Localisation (or Localization depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re from) is the process of adapting a product like a software application or a website so that the product appears native in the target country.
Translation is one aspect of localisation, but the process also incorporates the conversion of formats, standards, layouts and designs as well as the use of customised colours, branding and the other components that will determine local perception of the product.
Why should you localise?
- People are four times more likely to purchase from a website that communicates in their own language (www.idc.com).
- Over 100 million people access the internet in a language other than English (www.glreach.com).
- Visitors stay for twice as long if a website is in their own language (Forrester Research).
- Starbucks and Blackberry country pages that featured localized content in addition to the global initiatives fostered interaction as much as 10 – 15x than those which featured English-only content.
Another clue to this is in how the word is spelt. Already to a UK English-speaking audience the word should clearly be spelt as “Localisation” however to a market brought up on American English it should be “Localization”. Another great example is on e-commerce sites, ones crafted for the UK market would use “Shopping basket” as the part of the website where purchases are added to. While in the USA the term would be “Shopping Cart”.
Website Localisation
Website localisation refers to the translation and localisation of online content, images, icons and formats to a specific language and culture. This demands the sensitive and accurate translation of all the website’s content into the target language and dialect as well as the modification of many site components.
Examples of these components include:
- Time, date and currency formats
- Reversal of page layouts for right-to-left reading languages, such as Hebrew and Arabic
- Modification of telephone numbers and addresses to local in-country contacts
- Elimination of culturally inappropriate icons or images
- Addition of new links to content in the target language.
Localisation Experience
Global Lingo has the experience, in-house technical resource and expertise to manage the translation and localisation of all web content, including text, graphics, audio/video and animation. Even for complex websites, Global Lingo can produce a tested and validated version of the entire site in over 140 languages. We offer:
- Support for all web content (including text, graphics, audio/video and animation)
- Testing and troubleshooting facilities for all languages (including double-byte and bi-directional languages) to ensure site performance, link integrity, character encodings and browser compatibility
- Content management to support translation, localisation, testing and uploading in multiple languages on a daily, weekly or monthly basis
- Expert engineering, testing and validation professionals with experience in multilingual environments for HTML, XML, SGML, XHTML, ASP, CGI, Cold Fusion, Java, JavaScript, Shockwave, and Flash
- Databases, glossaries and Translation Memories to leverage pre translated text, maintain site consistency and reduce costs
- Fully accredited and highly experienced professional translators in over 140 languages
Exacting business standards
As well as our own translation standards Global Lingo are members of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) and abide by their standards and bye-laws. We also hold ISO 9001 Quality Management and ISO 14001 Environmental Management standards which we see as vital to our commitment to quality at every level of the business.
