Best practices for web localization

Today, it is possible for businesses to reach a broad audience, unlike in the past. While accessing various markets might be easy, connecting with your potential clients might be difficult due to the language barrier. Most online buyers don't purchase items from websites with content in a language they don't understand.

As a business, you are likely to miss out on many customers if this is the case. The best solution to this is web localization. Localization is not all about translating your site into a language your target market understands. There are several practices that come into play to ensure everything is successful. Every website component should adapt to the needs of the customer base in the market you intend to conquer. In this article, we will look at the best web localization practices you should follow for the best results.

Why localize your website?

Websites have become important assets to attract new clients because of the growing number of online users. Selling items or offering services to customers across the globe requires one to use the best approach. We live in a world of diverse cultures and languages, so you should develop strategies unique for each market. Web localization is one of the best strategies to reach a broader audience in various markets. Most people also use search engines in their local languages. Localization makes it easy for them to find you because your site will be in a language they understand better.

Hire translation experts

You shouldn't make web localization a complicated process. Always make sure that your content is in a language or format your target countries prefer. The best way to go about this is to hire translation management experts, who will handle everything from translation to website localization. They will take care of your website translation needs.

Don’t forget multilingual SEO

Understanding your audience is essential for website localization. Getting to know the real people who need your products or services will help you take the right search engine optimization measures. You will easily pick the right keywords for your target market in various regions or languages and pull more organic traffic to your site. This practice is vital in ensuring your site is visible in various markets. With the right SEO strategy, especially with the choice of keywords, you will rank top of your competitors.

Work on your website display

Languages differ in length. Some are long, while others require fewer words. Translating a site into multiple languages will result in paragraphs that vary in length. This can impact your site appearance and page composition because of the number of text displayed on your screen. You should, therefore, pay attention to these changes after web localizations since they affect user experience. Make the necessary changes to the translated content while making the correct punctuation where required.

The design of your website should also be flexible and meet the evolving needs of various languages. Some of the things you should look out for include action buttons and icons because they are the primary cause of problems. The Laravel localization tool will ensure your site maintains the perfect structure after localization.

Regular testing

Web localization is a continuous process. Regular testing is essential to avoid errors, problems, and specific bugs. Understanding what works for you will help you come up with solutions that meet the needs of your visitors and offers them the best experience on your site. You should test new texts, identify the content your new customers love the most, and analyze your results every time.

Good customer service

You shouldn't neglect your customers and make sure you provide solutions and answer them in a language they understand. Some of the avenues you should take advantage of include live chat, social networks, contact forms, and telephone lines. If possible, utilize automatic translation tools that are super accurate to offer the correct answers fast.

Create a global user experience

Website localization goes in handy with a user experience that meets the needs of specific cultures or languages. Several errors in the translation process can affect your project. Some of the things you should pay attention to include:

The visual elements of your site like colors, site structure, and images
Perfectly optimized layout and menus
Proper sentence structure and paragraphs

Our Laravel i18n localization tool also helps create the best user experience for your audience. You should carry out web localization with care to create the best user experience for audiences in multiple countries. Make sure the media used on your website meets the needs of audiences in the country you are targeting.

Don't skip important details

Most people tend to ignore some small details during website localization, affecting their visibility in the local market. Some of the essential details you shouldn't skip for effective web localization include:

Time zone
Currency
Events Calendar
Units of measurement and sizes
Terms of delivery
Payment methods
Return and refund policies

Make sure these crucial details are adapted to the local market. Such information is always helpful for your visitors and can play a pivotal role in retaining and attracting new clients.

Provide the Option of Switching Languages

Some people who speak fluent English may prefer to access your site in their local language. You should allow visitors to switch to a language they prefer. This will help them understand your website and offer the best online experience. You are guaranteed more traffic in return.

Conclusion

Making your business open to new markets is always the best experience. Website localization lets you reach new buyers easily. You should always do your best to get everything right. Remember, website localization is not all about translating your site. You should create the perfect experience for local users in the markets you plan to conquer. Follow the best localization practices to know your audience better and what they expect. This will help you come up with the best experiences for users in different countries.

If you are translating Laravel projects, we recommend taking a look at Locale, one of the simplest and most effective workflows to localize Laravel applications.