Website Localization
Once you have your main website open for international business. If your website is actually speaking to foreign visitors and not alienating them, then it is time to take your next step in developing a global market presence.
All of your marketing efforts should be aimed at determining where you need to sign up for a localized website.
Are your current international clients from a concentrated area on the globe?
Does you market lead you to choose a specific international market?
Is there a country you feel passionate about and feel there is a market there for your products and services?
Depending on your resources you may only choose to develop one new country market at a time. The more countries you do a market analysis for the easier it becomes.
Some companies at this stage decide to translate their website into 5 languages: Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, and German. This can be a wasted investment at this stage. Will your product hit the same emotional buttons in your foreign markets? This is highly unlikely.
Remember Spanish in South and Central America is very different from the language spoken in Spain. And the people are different. French is spoken in several countries too. Which culture is your main target?
Become Acquainted With Your Foreign Market
If you are a small business and or do not want to go to the expense of too many changes in translations, take this process slowly. Take your time to get some detailed market knowledge for your products in the foreign countries. You can do this from your “internationalized” local website.
Work with your current international clients. Run international campaigns in English from your local website that stimulates international market feedback. Use traditional methods of market research and client prospecting by phone. Even when only speaking English you will get some feedback. Keep at it until you feel you are now acquainted with your foreign market.
Localized Websites To Get To Know Other Markets
You now know which country you want to sell to. You may even have decided to target a country that speaks your own language. The next logical step is to create a localized website in your first overseas target market.
So what does a localized website mean? Create a second website for your foreign market. This new website is localized for your new target market. It can be hosted locally or in your foreign market. But it will be submitted to all of the local foreign web directories.
And it will be written specifically for your foreign market. Use your original website as a model to adapt to communicate with your new market. Company branding is important. Truly communicating with your foreign markets in a way that will get them to listen to you is more important. Play around with finding the balance.
One key to successfully finding this balance is using web templates…without text embedded in the graphics.
At this stage probably only part of your website will be translated. This is not the best scenario. It may feel like a cold brochure. Just be sure to give your international clients access to your local website in English. If they know what to expect in which language and this is clearly indicated on your new website, this is acceptable.
Continue to develop relationships with people in your new markets, do more research, test changes and adaptations to your localized website. With a little bit of follow up and concentrated effort you will become very familiar with your new market. You will learn how to offer your product and services to get sales in a different market.
You will then be ready for the next transition: A Fully Customized Website
If you follow these tips your web site will be friendlier for all of your international visitors.
Brush up your international skills…
Read more on Website Localization:
- 4 Success Elements For International Business Development
- Analyze Your Foreign Prospects Navigation Habits
- Localization Is A Door To Innovation
- Second Transition To A Global Market Internet Business
- Which Directories are You Relying on?
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