Localization - Contenteam - Multilingual Copywriting Service

How to Prepare the Company Website for Localization Process?

Anastasia Bob — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 08:54:45 +0000

As a business expands into new markets, it’s important to localize its website content for those regions. Preparing the company website for localization is a process that involves many steps, from translating and editing the content to making sure the layout and design are correct for each target market. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the key aspects of preparing a website for localization.

What Is Website Localization?

Website localization is the process of adapting a website to a specific market or region. This typically involves translating the site’s content into the local language, as well as making any necessary cultural and social adjustments. Localization can also involve other elements, such as changing images, videos, and graphics to be more relevant to the local market.

Website localization is important for businesses that want to expand their reach and tap into new markets. It can help them better connect with local audiences and ultimately boost their bottom line.

There are a few things to keep in mind when embarking on a website localization project:

- Choose the right target market or region. Not all markets are equally ripe for expansion and some may require more work than others.
- It’s important to have a clear understanding of the local culture and customs. This will help you avoid any potential pitfalls and ensure that your site is culturally appropriate.
- Partner with a reputable localization company that has experience translating websites. This will help ensure a high-quality translation that accurately reflects your brand.

Website localization is a complex process, but it can be extremely beneficial for businesses that want to reach new markets. By taking the time to understand the local culture and partnering with a reputable localization company, you can ensure a website localization project will be successful.

Why Do You Need To Prepare Your Website For Localization?

There are several reasons why you might need to prepare your website for localization.

First: If you’re planning on expanding your business into new markets, it’s important to make sure that your website is accessible to audiences in those markets. This typically involves translating the site’s content into the local language.

Second: Even if you’re not planning on expanding your business internationally, you may still need to localize your website if you want to appeal to a global audience. For example, if you have a website that targets English speakers in the United States, but you also want to attract visitors from other English-speaking countries, you’ll need to make sure that your site is accessible to them as well.

Third: You may need to localize your website if you have plans to change your target market or audience. For example, if you originally designed your website for a domestic audience but now want to target international users, you’ll need to make sure that your site is available in multiple languages.

Fourth: You may need to localize your website if you want to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). Localization can help you rank higher in search results for certain keywords, which can ultimately lead to more traffic and custom.

If any of these scenarios apply to you, then you’ll need to prepare your website for localization.

How To Prepare Your Website For Further Localization: Step-By-Step Plan

First thing first – choose the right target market or region. Not all markets are equally ripe for expansion, and some may require more work than others. Do your research and consider the potential return on investment (ROI) before making your decision.

Then you’ll need to have a clear understanding of the local culture and customs. This will help you avoid any potential pitfalls and ensure that your site is culturally relevant. Speak with locals, read books and articles about the culture and visit the region if possible.

Later on, you’ll need to find a reputable localization company to partner with. This will help ensure a high-quality translation that accurately reflects your brand. Get quotes from multiple companies and ask for references before making your decision.

If you want to be 100% sure that the localized text will be correctly perceived by your target audience, Contenteam is the best localization service solution for your company's website. We provide comprehensive translation, localization services from native speakers, and testing of the final version of the site. Your site will not just be translated and proofread but also carefully adapted to the current context and cultural specifics of your target market!

So, here is the point where we start translating your site’s content into the local language. This is usually done by creating a parallel version of the site using a different URL or subdomain.

Here is the detailed localization roadmap:

1. Content translating, editing, and proofreading: This is perhaps the most obvious step in preparing a website for localization. All of the text on the site needs to be translated into the language(s) of the target market(s). In addition to translating the text, it’s also important to edit the content so that it makes sense in the context of the new culture (s). For example, certain words or phrases may have different connotations in different cultures, and it’s important to be aware of these differences when translating content.

2. Layout and design checking: Once the content has been translated and edited, it’s important to check the overall layout and design of the website. We make sure that all of the text is correctly formatted and that the overall look and feel of the site is appropriate for the target market(s).

