying to authentically relate to a global audience. Yes, that is more difficult, but the results will be completely different. Respect for the company and trust in your brand will lead to consistency and customer loyalty.

Choose a Professional Localization Agency

If you’re launching globally with content that’s nuanced like marketing materials, partnering with a professional agency is always the preferred solution. Typically, global launches involve at least four to five languages, making project management and quality assurance (QA) challenging. Agencies often offer bonus language versions or proofreading by a native speaker. Some agencies can also run targeted ads using information already translated, provide content for social media, create a series of blog posts, or print brochures. Practice shows that an all-in-one-place solution saves the customer time and money.

Participate in the Localization Process

You may not be working toward becoming your company’s localization expert, but knowing a bit about the translation process can help you prepare for what’s needed before a launch. A complete localization process should include the following steps:

  1. Evaluation of your project scope, goals, and resources
  2. Survey of existing content and imagery
  3. Formulation of a glossary and style guide
  4. Developing relevant files for translation
  5. Adaptation and editing of your content

With the help of talented linguists and long-term investment in your global reputation, these steps can open the door to new markets and give you a competitive advantage.

Find the Right Localization Vendor to Guarantee Profit

Choosing a localization partner is a serious step. You’re putting your company’s reputation on the line by outsourcing extremely specialized tasks that can affect the perception of your brand. Before you think about pricing, it’s crucial to have a good understanding of your needs and goals so you know if the vendor can meet them. Once you know your weaknesses and strengths, you can ask the vendor for their evaluation. The agency should provide a detailed explanation of how it plans to approach your localization project to ultimately realize your vision.

The ideal localization partner should be:

  • Highly experienced in helping brands reach across cultures
  • Client-oriented
  • Reasonably priced
  • Understanding your business goals
  • Have access to native speakers of the desired language
  • Have a history of successful localization in your field of business

Make Sure You Win

When you’re posting content across countries and channels, technology can save you a lot of money and stress. You will receive more agile turnaround rates, enhanced quality, and reduced costs while your LSP runs the following technologies:

  • CAT tools to save and re-use translated phrases for reduced costs
  • Workflow computerization tools to facilitate hand-offs between global resources
  • Integrations with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), content management systems, and cloud-based platforms for seamless transfer and publishing of content
  • Machine translation as an alternative to a human version
  • QA programs to verify quality

Study the reviews, read the company’s blog, talk to the manager and listen to your intuition.

Localize With Confidence

Turn to professionals who will help you with each step to make the localization process as easy, comfortable, and as profitable as possible.

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