Website Localization – the Right Steps to Follow

Growing the business on a global level is the dream of any general manager. However, this process requires careful consideration and intense efforts on creating a localized experience for the brand’s customers. When you decide to localize your business, you will want to create comfort and convenience to your customers. Whenever your customers access your website, you will want them to feel comfortable and find the shopping experience familiar to them. On the other hand, if you create an awkward experience, your customers will look for a different experience in your competitor’s website.

Website Localization 101

1. Understand your customers

The first step when you decide to localize your website is knowing where your customers are coming from. You will need thorough research and collect data on your customers’ behavior at a regional level. Moreover, you will need to create your customers profile and use precise data to develop your localization strategy. Carefully analyze your data and determine which are the countries and regions with the biggest potential for your business.

2. Do you know which languages do your customers use?

Before using the best translation services to localize your website, you should also identify which are the main languages your customers use. For example, even though a visitor comes from the UK, this doesn’t mean that he will speak English as the primary language. On top of that, you should keep in mind that people prefer shopping in their native language. So, the best thing you can do is analyzing which languages your customers prefer to use when they open their browsers and start shopping.

3. Take action for those who are not converting

Once you have discovered where your traffic is coming from, you will also need to take a look at those who are not converting. If you are able to identify the characteristics of those who are abandoning their shopping cart before checking out, it will become easier to make an idea on which are the markets which are worth accessing. Furthermore, you can also create new methods to approach those who are not converting and change their mindset. Localization can be a winning strategy in this case.

4. Determine which are the best markets to approach

Understanding where your traffic comes from and how your buyer persona looks like represent the two important resources you can use to localize your website and determine which markets to approach. This analysis will help you concentrate your efforts on one country or more. By identifying who is your target audience, you will be able to use the right language and adapt your website content to create a pleasant experience for your customers.

5. Finalize the localization process

There are five localization factors on which you should do extensive research to checkout your localization process. Your first focus should be on the languages. You should go beyond auto-translation and localize your content. Furthermore, localization does not only mean adapting the language, but also the other elements of the checkout process. For instance, you should also choose the right payment methods and currency which your customers prefer.

Conclusion

Localizing your website is not an easy process. In an era dominated by globalization, localization is the right strategy to apply when you want to stand out of your competition. As more customers are shifting their attention to the online world, you will need localization to create a comfortable and engaging customer experience.