When you have developed an app, software, game or website which you desire to have global acceptance, what do you do?
You aim for these digital products to be widely accepted in every corner of the world. But each region has its own cultural sensitivities and barriers, and whatever you introduce to their citizens, these offerings should not have offended any societal oddities or traditions which are already deeply entrenched. And they should be understood through the language that they communicate in.
Table of Contents
1. Successful Introduction
One of the issues to think about is the difference in language. For example, you introduce a product with English language audio and text into Eastern Europe which has countless languages and dialects.
This problem requires some research. It is expected that all Eastern European countries have a total population of approximately 300 million. Out of this huge market, there are 150 million native speakers of the Russian language. And while preparing the project to expand to this or any other region, any company should understand how they can benefit from quality translation and localization.
Thus, it makes sense that your introduced product should make use of reliable translation and localization IT services which can flawlessly translate all the English audio and text connected with the game into Russian.
Since products are different, the tone and texture of the translation should be appropriate, for example some need to be formal and some rather be relaxed in delivery. The localization service should be knowledgeable with the colloquialism of the streets when it comes to Eastern European slang.
2. Social Oddities and Traditions
Extreme caution should be exercised when it comes to introducing an app into a country which has some oddities when it comes to clothing.
For example, you aim to introduce an English language shopping app into Scotland. The language is no problem because it’s an English to English transfer but since it’s going to be a shopping app, be wary that the kilt, a garment which looks like a skirt and reaches up to the knee, is a traditional part of the costume worn by Scottish men.
So never mention skirts as only for ladies or make jokes about skirts in blogs which accompany the shopping app.
Age segmentation must also be taken into account.
For example, a gaming app sourced from the USA and shared with the Korean market needs to be translated into the Korean language and at the same time, the characters should be dressed in such a way that they would spark interest from the fashion conscious youth market that is the target of most gaming apps.
If possible, do also a tie up with local Korean music distributors for the audio to be an added attraction for this teenager up to under 40 niche.
3. Measurements, Currency and Dates
The USA uses the English system of measurement that is inches and pounds while most of the world uses the Metric measurement system of centimeters and kilograms.
A substantial quantity of digital apps, software, games and websites are sourced from the USA. Logically, the initial versions of these online merchandise use the English measurement system.
It would be very helpful if before the introduction of these digital products into regions that use the Metric system, the business takes care of the user’s experience and remembers that some flexibility within the product be introduced internally.
Put in a design wherein the user chooses between the English and Metric system before using the product or automatically just switch to the measurement system that is being used in the region of the user.
Same misunderstanding may happen if you use the wrong currency or write the dates in an unaccustomed way. All these small details make the user experience worse, so your chance to conquer the new market decreases.
4. Localization
As was mentioned, there are a lot of things to think about that vary from one market to another. Many businesses start thinking about localization services, what they involve, and how they can benefit a software project. The participation of a top notch localization company in the global success of a software, app, game or website is obligatory. There are a lot of intricacies and uniqueness in every region of the world aside from the obvious differences which are language and culture.
There are symbolisms and deep meanings embedded in every country, that’s why an excellent localization service which is on top of its game should have staff which have multilingual skills aside also from extensive experience in cultural immersion in different countries.
If possible, the translators themselves should be living within the parameters of the targeted market. They are the individuals who know best in how to adapt the digital product to the needs of the market which they call home.
As such, your localization team should preferably have representative staff in each region which they aim to enter through their digital product. The internet has allowed us to interact with professional staff of the localization company with ease. All the presentations and all the proposed concepts are shown to you through digital monitors. Within seconds, you can send in your counter proposals and within some time, the finished work, translated and refurbished according to the needs of the target market, is complete and ready for delivery to you.
5. Social Media
While going to the new markets, many businesses start thinking about posting videos and articles in major social media platforms about the features of the digital products they are promoting in different languages.
Aside from social media, you may promote your new product with the help of Facebook and Instagram video ads, YouTube pre rolls, promotional trailers and trailers for Google Play and App Store – all adjusted to local tradition and color and translated fully into local language.
Bottom Line
Going to a new market is always a challenge, even for big corporations, you need to study the audience, their needs and desires to give them the product they need and make the customer experience better. If you do not pay attention to small details that make your product fit the place, unfortunately, the chances to survive there will be zero points.