Back in the old days, when companies expanded their business in a foreign country, the solution was simple: they just needed to translate their product information and advertising materials… or at least this was all they thought was needed. Even after the Internet irrupted to forever change the world, things didn’t improve so much. Just like the first webpages that ever existed were not good enough in terms of user experience and content marketing, the methods of companies to go global were not adequate enough. They hadn’t find the key to communicate with their new audiences.

Then, the concept of Localization made its appearance and the conquest of international markets started to become a reality. Localization refers to the adaptation of a product, application or document content to meet the language, cultural and other requirements of a specific target market (a locale).

Localization includes adapting a software, document, or website product to various markets or localities so that it seems natural to that particular region. This may require a variety of steps including translating user interface text, modifying formats for numbers and dates, and replacing culturally inappropriate graphics or system design.

A deep, real, understanding of the target audience is not a new discovery. Not at all. It is one of the main principles of marketing and the basis of every advertising campaign for decades now. And you don’t have to be an experienced publicist to know that.

However, when it comes to the Translation industry, the adoption of this marketing knowledge has been essential to successfully achieve a good communication. To convey a company’s message is not only a matter of providing accurate information about the product’s characteristics, but to know how to engage with the public, how to address people and how to generate engagement. To do that, it is necessary to first know what people need and desire, how they live, which are their customs, where they prefer to go shopping, when the best time to approach them is, who they admire and want to be.

In short: a foreign translator who knows the target language is not the solution; instead, a native-speaker, a person actually born in the target market, is the answer.

Companies are realizing more and more the importance of a good Localization process when it comes to bridging the gap between people of different cultures. Effective Localization involves a great deal of personalization; it involves changes to user experience, imagery, context of what is written and even the overall values presented in the company messaging.

Cultural localization uses things such as local customs, colors, societal codes and values, and similar cues and sensibilities that are understood by the market. Once you have a better sense for the culture, you’ll be in the path for success in foreign markets.

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