When you take your business to other countries, you will be talking to people who speak different languages. Also, your audience may not have the same cultural background as you do, and that does matter.
Surprisingly, a lot of people think that making a website in a language other than English just means translating the English version. Good translation is very important in every way. But what if you put your message in the context of the culture that your new audience already knows?
"Localization" is the term for this process. It's like "tuning" your website's content and design to the way other people think — the people you want to visit your site.
I won't talk about the part of website localization that has to do with programming here because this topic is already complicated enough. I will focus on writing content for your website and translating that content into other languages.
How much of this work can you do on your own? Most likely not all of it, but a lot of it. Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you do it.
Step 0: Don't forget that your website isn't for you.
It is meant for GUESTS. So it makes sense to think about how THEY think these websites should look. What matters is what they think, not what you think. When you know this saying by heart, go to
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Self-education is useful in and of itself, but it will also save you money and make you money in the long run. Find out as much as you can about the people you want to reach. More is always better.
It takes a lot of time, but it's fun to do. "Miscere utile dulci," as the Romans used to say, I hope you will be able to do (to mingle the useful with the pleasant). You will learn a lot about another culture that is interesting. When talking to people from a country other than your own, you should think about their customs and traditions, rules of etiquette and morals, stereotypes, superstitions, and a lot of other things.
On the Internet, you can find a lot of information. Also look for Groups. Almost any native will appreciate your interest in their culture and be glad to help you as an expert. You will also meet good people who will become good friends.
Travelers' guides can be a great source of information. They can help you avoid making mistakes that could cost you a lot of money, and not just when you go abroad. Just one example. You have probably seen websites with pictures of people making funny faces. Keep in mind that a move that is fine in the U.S. might be taken the wrong way in another country. By the way, do you know what the "OK" sign means in some Asian countries? What's more, they want money. In Tunisia, it will be seen as a threat to kill. In Arab countries, "go to hell" will be seen as an insult. It just means "zero" or "nothing" in French. In Denmark or Italy, it can be taken as an insult. In Brazil, Guatemala, and Paraguay, it can also be taken as an insult. Here, it is seen as very rude. So, you should make sure the pictures on your website are "culturally neutral."
The deeper it is, the further you go... What does this culture think is rude, rude, offensive, or impolite? What is revered, respected, or valued? What are the most admired parts of a person? What are the most popular colours, and what do they remind people of? What are the most obvious ways that your culture is different from this one?
Don't be surprised if other people have different ideas about what is beautiful and what is ugly than you do. When you decide that your text isn't good enough and that the design might also need to be changed, go to
Step Two: Analyze!
Use what you've learned to help you write another text. The "Don'ts" are much more important than the "Do's" in this case.
Learn what you shouldn't do when you write. Find out what doesn't work. Find out what you should not do when making graphics or websites.
When putting together text and images, it's important to know if the audience reads from left to right, right to left, or up and down.
Step 3: Write for the people you want to read it.
How do I start writing for someone from a different culture? First, put on his shoes. So, that's number two. First, you should take your shoes off. I mean, don't be a representative of your own culture. You'll only be writing the content for a short time.
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Avoid jokes, slang, idioms, proverbs and sayings. They belong to YOU, not to them. Allusions to books that they probably haven't read and quotes, even if you know them well, won't work.
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Use metaphors and similes with care (comparisons). For YOU, they are pretty clear and familiar, but for other people, they might not be so clear.
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Symbols can mean very different things in different places. If you need one, figure out what it means THERE.
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Abbreviations and acronyms are also tricky because your audience may not know what they mean.
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You'll have to explain things you think aren't important. Some people don't know what eBay, Paypal, or Amazon are. Celebrities aren't known everywhere either. On the other side of the world, people may not know about big companies and brands.
Step 4 is to find the RIGHT translator.
Get a well-educated native speaker of the language your text will be translated into if you can (it is called "target language")
Because you can never say, "I have learned this language." You can only say, "I have been learning." Since birth, we have all been learning our mother tongues. So, people who were born in the country have an advantage. The better your message will be understood, the more words the translator knows. A native speaker also usually knows a lot about the culture, which is exactly what you need for website localization and will help you.
Step 5: Make it as good as it can be.
How to see if it worked? Before launching the website, have someone from this culture look over the text to make sure it is correct.
When your website goes live, ask for feedback. If you made a mistake, fix it right away. Always make your site better.
It can be hard to get your message across in other languages and cultures. It takes a lot of work, but it will pay off in the end. Not only will you make money, but you'll also avoid the painful losses that come from misunderstandings. As a bonus, you will learn more about people whose languages, cultures, and even ways of thinking are different from your own. This is the most important thing you need to know if you want to do business with or talk to these people.
Have a good time! Good luck with your efforts!
