Different folks around the world speak different languages and subscribe to different cultures. Website localization refers to the process of optimizing your website to cater to the needs of individuals in different locales. An increasingly high proportion of users have a preference for accessing content in their native language, which makes website localization an ideal way of attracting audiences from different locales.
Besides, folks out there are inclined to check out content uniquely tailored for them in terms of prevailing situations, locations, and preferences, which further solidifies the case for website and content localization if you want to increase your audience. In this sense, there is a host of methods to grow your blog’s audience with localization, but you need to ensure that you use a proper and effective set of techniques.
Localize Content According to Specific Cultures
Localization is entirely the process of optimizing content so that it is in sync with the culture of a particular region and group of people. A French audience is not the same as a Japanese audience or an American audience.
If you intend to increase your blog’s audience, you need to ensure that you create content that is unique according to locales, so that audiences from different locales can access that which is relevant to them. This will give the audience a reason to visit your blog often. Over time, there will be an increase in the following of your blog from these locales.
Since you are in the business of localization, you should also note that you need to ensure that the languages that you use are distinct to the target audiences in their respective locales.
Search Engine Optimization
When users search for a particular keyword or keywords on the web, search results that appear are often in the order of visibility to search engines, as well as the prevalence and usage of keywords. Content with proper distribution of keywords is highly visible to search engines.
Therefore, when people look up the keywords, the keyword-laden content has a high chance of appearing top in search results. Optimizing localized content for local search engines can also help bolster your website and content localization drive.
Since different locales have different buzzing keywords and phrases, it is essential to ensure that you use locale-specific keywords. These have the impact of increasing your ranking in search results, which may translate to more traffic and more conversions.
Redesign Your Website’s User Interface
When it comes to website localization, a lot of aspects come into perspective, including User Interfaces and layouts. Different locales use different native languages, and this is the case with regards to preferences on website designs.
Noteworthy is the fact that there are different Unicode text types in use in different locales. While the industry standard might be UTF-8, other regions use other forms of encoding. You might want to ensure that your website correctly meets the preferred Unicode text types in those regions, as well as other technical requirements.
For navigation purposes, optimize your website for that locale to ensure that there is a seamless experience for visitors and users. From the content to the website or tech part of the localization process, you have to ensure that it is customized.
Website localization can help lead to more traffic, following, and even conversions. Users are most likely to visit a localized site as chances are high; it meets their needs and requirements.
Work With Local Experts
Local experts have relevant knowledge of the tastes, choices, and preferences of the people there. They are well-versed with effective and efficient marketing of products and services. Further, most of these experts command a huge following and can have a significant impact on an audience. With this in mind, you might want to work with them on various fronts to ensure that your website and content localization efforts help to attract a bigger audience. Experts will come in handy in giving you an understanding of the local culture. Further, they might have insights on how to package and offer the content to the target audience.
Experts will not ensure that you put across content to the target audience, but somewhat relevant content that will have an impact on the audience. Working with local experts might, therefore, be a straight path to increasing your following in different locales.
Embed Localization Features
Many strides have been achieved in the world of tech today, more so in website design and development. Users in different locales might require an adequately customized and localized website. If this is the case, you might want to use plugins with localization features.
Such plugins offer a wide array of options and functionalities that users from a particular locale can harness and use for a proper understanding of the content and the website in general. Most of these plugins feature a dashboard from where the user can make adjustments as they deem fit.
This latitude offered to users in different locales can help drive your message home and consequently lead to an increase in your following.
Utilize Appropriate Marketing Channels
Creating locally relevant content and top-notch local content is not everything that matters. Marketing is an essential part of any business or any activity whose end goal is to attract some following.
Different countries use different social media platforms for marketing purposes. Marketing is different across locales. With this information in mind, it is worth considering identifying and using relevant and appropriate marketing channels according to locales.
You need to market your website and content, else how would people know about what you are doing. Some locales have banned some social media platforms, while some platforms are not that popular with various locales. The onus is on you to identify platforms and channels that work that will help you advance your marketing agenda.
Diversify What You Offer
Different folks in different locales have varying tastes and preferences. There is no doubt about that because people are different. Working with local experts helps to give you an edge. Proper marketing will help people to know about your content.
However, there is a need to diversify so that you can have an extensive offering as well as reduce risk. Tastes change, and preferences shift. You might want to diversify your content offering to ensure that the target audience has a lot to choose from.
In summation, content and website localization done well can help to shore up traffic to your site and ultimately increase your blog’s audience. The secret is in doing the localization right, and this involves understanding a great deal about the ways of life of the audience you are targeting.
Localization is not a solo endeavor, as there are various efforts to achieve desired outcomes. These efforts include working with localization experts, as well as with local folks who know about the cultures of the target audience. Approaching localization from multiple angles is a surefire way of ensuring that the whole thing works, and also increases your chances of attracting a bigger audience.
Bio
Donald Fomby is one of the translators in PickWriters team of experts. As a Computer Science major, he is particularly interested in technology and how its development influences other spheres of life. Donald is an experienced content creator who can handle a variety of assignments. He is also passionate about social media and globetrotting.