When expanding into international markets, brands need to adapt their marketing and communication strategies to suit the countries they wish to target. While it is possible to create entirely new marketing campaigns, this approach requires a lot of effort and resources. Alternatively, brands can translate their original marketing materials using a process known as ‘localisation’.
What is localisation in the field of translation?
When translating documents, there are several techniques and methods that your translator can choose, one of which is called localisation. This process takes translation to a whole new level, looking at much more than just the individual words.
Localisation focuses not just on the target language, but also on the target audience and their expectations. As such, changes are made with respect to customs and habits of the readers, as well as their cultural, economic, social and political background.
For example, where a price appears in the original text, it will be adapted according to the currency used by the target audience. The same applies to phone numbers and addresses, adding the right dialling code and respecting address formats to create a text familiar to the reader.
Many different aspects of the content will be adapted while localising the text, including:
- Dates and times
- Currencies
- Units of measurement
- Cultural expressions and references
- Use of language
Localisation requires a set of skills different to those needed for your average translation, making it difficult for non-professionals to get right. This means it is always best to hire a professional translator, who is also a native speaker of the language spoken by your target audience.
Localisation is an essential part of the translation process for many sectors, covering everything from software to marketing materials. As such, professional translation agencies should include localisation as a core part of the translation services they offer.
By entrusting your document to a professional, you can rest assured that your marketing documents will resonate with your target audience for maximum impact.
Localisation or translation for marketing?
A simple translation will only take into account the target language and occasionally the target country. As such, localisation can produce higher-quality results by making the service or product clearer, delivering texts which are more effective within your target market.
When it comes to marketing campaigns, localisation will also help you gain positive brand exposure, creating quality content that resonates with your target audience. This will contribute to your company’s brand image, building trust by engaging with your readers on a more personal level.
With all this in mind, localisation is often the better choice for many companies. However, sometimes, a simple translation will actually suffice, depending largely on your content in light of your target audience.
If the cultures between the original and new audiences are similar, then it is possible that the content will already be suitable for your target audience. On the other hand, the further apart these two cultures are, the more likely it is that you will need to consider localising your documents.
The benefits of localising your marketing content
Advertising on a global scale makes it even more challenging to catch the public’s attention, regardless of whether it is done via social media, newspapers or television. If your campaign is to be successful, then your messaging must be clear, precise and original in your target market.
Localisation plays a key role in engaging your target audience and driving sales. With this method, you can overcome both linguistic and cultural barriers, creating powerful and engaging campaigns that convey your message directly to your audience.
Otherwise, your message could be too weak or difficult to understand, ultimately getting lost among the crowds. Or even worse, your campaign could attract attention for all the wrong reasons.
From creating humour where there was none to causing offence, a simple translation could leave you with materials that are unsuitable for the target culture. This kind of bad advertising could tarnish your brand image in potentially irreparable ways, affecting your company’s success in the target market.
Ultimately, a high-quality localisation is an essential part of any successful and memorable advertising campaign, and should not be neglected. Prioritising the localisation of your marketing materials gives you more control over how your company is perceived, while also building trust with your new audience.
Professional localisation services that get you noticed
At Intertranslations, we offer quality localisation services for a variety of sectors, including marketing. We have developed our own processes for deliver fast, accurate and consistent translations, helping companies expand into the global marketplace for over 25 years.
During this time, we have built up an extensive network of professional translators specialising in different fields and can handle over 350 language pairs. By combining these human resources with professional translation technology, we guarantee high-quality translation services every time.
Looking to expand into a new market? Give your company the best chance of success with professional localisation services aimed at engaging your customers and driving sales. Contact our team today for more information on how we can help.