Why is website localization important? Well, for one, the internet has fundamentally changed the way that we shop.
With a handful of clicks and a few days, something can arrive at your door from half the world away. It’s easier to think of e-commerce in terms of a gigantic global marketplace – with 4.13 billion customers milling around! We compare items from various traders to ascertain the best price before purchasing; the power has shifted to the consumer.
With that in mind, it is more important than ever for businesses to consider operating in more than one market. Perhaps your local market has contracted? Or you want to exploit the uptake of your product in an unexpected one? Being ready, willing, and able to pivot your brand and website to a foreign market brings new potential business growth.
Translating your website into the native language of the market you’re trying to broach is a great place to start. Nevertheless, to truly take root, it’s website localization that will offer your brand the best chance at flowering there.
“Economic development is not the primary determinant of e-commerce use, and that other factors are more important, such as sites that cater to the language needs and cultural preferences of local shoppers.”
The Next Web, Digital Trends 2020
It Engages New Customers Authentically
Your website is essentially your brand ambassador. It’s often the first interaction a potential customer will have with your business – consider it a digital shop front.
Website localization is the equivalent of making sure your shop window is presentable. Showcasing your merchandise and providing the information in a way that is suitable for the street your on.
While translating your website will help you communicate with new customers, website localization assists you do it accurately and authentically. There are so many instances in which brands have badly missed the mark by not taking localization into account. With website localization on your side, you won’t be one of them.
It Maximises Your Advantage
You’ve already put yourself ahead of your local competitors by translating for a foreign market. But in doing so, have a whole new market of contenders, already naturalized in what is new territory for you.
Website localization ensures that you don’t come to a foreign market already at a disadvantage. With a myriad of choices for consumers to consider before purchase, a clean, localized user experience gives you a headstart.
Putting your business front and centre with accurate translation and localized content immediately makes you an attractive proposition for native consumers.
Website Localization Attracts Customers
The lowest price potential is no longer the only baseline for consumer choices, quite the opposite. Although an attractive price point is always actively considered, consumers will avoid cheap products and services from poorly made sites. The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ springs to mind.
Your job is simple; to make your new customers experience as comfortable and easy to navigate as possible. Website localization goes a long way toward this and certainly plays a part in directly cultivating brand loyalty.
A new customer is even better when they return or recommend you to a friend. Through website localization, you’ve played not only to their language needs but their cultural needs too.