3. Navigation review: Another important aspect of preparing a website for localization is to review the navigation. The navigation should be easy to understand and use, regardless of the user’s location. All of the links should be working correctly, and it should be easy to find the information that users are looking for.

4. Website testing: Once all of the above steps have been completed, it’s important to test the website to make sure everything is working correctly. This includes testing all of the links, navigation, and functionality of the site. It’s also a good idea to ask a native-speaking local focus group that is not familiar with the website to test it out to see if they can easily find what they’re looking for.

5. Website launching: Once everything has been tested and reviewed, the website is ready to be launched in the target market(s). It’s important to monitor the website after launch to make sure everything is working as it should and to address any issues that may arise.

By following these steps, you can prepare your website for localization and ensure a successful expansion into new markets.

What Are the Core Benefits of Website Localization?

Website localization can have a number of benefits for businesses, including, but not limited to:

Increasing international traffic and reach

Improving search engine optimization (SEO)

Enhancing the user experience (UX)

Boosting conversion rates for your website

How Much Does It Cost To Localize A Website?

The cost of website localization services can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the site, the number of languages, and the complexity of the project. Generally speaking, businesses should expect to spend between $700 and $10,000 per language.

Website localization is an important investment for online businesses that want to expand their reach and appeal to a global audience. By taking the time to prepare your site and partner with a reputable localization company, you can ensure a successful expansion into new markets!

To Summarize

Website localization is a critical step for businesses that want to expand their reach and appeal to a global audience. When done correctly, it can have a number of benefits, including increased traffic, improved SEO, enhanced UX, and boosted conversion rates. Although the cost of website localization can vary depending on a number of factors, businesses should expect to spend between $700 and $10,000 per language. By taking the time to prepare your site and partner with a reputable localization company, you can ensure a successful expansion into new markets.

This is an important final step in order to solidify your website’s internationalization efforts. Proper website localization will take your site a long way towards becoming truly globalized and, ultimately, more successful.

FAQ

When is the best time to hire a website localization company?

The best time to hire a localization company is as soon as possible! The sooner you hire a company, the more time they will have to work on your site before launch. In other words, if you want something done right, you need to take the lead on it.

Before hiring any volunteers or going ahead with an in-house solution, make sure to do your research in order to avoid any potential errors. You don’t want to end up with an inaccurate translation that could reflect poorly on your brand.

How much does it cost to localize a website?

The cost of website localization can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the site, the number of languages, and the complexity of the project. Projects in the IT, FinTech, and Crypto sectors are significantly more expensive in localization than sites from more general business areas. The final price depends on how many people will be involved in the localization process and whether additional niche experts will be needed.

Is it worth it to localize my website?

Website localization is an important investment for businesses that want to expand their reach and appeal to a global audience. By taking the time to prepare your site and partner with a reputable localization company, you can ensure a successful expansion into new markets.

How can I find a reputable website localization company to partner with?

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a reputable website localization company:

– Make sure they have experience localizing websites in your industry.

– Ask for quotes from multiple companies and compare pricing.

– Check out online reviews to get an idea of their reputation.

– Ask for references from past clients.

– Make sure they offer a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

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4 Game Localization Flop Stories: How to Avoid the Same Pitfalls

Adam Todd — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:53:40 +0000

As the gaming industry continues to grow and expand into new markets, the need for quality game localization services has never been greater. However, despite the obvious importance of localization, in recent years, there have been quite a number of high-profile flops.

Localization failures occur due to a plethora of reasons. In some cases, they happen as a result of simple mistakes, miscalculations, or oversights. Other times, they are a consequence of rushed or inadequate localization efforts.

In today’s article, we are going to explore the most egregious localization mistakes in video game history and talk a bit about censorship issues that cost the games’ marketers dearly.

