Targeting a new audience with your content involves a variety of steps. Not only does your message need to undergo the process of translation, but you also need to ensure the graphics, colors, fonts, and other elements of your content effectively communicate your brand. This is where the localization process comes in.

By definition, “Localization is the process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale or market.” This process addresses all aspects of your content, ensuring the elements involved will be clearly understandable to your new target audience. When you’re ready to penetrate a new market, here are the steps of the localization process that your content needs to follow. 

The localization process: research

Before beginning your localization project, your organization and your Language Service Provider (LSP) will work together to identify your target audience and their needs. This will include detailed research into the culture of your new target audience and any information that will help you to effectively reach them. The proper formatting for dates, times, graphics, fonts, and more will be determined as well.

The localization process: translation

Your content will then undergo translation into the new target language. To prepare for this step, be sure that you know what language and dialect your target audience speaks. If you want your content to be clearly understood, these two pieces of information are vital, as many languages have nuances that are important to specific immigrant groups – e.g. Traditional vs. Simplified Chinese. Your LSP will translate your content into the target language, give you the opportunity to review it and make edits, and then move on to the next steps of the localization process. 

The localization process: graphics

Your graphics also need to be localized as you continue through the process. This step includes changing the text, colors, images, and other elements of your graphics as necessary. If your logo includes text in the source language, you’ll want to consider changing that text into the target language to better be able to reach your target market. 

The localization process: design and formatting

Next, you’ll want to ensure that your content is designed and formatted appropriately after translation. Is the text reading in the appropriate direction for the target language? Have any spacing issues been addressed? Do the headers appear in the appropriate sections of the document? These are all questions that will be addressed in this step of the localization process. 

The localization process: converting to local units

Before publication, your LSP will ensure that all units have been converted to those used locally. This includes dates, times, measurements, etc. Localizing these units will help to make the content feel as though it were originally written for the target audience. 

The localization process: legal requirements 

Finally, your LSP will ensure that your content meets all local legal requirements. If there are international regulations that now dictate your content, your LSP will ensure that you’re in regulatory compliance before you publish your content so you’ll never need to worry about the legal implications of publishing your content in a new market. 

These are just a few of the key points in the localization process. If you want to learn more about localizing your content, or you’re ready to get started on your next localization project, call us at 530-750-2040 or request a free quote today.

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