Localizing Content for Global Reach

🌎 Designing Cross-Cultural and Multi-Lingual UX. Guidelines on how to stress test our designs, how to define a localization strategy and how to deal with currencies, dates, word order, pluralization, colors and gender pronouns. ⦿ Translation: “We adapt our message to resonate in other markets”. ⦿ Localization: “We adapt user experience to local expectations”. ⦿ Internationalization: “We adapt our codebase to work in other markets”. ✅ English-language users make up about 26% of users. ✅ Top written languages: Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese. ✅ Most users prefer content in their native language(s). ✅ French texts are on average 20% longer than English ones. ✅ Japanese texts are on average 30–60% shorter. 🚫 Flags aren’t languages: avoid them for language selection. 🚫 Language direction ≠ design direction (“F” vs. Zig-Zag pattern). 🚫 Not everybody has first/middle names: “Full name” is better. ✅ Always reserve at least 30% room for longer translations. ✅ Stress test your UI for translation with pseudolocalization. ✅ Plan for line wrap, truncation, very short and very long labels. ✅ Adjust numbers, dates, times, formats, units, addresses. ✅ Adjust currency, spelling, input masks, placeholders. When localizing an interface, we need to work beyond translation. We need to be respectful of cultural differences. E.g. in Arabic we would often need to increase the spacing between lines. For Chinese market, we need to increase the density of information. German sites require a vast amount of detail to communicate that a topic is well-thought-out. Stress test your design. Avoid assumptions. Work with local content designers. Spend time in the country to better understand the market. Have local help on the ground. And test repeatedly with local users as an ongoing part of the design process. You’ll be surprised by some findings, but you’ll also learn to adapt and scale to be effective — whatever market is going to come up next. Useful resources: A Complete Guide To UX Localization, by Michal Kessel Shitrit 🎗️ https://lnkd.in/eaQJt-bU Localization Playbook For Product Teams (PDF), by Phrase https://lnkd.in/egncG8ph UX Localization Handbook, by Phrase https://lnkd.in/eKN7usSA UX Design Across Different Cultures, by Jenny Shen https://lnkd.in/eNiyVqiH Internationalization 101: How To Take Your Product Global, by 🇺🇦 Galina Ryzhenko https://lnkd.in/eZ8G9JH4 IBM Globalization Checklists https://lnkd.in/e9jvCufY ✤ Books: ⦿ The Culture Map, by Erin Meyer ⦿ Cross-Cultural Design, by Senongo Akpem ⦿ The Language of Localization, by Kit Brown-Hoekstra ⦿ UX Writing & Microcopy, by Kinneret Yifrah #ux #design

Everyone thinks Bata is from their country! Have you ever noticed how people in almost every country believe Bata is a local brand? From India to Kenya, from Brazil to Indonesia, Bata has mastered the art of making itself feel native to every market it enters. How? Through localization and cultural adaptation. Bata’s success lies in its hyper-localized strategies: ✅ Language Customization: They adapt their messaging to reflect local languages and dialects, making their communication feel personal and relatable. ✅ Culturally Relevant Marketing: Bata tailors its campaigns to align with local traditions, festivals, and values. For example, in India, they highlight designs for weddings and festivals, while in Africa, they focus on durable, everyday footwear. ✅ Product Adaptation: They design products that cater to local tastes, climates, and lifestyles. Whether it’s sandals for tropical weather or sturdy shoes for rugged terrains, Bata gets it right. This approach has made Bata a household name in over 70 countries. To truly resonate with global audiences, you need to think global but act local. Here are 3 tips for businesses looking to replicate Bata’s success: 1️⃣ Understand Local Needs: Research your audience deeply. What do they value, and what problems can your product solve for them? 2️⃣ Adapt Your Brand Story: Make your brand feel like it belongs by weaving it into the local culture. 3️⃣ Collaborate with Local Talent: Work with local designers, marketers, and influencers to ensure authenticity. Bata’s story is a reminder that localization is about connection. When you make your audience feel seen and understood, they’ll embrace your brand as their own. What’s your favorite example of a brand that feels local to you? 