Candy Crush Saga

Mobile games are an area where localization mistakes can have a significant impact. In many cases, mobile games are released in multiple languages simultaneously, which can lead to errors and mistranslations. One high-profile example of this was the game “Candy Crush Saga,” which was released in 2012.

The game contained numerous errors in its French localization, including incorrect grammar and misspellings. These errors led to a great deal of negative feedback from French players, and the game’s developers eventually had to release an updated version with corrected text.

Resident Evil 4

Another well-known example of game localization gone wrong was the 2005 release of Resident Evil 4. The game, originally released in Japan, had to be heavily rewritten for its Western release.

Many of the changes made to the script were criticized for being inaccurate or unnecessarily violent. Furthermore, the game’s voice acting was widely panned, with many critics noting that the English voice actors sounded nothing like their Japanese counterparts. As a result of these issues, Resident Evil 4 is often considered to be one of the worst localization efforts in video game history.

The localized version of the game was rife with typos and mistranslations, which led to confusion and frustration among players.

Outlast 2

The 2017 release of Outlast 2 also received significant criticism for its localization errors. The game’s text was plagued with typos and grammatical errors, making it difficult to understand for many players. Furthermore, the game’s audio was often out of sync with the text, making it difficult to follow the story.

The problem was compounded by a slew of grammatical and audio mistakes that resulted in a large number of negative comments from customers.

Max Payne 3

What are they saying in Max Payne 3? Part 1 – DuelScreens

The 2012 release of Max Payne 3 was another poor localization casualty. The game’s text was full of typos and grammatical errors, making it difficult to understand. In addition, the game’s audio was often out of sync with the text, making it difficult to follow the story.

These errors led to a significant amount of negative feedback from players, and the game’s developers eventually had to release an updated version with corrected text and audio.

Censorship Issues in the Video Game Industry

Along with localization, game censorship is a hot-button issue that has often led to controversy. The main goal of censorship is to protect minors from content that is deemed inappropriate or harmful, but the lines between what is and isn’t appropriate can often be quite blurry. In some cases, different countries have different views on what should and shouldn’t be censored.

For example, while many European countries are more relaxed about nudity and sexual content in video games, countries like Saudi Arabia and China often have much stricter censorship laws.

This can lead to conflicts between developers and publishers who may want to release a game with its original content intact, and local governments who may want to censor or change certain aspects of the game.

The Differences between Western-centric and Eastern-centric Design in Games

Apart from the localization and censorship aspects, there are a few key differences between Western-centric and Eastern-centric design in video games. One of the most notable differences is the focus on individualism in Western design versus the focus on community and cooperation in Eastern design. This In video games often manifests itself as a change in player interaction.

Western games often emphasize competition and individual achievement while Eastern games often emphasize teamwork and cooperation. Western games often have more detailed stories and well-developed characters, while Eastern games often have less of a story and focus more on gameplay.

How to Achieve Success in International Game Localization

If you’re a game developer or publisher planning to release a game on the international market, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of success.

First, make sure your game is properly localized for each region you plan to release it in. This includes not only translating the text and audio into the local language but also making sure the game is appropriate for the local culture.
Second, be aware of the different censorship laws in each country and make sure your game is in compliance with them.
Third, research the different gaming markets and try to tailor your game to appeal to each one.
And fourth, always be prepared to update your game based on the feedback you get from players.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of releasing a successful game on the international market.

Delegate Your Game Localization to Contenteam Native-Speaking Translators and Editors!

Localizing a game is a complex process that requires attention to detail and a deep understanding of the target market. It’s important to work with a localization partner who has experience in the gaming industry and can help you both: navigate the challenges of game localization and avoid any cultural pitfalls that cannot be grasped by the foreigner.

At Contenteam, we have a team of experienced native-speaking gaming localization experts who can help you launch your game in the US, UK, Spanish, Mexican, Portuguese, Italian, Brazilian, French, and Russian markets. Contact us today to learn more about our services or request a free quote!

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