When a company ventures abroad, whether it is for the first time or regularly, it must ensure that communication is clear for the target audience of the messages, such as the description of the products or services offered, their characteristics and benefits they bring with them. One of the most banal, but also most widespread, errors is that of literally translating the texts used in the market of origin into the various languages of the nations in which one operates.
The result can only be that of unconvincing communication, if not misunderstood. The ideal would be to have the texts written from scratch by native-speaking copywriters, completely localizing them in the target language.
Marketing translations: how to adapt your content marketing strategy to the global market
As part of your global marketing strategy, you need to convey your message to audiences in different locations. If you have created an effective content marketing campaign in one language, you may be tempted to translate that content into different target languages to adapt to the global market. But is this really the most effective way to achieve results?
The importance of text localization
Adapting a content marketing strategy to different foreign markets is a delicate operation. The literal translation of the texts, as we anticipated, is not a valid option. An effective alternative is the localization of texts.
Localizing content means not only translating it in a clear and relevant way, respecting the fidelity of the original text, but also adapting it to the culture and language of the target audience.
At a marketing level, localization is necessary especially where the values and mission of a brand need to be communicated. The pages of a website, such as the homepage or the about page, should always be localized when entering a new market, so that the value proposition resonates with the target audience. Another advertising branch in which localization is particularly useful is that of advertising. To capture the attention of your target, you need promotional messages that use the right levers, designed for a specific audience.
Check out LingoYou’s text localization service and find out how to speak to an international audience.
Localize texts: when not to do it
Localization is not always the best way to enter a foreign market, especially when we talk about content optimization, i.e. SEO.
If your marketing strategy includes a blog in Italian, it probably means that your posts have been optimized for specific keywords in Italian. Localizing these posts into different languages could mean less effective or outdated SEO.
Often, in fact, the most relevant and profitable keywords for a given topic differ from language to language and from market to market, even when the language used is the same. For example, a blog post that ranks for several keywords on the first page in the Australian market might drop to the tenth page in the US market. This phenomenon is even more accentuated when moving between markets where different languages are spoken.
Alternatively, translated or localized content could continue to generate traffic on the new market, but more often than not it will do so for different keywords, thus risking attracting a different target than the one you originally thought of.
This analysis leads us to a single logical conclusion: if you want to position yourself in different foreign markets, the best way to do it is to create local content for different target languages.
Professional copywriting: Native content is the core of an effective content strategy
There are many reasons why one post can outperform another, and sometimes it has nothing to do with the content. That’s not to say that translating and localizing content can’t bring you juicy organic and targeted traffic, perfect for your business. However, it is certain that if you want to take control of your marketing, and plan your growth in global markets, you will need to include other elements in your plan.
An effective multilingual marketing strategy cannot ignore the creation of native content, specifically designed for a specific foreign market. A local marketer who can manage everything and decide which pieces will be published and an SEO copywriter who writes using the right keywords is the best guarantee in this sense. Furthermore, you will also need to have a translation team because sometimes you may need to translate posts in full or translate parts of them.
If you want to take the reins of your content strategy, LingoYou offers you a professional copywriting and text writing service in over 250 languages. Get started today: expand your business and consolidate your online presence with LingoYou.
Marketing Team LingoYou
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