The hardest part of global expansion isn’t the technology.   It’s localizing your product so it truly resonates with new markets.   Let me explain...   Most SaaS founders think growing means:    - Launching everywhere at once   - Using the same strategy for all markets   - Ignoring cultural differences   - Relying on a one-size-fits-all approach   - Chasing quick wins over long-term fit   No thanks.   The real pain is when your product feels out-of-place.   If your users don’t feel understood, adoption suffers. (and that’s a costly mistake.)   Take Capillary Technologies as a deep-dive case study:   The challenge:    In 2016, entering the Chinese market was a huge risk.   Their Intelligent Loyalty Platform (designed for Western users) didn’t connect with Chinese customers who expected:   - Localized language, - Payment options, and - Features tailored to their habits.   The approach:    Capillary Technologies took a different route.   They:    - Collaborated with local experts to learn exactly what Chinese users needed.     - Customized their platform (adapting interfaces, payment methods, and even product design.)   - Invested in local market research to fine-tune their messaging and features.   The results?   - User adoption soared, with market penetration increasing by roughly 40%.     - Customer retention improved dramatically as users felt the product was built for them.     - This success paved the way for further expansion:   In 2019, they launched Capillary Arabia by partnering with Veda Holding, proving that a tailored strategy opens new revenue streams.   - With a $45M funding boost in 2023, Capillary now reaches customers in 14 countries—and they continue to thrive by listening to local data.   Because they learned one key truth:     Your product can only grow as much as it fits the local needs.   That’s not what every growth guru preaches online.   But it’s the reality for lasting global success.   New to solving localization challenges?   DM me for more information.   #SaaS #Localization #GlobalExpansion #EmergingMarkets #GrowthStrategy

The biggest mistake global marketers make? Thinking that one message fits all markets. Working across regions at PQE Group, especially in pharma, I’ve seen it play out time and again: a brilliant global strategy that fails on the ground because it didn’t account for different regulations, cultural nuance, market maturity, or even tone. In highly regulated industries like life sciences, “global” means starting local—understanding what’s needed in Germany vs. Brazil vs. India—and building up from there. Local-first isn’t a limitation. It’s a competitive edge. The brands that win aren’t the ones that copy-paste fastest. They're the ones who speak the right language, solve the right problem, and respect how trust is built in each market. Global reach only matters if your message lands where it counts.

Brands don’t scale globally They localize fast Cross-region growth isn’t about control—it’s about flexibility. Step 1: Localize messaging, not just translation Adapt tone, value props, and visuals. A health tech brand tripled conversions in LATAM by shifting ad creative from data-focused to family-driven. Step 2: Empower in-region operators Give local teams authority to test and execute. A consumer goods company unlocked 45% YoY growth in APAC after decentralizing campaign budgets. Step 3: Unify with a brand core Keep the mission and values tight, but let the wrapping shift. One food brand used the same brand archetype but modified taglines across 12 languages. Step 4: Adapt for channels that matter locally Don't assume the same playbook works. A SaaS firm moved from email to WhatsApp in Brazil—and saw a 3X lift in engagement. Global brands don’t copy-paste. They customize without compromising. P.S. Want the checklist I used to scale 12+ regions? #Leadership #Sales #Marketing

How is Microsoft exploring AI and localization? We all talk about AI in localization, but how is the biggest buyer of localization services and also a provider of MT and AI solutions dealing with it? Recently, I received an insightful update from Agustín Da Fieno Delucchi at Microsoft, highlighting their latest content on AI and localization. This new resource delves into best practices for leveraging AI in localization, drawing from Microsoft’s extensive experience in the field. The comprehensive guide is a must-read for professionals looking to stay ahead in the rapidly changing landscape of localization. The content shared by Microsoft emphasizes the importance of responsible AI practices, ensuring that AI systems are fair, reliable, and inclusive. By adhering to these principles, businesses can create AI-driven localization solutions that not only meet technical requirements but also respect cultural nuances and user expectations. This approach aligns perfectly with the industry’s goal of delivering high-quality, culturally relevant content to global audiences. I highly recommend checking out the new content from Microsoft below. Agustín and his team have done a remarkable job in compiling these best practices, making it an invaluable resource for anyone involved in localization. Let’s continue to share knowledge and collaborate to drive innovation in our industry. https://lnkd.in/gHnggJmG

