Terralíngua

Your company website may be well designed, easy to navigate, attractive and engaging. It will most likely be aimed at consumers who use your products and services and, if your company is in the United States, it will be targeted to an English speaking audience.

Optimizing your business website in your own country is one thing, but if you do business globally? How do make your website attractive to buyers in other countries, where English is not their first language and the customs are very different?

Ensuring your audience receives the website experience matching their language and culture by delivering relevant content is called Geo-Targeting. This is achieved by obtaining the viewer’s geographic location through your website configuration.

Geo-Targeting is critical as studies have proven consumers are more likely to buy products or services from businesses that speak their language. An article on the Common Sense Advisory website outlines a study about purchasing decisions performed by the research company. The report found that in some countries people are prepared to pay more for products because the information is in their own language. The study also discovered that 60% of consumers buy from websites in their own language, despite the fact that they can read English.

Targeting your international buyers is not just a case of providing language changes to your American based website. It is also about considering colors, images and the design of your global landing pages.

Imagine you sell head scarves, and your website uses a photo of an attractive woman driving along a breezy road in an open top Mercedes. That image could be used on websites in France, Spain, South America and China. However, if you want to do business in Saudi Arabia that image would be inappropriate because women are not allowed to drive in this country. Therefore it is best to ensure that landing pages do not have generic images, but are targeted to suit local audiences.

Colors have cultural implications as well. The color white in China and Japan symbolizes death, whereas in Europe and America it is seen as a pure, clean hue. Offers and reductions should also be taken in consideration. What will sell well in America or Europe may not do so well in places like India or China.

Geo-targeting a country’s currency should also be taken into account. Displaying product prices in their own currency will build trust and comfort. Many consumers find currency conversion confusing and may shop elsewhere if they are unable to understand the pricing on your website.

A website that is professionally translated, localized and optimized by Geo-Targeting will have higher sales conversion rates than those businesses that ignore the importance of consumer relevance to engage with their global market.

Terralingua is a translation company that can help your business reach consumers on a global platform. We provide translation and localization services to some of the world’s top brands. Visit our website and contact us today to discuss your requirements.