Internet penetration rates for regions such as Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe have seen vast leaps in recent years of up to 87.7% with this increase leading to new language availability online, and the possibility of new sales avenues for businesses looking to venture into overseas territories.
However, this increase in internet penetration rates is from predominantly non-English speaking users who are looking to access the internet in their native language. For example, the MENA region is formed from up to 26 countries (based on Middle East and North Africa combined) with 6 official languages and another 50 dialects or unofficial languages, and a vast majority of these do not consider the English language their native, or even second language.
So, in order to reach and engage with this upcoming new market, it will be necessary to translate websites, marketing materials, packaging, and so on into languages which may be more appropriate for your audience.
However, reaching potential new customers isn’t just about going global with your website and brand – there is also the added benefit of allowing you to engage with minority language speakers within your domestic market who may previously have missed out due to limited English language knowledge.
For instance, in the USA, there is a large Spanish-speaking population, however, many US brands have only recently realised the potential revenue increase available through marketing content specifically for Spanish-speaking audiences.
Of course, it is highly unlikely that your translation budget would allow for website translation in every conceivable language, but by careful selection, it is possible to target over 90% of the world’s population by translating into just 40 languages.
Communicating and discussing your requirements with a professional language service provider will ensure you select the right language(s) for the best return on investment, and can give access to previously un-tapped domestic audiences.
The following points should help when deciding into which languages you should translate your website.
1. Which Languages are Best for Website Translation
English-only websites can only ever cater for around 20% of the world’s population (and this accounts for both native and secondary languages) so translating your website into multiple languages opens up a whole new audience for your business.
Selecting which languages you should choose can take time and research but the following bullet points should help.
• English – if you don’t have an English version of your website translating it into English is a must. It also has the added benefit that translations from English to other languages are generally faster and can also be less costly.
• Market Research – if you haven’t already done so, consider employing market research methods to find your target audience, best-fit market, preferred language for specific regions, and any localisation requirements for specific areas and your products. Consider points such as, would my product/service suit this market? Are there regional dialects to consider? Does this translation require change of text direction (such as English to Arabic)?
• Internet Penetration Rates – these can help you track which countries and languages are advancing online and are available here.
https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
• Secondary Languages – consider the demographics and language requirements of the region you plan to target and plan your translation needs for any major second languages. For instance, in the UAE where there is diverse population you might consider Arabic, English and Hindi.
• Existing B2B – if you already have specific countries in which you conduct business with other companies then it is worth considering translating your website into their native language. For instance, if you are a manufacturer in the UK but purchase much of your stock from the Middle East, it may be worth translating your website into Arabic as this way not only new customers can find you but also new suppliers.
• GDP – while this doesn’t necessarily relate to success it is a factor that needs consideration. You can find up to the minute information, and future projections online here regarding GDP for specific countries.
2. Translation and Localisation
For both international and domestic markets, for non-English speaking audiences, translation is often not enough to account for subtle language and cultural differences.
In this instance it is often wise to opt for localisation of your website, marketing materials, product packaging and so on, as this will take account for differences such as, regional dialect, branding, colloquial phrases and humour, audience perception, and factors like currency, weights and measures.
For instance, if you are targeting MENA you might consider localising for specific languages within the region such as Egyptian or Levantine, rather than assuming that all of the Middle Eastern audience would use Modern Standard Arabic. This localisation would give a greater connectivity with your audience and enhance brand trust, meaning more potential sales.
Likewise, customer support services should be localised where possible in a bid to improve brand trust, and enable your customers to connect with you on their level.
Leading global brands now averagely have their website available in 32 languages, with companies such as Google and Facebook having provision for more than one hundred.
Of course, this level is far above the translation budget of most companies however, having at least two or three main language translations for your website is likely to increase revenue in the long term and if your budget can manage it, translating into the ten main internet languages would give you access to more than 75% of people online globally.
If you would like to discuss your translation requests, or have questions regarding localisation, please don’t hesitate to contact the team here at Creative Word where our expert linguists will be happy to assist you.
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