There are no content marketers on here talking about global content. (Except me.) But if you're an online business, guess what? You're already a global business. 🌍 That means your content needs to work beyond your borders. And no - if you wrote it in English, with an American point of view, it probably doesn’t. That's because people outside the U.S. speak not only different languages but are also are from a different culture. Their views, perceptions, buying behavior, and preferences are vastly different from your home market's, I can guarantee you. Start with this: Check your data. Who's visiting your site? Who’s buying? Are they from India? Mexico? Germany? If so, ask yourself: Could you sell more if they could fully understand and connect with your content? Research shows that people are 75% more likely to buy if content is in their own language. But here’s where it gets tricky: It is not just about translation. Please do not simply run your content through Google Translate and call it adaptation for a new market. For your content to feel local to another market, it also needs: 🔸 Local references 🔸 Cultural nuance 🔸 Creative translation that keeps emotional consistency with the original Otherwise, you’ll end up like “Got Milk?” which got mistranslated into “Are you lactating?” in Spanish. 😂 That was an expensive and avoidable mistake. If you're curious about how to adapt your content marketing strategy for a global market, drop me a question below. If there's interest, I’ll be posting more on this.

💡 Especially now in the Agentforce 2.0 era, every Salesforce customer needs a Center of Excellence (COE) and why Global companies need to give someone from their globalization / localization team a seat at the table! Anything I've missed? 🌐 Enterprise guardrails with a global lens – The CoE governs architecture, security, and releases; adding localization bakes international requirements into every design review instead of fixing them post-launch. 🚀 Faster, safer global releases (now with autonomous agents) – Linguistic QA rides the same CI/CD pipeline—and Agentforce Testing Center—catching functional and linguistic issues before cut-over. 🛡️ Built-in compliance – GDPR consent text, WCAG alt-tags, and regional disclaimers are embedded at build-time, not patched after an audit. 😊 Higher CSAT & lower case volume – Localized bots, emails, and knowledge articles let customers self-serve in their own language, lifting NPS and deflecting tickets. 📂 Single hub for standards and strings – Component libraries, pick-list values, and Translation Memory (TM) live together, so teams reuse both code and copy—not reinvent them. 💳 Stop paying twice: Activate the TransPerfect stack you probably already license, eliminating duplicate or unnecessary translation spend. 💰 Hard-dollar savings through TM leverage – Routing every sprint’s copy through the same TM drives 30-50 % cost reductions after the first release and slashes time-to-market for new locales. 🗣️ Consistent brand voice everywhere – Terminology databases flow back into design-system copy, pick-list labels, and record types, so product names and legal language stay on-brand in every market. 🤖 Agentforce prompts that don’t embarrass you – Prompt Builder localizes generated content automatically, but quality skyrockets when prompts, guardrails, and few-shot examples are pre-translated with your TM and glossaries—and the CoE enforces that workflow. 🧠 Foundation for multilingual GenAI – TM and glossaries become clean training data for Einstein and Agentforce models; specifying locales in your models boosts accuracy for data masking, toxicity scoring, and feedback loops. 🌍 Scalable roadmap for the next 50 markets – With CRM localization owned by the CoE, new clouds, acquisitions, or region-specific sites roll out in parallel—no costly “globalization retrofit” required. #Salesforce #Localization #Agentforce #DigitalTransformation #GlobalGrowth #TranslationMemory #CenterOfExcellence #SalesforceCOE