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Are you planning to expand your brand globally? If yes, it means that you need to build a strategic plan for your marketing localization.
When building a strategy for marketing localization, you can’t simply rely on language translations alone. It requires the adaptation of your strategies to the culture and preferences of your target market. This is a complicated task that, if done wrong, could potentially ruin your plan for business expansion. However, it could also be an effective weapon to increase your revenue out of the UK.
In this article, we will talk about building a marketing localization strategy for any business type.
Step 1. Start at the end of your localization strategy.
One of the common mistakes of marketers is starting their strategic plan at the beginning. This causes them to get lost without ever knowing what their first step should be. Thus, we’ll do it in the opposite way.
Start at the end of your localization strategy. Jot down your end goals and what you want to achieve with your business. If you are already writing down “money” on the top of your list, disregard it first. Yes, increasing your revenue may be one of your goals, but solely thinking of your income will not help you build a great strategy. Instead, think about how you want your products and services to help other people.
To know your end goals, answer these questions:
- What products/services do you offer?
- Who is your target customer?
- How can your products or services help them?
- Why do you want to help them?
- What impression do you want to leave to your audience?
By answering these things, you can easily identify your goals for localization. Knowing the next steps that you should take will also be clearer. For a better localization strategy, you can also turn to a company providing localization services. With their experience in localizing brands and content, they can offer helpful tips for your British business.
Step 2. Research potential market.
There are a lot of nuances when preparing to localize your business to other markets. From language barriers to cultural differences, there are plenty of things to consider when creating an effective strategy for cross-border marketing.
Depending on the demographic segmentation, a person’s needs and preferences may vary. A single mistake or mistranslation can negatively impact your branding image in your target location. Thus, conducting thorough research about your potential markets is an essential part of the localization strategy.
You should also identify the most common languages that your target audiences are using. Of course, English holds the record for the most number (1.1 billion) of speakers worldwide. However, you still can’t ignore the other languages that your target markets could be using.
Next is understanding the behaviors of your target market. Get the pattern of their everyday life and how they could potentially use your products and services. From that, it will be easier to build a relatable marketing strategy for your international audiences.
Step 3. Consider your budget.
Next in line is your budget because, let’s face it, hiring professional translators and a local team can cost too much. So, identify your allocated budget for the project and adjust your marketing strategy with it.
If you still can’t afford to localize your brand in five languages, it’s okay. Focus on your three best target markets and put your effort there.
While it is true that more language options mean more customer reach, you can also be successful by targeting few locations at a time. It is more feasible as you can put more attention to these localized pages. By considering these things, your marketing strategy can be more efficient and realistic.
Step 4. Build a strong team.
Collaboration is important when it comes to marketing localization strategies. While testing waters to other target locations, it is essential to hear some suggestions and insights from locals.
Thus, make sure to hire local employees with enough experience dealing with their local market. There is a high chance that most of your team members will have to work remotely to realize your localization plans effectively. Make brainstorming a habit and make them feel inclusive when strategizing.
Aside from that, you’ll need professional, native translators with enough experience in your industry. They can offer language fluency and insights that you can use for your marketing strategy.
Step 5. Prioritize website localization.
Websites are effective platforms to convey your brand messages and the products or services you offer. So, if you aim to expand your business in foreign countries, it is ideal to consider website localization for your marketing strategy.
There are a lot of considerations that you should take when planning to localize your website. Make sure that you find a reliable language service provider who has proven experience in these projects. You can also consider using translation software, but make sure to rely on professional post-editors for proofreading.
Here are the things that you consider for your website localization strategy:
- Adapt your web content to the language, culture, and preferences of your target customers.
- Make the language options easier to navigate.
- Use international SEO for the keyword and metadata of your website.
- Set local categories for products or services that your offer.
- Localize the images, videos, and layout of your website.
The best and easiest way to reach your target customers around the world is through social media platforms. Thus, it can be an effective addition to your marketing strategy. Consider creating social media accounts for your business and adapt your content to the culture and language you’re targeting. This way, it will be more convenient to engage with locals and deliver your company messages. It is also ideal to hire local managers with adequate experience and could serve as your customer support.
Moreover, according to a study, 82% of U.S shoppers say that they read online reviews before purchasing an item or availing services. This also applies to global online shoppers, and if you want to target them, it is best to get local testimonials and post them on your social media sites. Getting local social media influencers and paid advertisements are also some of the best SMM practices that you can do.
Step 7. Test your marketing strategy.
You’re nearly done with your strategic plan! Now, the only thing that’s left is testing your localization strategy if it will work on your target market. For this step, you can ask your local employees for their opinion about your drafted marketing strategy. You can also create a customer persona to check if your marketing strategy is effective.
