Localization and How it Fits in Global Business

by Aug 30, 2015Language and Culture

Alejandra Fonseca

For serious global business presence, it is a must to have company websites, product information, technical manuals and other related things localized.

Business globalization continues to be a buzz word and localization gives businesses more chances of penetrating various world markets. The Internet, new communication technologies and free trade agreements have shrunk the world, bringing people and businesses closer together. But why is localization more important today than ever? What role does it play in the general business scheme?

Localization – a definition

In China, the dominant search engine is Baidu, not Google. The same is true for South Korea where Naver, followed by Daum, are the search engine choices. The reason for this? Language barrier. Only well-established markets are reached by Amazon for the same reason. Language is still the main barrier when talking about the global economy functioning better.

Localization is the process by which products or contents are made usable for a new locale by modifying its content. In most occasions, this involves content translation from a source language to a new target language. More than just translation, it also involves changing currency references, color schemes and information that are geographically-specific.

To minimize the cost of localization, there are standard best practices, which include the following:

o    The language structure should be simple

o    Words to be used should likewise be simple

o    Creative language, puns, metaphors, idiom and jargon should be avoided

o    Source text should use concise and clear language
Technical content, particularly reference information and procedures, benefit greatly from these best practices. Consistency in the presentation of information and instructions is also a must. Employment of best practices helps reduce the total cost of localization, at the same time, translators will have an easier time in understanding content and will be able to deliver it better in the target languages. Likewise, translators will be able to use translation memory tools, which will help them deliver their translations in other languages more consistently.

Optimizing content for localization

For technical content, it is best to have bland sentences without using creative communication styles. References to pop culture and other word choices may be interesting in English but be difficult to translate to other languages. Creative language is mostly used when making emotional communication with the target audience, although this will be more expensive to translate, as it will take longer for the translators to come up with an equivalent phrase in other languages that will fit the tone of the content.

Visual content

If translating text into several language presents a challenge, localizing visual components, video and graphics are even more challenging. If you are aiming for a global market, it is best to have visual communication tools that are culturally appropriate and neutral. Remember that there are some things that are not appropriate in other cultures, such as color, whose meaning can vary from country to country. Likewise, using images of people, especially women; visual representations of feet and hands; visual puns or metaphors and icons might have different connotations in other cultures.

Hiring an expert translation company to do your translation and localization process speeds up the work, for they have the resources and expertise for the task. Some companies rely on in-country employees to do the job, especially if this involves technical translation. But it you are gearing for global business operations, you should invest in a professional translation group for your localization needs.

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